Director of Facilities Operations

Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 66,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

excellent healthcare

retirement plans

tuition assistance

paid time off

winter recess

Job summary

Case Western Reserve University seeks a Director of Facilities Operations to lead the college’s facilities services across 34 buildings, coordinating with Campus Planning and Facilities Management. You will set priorities, drive maintenance, and manage renewal projects to support teaching, research, and administration.

The role requires strategic leadership, a strong budget focus, and experience with CAD systems and building security.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in facilities management, space management, architecture, or construction management with 5+ years of supervisory experience.
• Experience in an academic setting is preferred.
• Knowledge of building systems, security, and safety practices is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead facilities operations and coordinate with campus planning to support academic and research needs.
• Manage maintenance, renovations, and occupancy planning for 34 buildings.
• Develop budgets, forecasts, and capital expenditure plans for the college.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and safety for all facilities operations.

Skills

Leadership

Facilities management

Budget management

CAD software

OSHA/ADA knowledge

PeopleSoft

Strategic planning

Staff development

Education

Bachelor's degree in architecture, building/facilities management, construction engineering, or related field

APPA EFP certification or IFMA CFM certification (favorable)

Tools

CAD software

PeopleSoft

Job description

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary range available for this position at the time of its posting. The salary range is between $65,779 and $83,210, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Employees receive more than just a paycheck.

University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

• excellent healthcare
• retirement plans
• tuition assistance
• paid time off
• winter recess

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Director of Facilities Operations serves as the College of Arts and Sciences senior operational leader, overseeing the performance, prioritization, and strategic management of facilities services delivered by multiple providers. The director ensures that facilities services effectively support the academic, research, and administrative mission of the College of Arts and Sciences by overseeing service delivery, setting operational priorities, enhancing customer experience, managing resources, planning college‑specific facilities, and coordinating with Campus Planning and Facilities Management. The director provides strong leadership and stewardship over a portfolio of 34 buildings that house about 250 faculty, 100 contingent special faculty, and 100 staff across 21 departments.

Essential Functions

• Facilities operational leadership: serve as the primary liaison between college departments and Case Western Reserve University facilities service providers, resolving escalated issues and advocating for operational priorities that support the college's strategic mission. Partner with department chairs, faculty, and administrative leaders to identify facilities needs supporting instruction, research, recruitment, retention, and academic growth. Establish service expectations for facilities support within the college and monitor performance of university service providers to ensure responsiveness to academic and research needs. Recommend and prioritize maintenance, renovation, and capital needs on behalf of the college, balancing competing academic, research, and administrative requirements. Monitor the performance of facilities service providers and collaborate with Campus Planning and Facilities Management to address service gaps and operational concerns. Serve as the primary college contact, coordinating with Campus Planning and Facilities Management to manage maintenance activities, renovation projects, occupancy planning, and move management after project completion. Coordinate faculty office assignments and, when necessary, draft spatial layouts for upcoming faculty/staff hires, laboratory growth, and grant applications. Develop and oversee a routine inspection program for all college buildings to establish and maintain maintenance standards. Exercise stewardship in planning and business administration to ensure that physical assets, including unique and historic offices, classroom buildings, performance facilities, scientific research facilities, and laboratories are in working order. Collaborate with Environmental Health and Safety to ensure policy compliance and adherence to federal, state, and local regulations. In collaboration with the Assistant Dean of Strategic Initiatives, Finance and Administration, conduct facility condition assessments and develop strategies to address deferred maintenance in line with the college's Strategic Plan.

(35%)

