Director of Facilities Planning and Construction

Santa Monica College; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

18 paid holidays

24 paid vacation days

12 paid illness days

Fully paid medical, dental, and vision

Job summary

Santa Monica College seeks a Director of Facilities Planning and Construction to lead district-wide facilities planning, design, and construction across multiple campuses. The role includes direct responsibility for DSA outcomes and overseeing multiple independent firms to deliver projects.

The candidate must have hands-on experience with the DSA submittal process, IOR coordination, and achieving DSA Certification of Compliance, while presenting to trustees and community groups.

Qualifications

• Significant experience administering district-wide facilities planning and construction programs in a California K‑14 environment.
• Hands-on experience managing projects through the full California DSA process: submittal, plan review and back-check, construction administration, and closeout/certification.
• Ability to coordinate with an Inspector of Record (IOR) and ensure documentation/testing requirements on construction projects.

Responsibilities

• Oversee district-wide facilities planning, design, and construction across multiple campuses.
• Direct and evaluate work of multiple independent construction firms.
• Present to the Board of Trustees, City and community groups, and planning committees regarding facilities planning and development.

Skills

DSA submission

Construction management

Stakeholder coordination

Board presentations

Education

Experience in CA K-14 facilities management

Job description

DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION

Santa Monica College is currently undergoing one of the largest new construction developments in its history, and is seeking a new Director of Facilities Planning and Construction to lead the charge in its endeavors. In this capacity, the incumbent will be responsible for overseeing District-wide facilities planning, design, and construction activities for a multi‑campus college, which includes substantial responsibility for monitoring, directing, and evaluating the work of multiple independent construction firms.

Important Note

This role requires direct, hands‑on experience managing projects through the full California Division of the State Architect (DSA) process — submittal, plan review and back-check, construction administration, and closeout/certification. This is not a delegated‑oversight role; the Director is personally responsible for DSA outcomes, not as a supervisor of consultants who handle the DSA process on the District’s behalf, but as the person accountable for getting projects through the process.

We are looking for a candidate who has significant personal experience:

• Preparing or directing DSA submittal packages and managing plan review/back‑check cycles
• Coordinating with an Inspector of Record (IOR) and ensuring compliance with testing lab documentation requirements on construction projects
• Assembling and reconciling documentation to bring a project to DSA Certification of Compliance
• Managing field changes and determining when DSA notification or resubmittal was required

What You Will Bring to the College

The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience administering a District‑wide facilities planning and construction program in a California K‑14 educational environment, which included primarily responsibility for coordinating communication, and planning and project implementation with the Division of the State Architect (DSA). This individual will have experience performing the full scope of construction management activities, from design through completion, as well as prior experience balancing numerous large‑scale construction projects (e.g., new construction) at different stages in the planning and development process. The ideal candidate will be able to effectively manage the activities of construction contractors, hold contractors accountable for their work, and serve as an ardent advocate for the District's best interests in interactions with contractors and stakeholder groups. Additionally, this individual must be able to deliver presentations to the Board of Trustees, City and community groups, and appropriate planning committees regarding facilities planning and development.

Please note that all candidates must have authorization to work in the United States; the District does not have the ability to provide sponsorship.

Important note regarding the District budget:

In an effort to address budget shortfalls and ensure the long‑term financial health of the College, the Board of Trustees has approved cost saving measures for the 2026‑27 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. These measures consist of:

1. Two unpaid furlough days per month for management staff, which approximately amounts to a 10% salary reduction, and
2. management freezes in step advancement that will halt salary advancement for at least one year.

The posted salary for this role does not reflect the two unpaid furlough days per month that took effect on July 1, 2026. Please note that the District will continue to offer fully paid health, dental and vision benefits for employees and their eligible dependents. The salary for this position has been recommended for an increase, but this increase is currently on hold pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

Benefits

We value our employees as people, and recognize the value of work‑life balance, the health of you and your family, and professional development. We offer a variety of benefits and perks to support new members of our team, including:

• 18 paid holidays*
• 24 paid vacation days*
• 12 paid illness days*
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision‑care coverage (including eligible dependents)
• Free mental health assistance through the Employee Assistance Service for Education (EASE) program.
• Membership in the California Public Employee Retirement System (CALPERS)
• 5% increase in base pay for every 5 years worked with SMC, up to 40 years of service (suspended for the 2026‑2027 fiscal year by the Board of