Director of Facilities Planning & Construction

APPA - Leadership in Educational Facilities; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

APPA - Leadership in Educational Facilities seeks a Director of Facilities Planning & Construction to oversee district-wide facilities planning, design, and construction for a multi-campus college. The role involves direct responsibility for coordinating multiple independent construction firms and ensuring program alignment with campus needs.

A core requirement is hands-on experience managing projects through the full California DSA process—submittal, plan review and back-check, construction

Qualifications

• Experience managing DSA submittal packages and plan review/back-check cycles
• Ability to coordinate with Inspector of Record (IOR) and ensure testing lab documentation compliance
• Experience assembling and reconciling documents for DSA Certification of Compliance
• Experience managing field changes and determining DSA notification or resubmittal requirements

Responsibilities

• Oversee district-wide facilities planning, design, and construction activities for a multi-campus college
• Monitor and direct the work of multiple independent construction firms
• Ensure successful navigation of complex DSA processes and certifications

Skills

DSA process experience

Project management

IOR coordination

DSA documentation

Job description

The Director of Facilities Planning & Construction is 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 significantpersonal 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