Workforce Leadership and Organizational Management

• Workforce leadership and organizational management: supervise the team, including the Assistant Director of Facilities Operations and the Facilities Service and Communications Coordinator, in collaboration with Campus Planning and Facilities Management to proactively assist faculty and staff in achieving programmatic and academic objectives. Responsible for hiring, performance management, disciplinary action, professional development, succession planning, and workforce deployment for the college Facilities Operations team. Establish departmental goals, performance metrics, staffing plans, employee development strategies, and operational service standards. (25%)
• Operational budget management: account for the development, administration, forecasting, and reporting of all facilities operations expenditures. In collaboration with the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Finance and Administration, and relevant central administration financial officers, review and approve all major purchases of finishes, furniture, and equipment for the college to ensure compliance with established operating budgets and standards before release. Assist the associate dean in developing a multi-year capital expenditure forecast for the college. (15%)
• Operational performance and continuous improvement: manage college data for facilities systems and generate operational reports to monitor project progress, maintenance efficiency, and space utilization. Set and track key performance indicators for work order completion, preventive maintenance adherence, customer satisfaction, and overall operational effectiveness. (15%)
• Safety/security/emergency operations: establish on‑call protocols to provide emergency coverage for facilities in the college's space 24 hours/day, coordinating the evacuation of damaged space and the reassignment of temporary workspace until restoration is completed. Review, modify, and enforce key and card access control policies for the college and college‑controlled spaces. (10%)

Nonessential Functions

Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)

CONTACTS

Department: Continuous contact with members of the Dean's Office staff to discuss and resolve issues/problems relating to space planning, safety, security, construction and renovation projects, facilities management and equipment. Continuous contact with department chairs, faculty and staff in areas undergoing construction and renovation projects to solicit input, answer questions, and resolve problems.
University: Regular contact related to construction administration with the offices of Campus Planning and Facilities Management. Frequent contact related to operational areas with university service providers, including Environmental Health and Safety, Case Western Reserve University Public Safety, Campus Planning and Facilities Management, Access Services, UTech and Telephone Services regarding facilities management.
External: Regular contact with architectural firms, consultants, vendors, general/specialty subcontractors, and federal/state/local government enforcement agencies regarding construction and renovation projects.
Students: Occasional contact with students throughout the College or Arts and Sciences to carry out duties.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct supervisory responsibility for the Assistant Director of Facilities Operations and the Facilities Service and Communications Coordinator. Direct supervisory responsibility for external staff and contractors associated with any College facilities project.

Qualifications

Experience: 10 or more years of experience in related facilities management, space management, architecture, construction management, or as an owner's representative through the design and construction process, plus 5 or more years of supervisory experience. Experience in an academic setting, leading multifunctional teams, and budget management experience is preferred. Training and practical experience with building security systems and hardware preferred. Knowledge of CAD advanced applications for space management, OSHA and ADA requirements, state and local buildings, and fire codes preferred. Experience with estimating, scheduling, and PeopleSoft financial management systems preferred.
Education/Licensing: Bachelor's degree in architecture, building/facilities management, construction engineering, or a closely related field is required. An APPA Educational Facilities Professional certification (EFP) or an IFMA Certified Facility Manager (CFM) certification is highly favorable.

Required Skills

• Must have a broad and deep knowledge base.
• Interpersonal skills to work with all members of the campus community in a collaborative manner with an ability to build consensus.
• High level of professionalism, initiative, energy, creativity, and flexibility.
• Excellent organizational abilities, proficiency handling multiple tasks/deadlines
• High attention to detail
• Excellent oral/written communication skills.
• Discretion, good judgment, tact, and problem‑solving diplomacy are essential
• Strong technical aptitude regarding building systems.
• Excellent organizational abilities and proficiency handling multiple competing maintenance requests under tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to delegate responsibilities to direct reports, set clear expectations, and track deliverables through to successful completion.
• Strong interpersonal and oral communication skills to work collaboratively with a varied campus community and many stakeholders.
• Willingness to learn and work with artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies.
• Ability to demonstrate successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
• Ability to meet consistent attendance.
• Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face to face.

WORKING CONDITIONS

May be required to move or lift light objects (up to 35 pounds). Role requires extensive walking, standing, climbing, and physical movement. May work indoors or outdoors and in all weather conditions during moving, inspection, and renovation projects. Works in active maintenance and construction environments involving dust, noise, and fumes; will physically review construction sites as well as come into contact with hazardous chemicals during removal, posing a risk to personal safety. Considerable pressure associated with multiple deadlines, conflicting priorities, and frequent short lead times. Must meet consistent face‑to‑face attendance requirements. Position not eligible for hybrid remote work program.
Case Western Reserve University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CWRU Office of Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicants will be made on a case‑by‑case basis.