Vice President of Facilities and Plant Operations

Nacubo; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Nacubo seeks a strategic Vice President of Facilities & Plant Operations to lead the College’s facilities, public safety, and capital programs. You will direct maintenance, safety, and infrastructure projects while collaborating with executive leadership to align resources with institutional goals.

The role requires extensive senior-level experience in facilities operations, budgeting, compliance, and campus safety.

Qualifications

• Ten+ years in facilities management with senior leadership responsibility.
• Experience managing public safety operations and campus security.
• Experience with capital projects, budgets, and contracts.
• Knowledge of building systems, codes, and safety standards.
• Preferred MPCTC or related certification (if applicable).

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for facilities, public safety, capital projects, and environmental services.
• Oversee maintenance, asset management, and space planning across multiple campuses or facilities.
• Coordinate with state agencies, regulators, and stakeholders on compliance and funding.
• Develop and monitor operating and capital budgets; identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Supervise facilities leadership and staff; promote performance and succession planning.
• Report to senior leadership with plans and recommendations.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Facilities management

Budgeting & finance

Public safety oversight

Capital project management

Regulatory compliance

Vendor & contract management

Team development & succession

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field

Tools

CMMS

Building automation systems

Energy management systems

Job description

The Vice President of Facilities & Plant Operations provides executive leadership and oversight of the College's facilities, physical plant, capital projects, public safety, environmental services, transportation, and fleet operations. The position is responsible for the planning, administration, and management of these functions to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant College operations. Reporting to the Vice President are an Associate Vice President and Directors/Managers over respective plant area.

The Vice President directly supervises the Director of Public Safety and provides executive oversight for campus law enforcement, security operations, crime prevention, emergency preparedness, incident management, and public safety compliance. The Vice President reviews operational performance, and ensures that public safety policies, staffing, training, and reporting requirements are administered in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and College policies.

As a member of executive leadership, the Vice President advises the President and Cabinet on facilities, public safety, capital improvements, operational risks, budgets, and resource requirements.

Responsibilities/Duties:

• Strategic Facilities Planning: Develop and execute short- and long-range facilities plans, including a five-year maintenance, improvement, and cost-reduction plan. Prioritize infrastructure renewal, capital improvements, and deferred maintenance based on institutional needs and available funding.
• Facilities and College Operations: Oversee building maintenance, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems, utilities, custodial services, grounds, parking areas, and related campus infrastructure. Establish service standards and monitor work-order performance.
• Capital Projects and Construction: Oversee construction, renovation, and major repair projects, including project scope, budgets, schedules, design review, contractor coordination, change orders, inspections, and closeout.
• State and Agency Coordination: Serve as the College’s primary facilities liaison with the Maryland Department of General Services and other state and local agencies on capital projects, funding, inspections, and regulatory matters.
• Maintenance and Asset Management: Maintain preventive maintenance schedules, track deferred maintenance, assess building conditions, and manage equipment inventories, warranties, drawings, and maintenance records.
• Budget and Financial Administration: Develop and monitor operating and capital budgets in coordination with Finance. Prepare funding requests, evaluate expenditures, maintain fiscal controls, and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Procurement and Contracts: Oversee facilities-related procurements, service agreements, construction contracts, and vendor performance in accordance with applicable requirements.
• Safety and Regulatory Compliance: Maintain compliance with applicable building, fire and life-safety, environmental, occupational safety, and accessibility requirements. Coordinate inspections, document deficiencies, and ensure corrective action.
• Emergency Preparedness: Coordinate facilities response to severe weather, utility outages, infrastructure failures, and other emergencies. Support campus emergency preparedness and continuity-of-operations planning in collaboration with Public Safety.
• Energy and Sustainability: Monitor utility consumption and implement practical measures to improve energy efficiency, system performance, and operating costs.
  Space Planning: Assess space needs and utilization with academic and administrative leaders; recommend improvements, reallocations, and renovations.
• Campus Conditions: Maintain standards for cleanliness, landscaping, signage, and the overall condition and appearance of College facilities.
• Facilities Systems and Reporting: Use maintenance, asset, and project-management systems to track work orders, project status, budgets, and facility conditions.
• Provide regular reports and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Personnel Management: Supervise and evaluate facilities leadership and staff; oversee staffing, training, performance management, and succession planning in accordance with College policies and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• Executive Coordination: Work with the President, Cabinet, faculty, staff, contractors, and external agencies on facilities priorities and operational issues. Present plans, project updates, and recommendations as required.
• Public Safety:
  • Provide oversight of the Department of Public Safety, including personnel, campus law enforcement, security services, crime prevention, emergency response, investigations, and the protection of College students, employees, visitors, facilities, and property.
  • Oversee the planning, organization, and administration of campus law enforcement and security programs, including patrol operations, access control, crime prevention, investigations, emergency communications, and incident response.
  • Ensure that the Director of Public Safety develops and maintains required training, certifications, professional development, and compliance with applicable Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission requirements.
  • Oversee compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, including applicable crime statistics, timely warnings, emergency notifications, annual security reporting, and related recordkeeping requirements.
  • Ensure that the Director of Public Safety promptly notifies the Vice President and appropriate College leadership of serious criminal incidents, threats to campus safety, major emergencies, and other matters requiring executive attention.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Baltimore City law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services, state agencies, and other public safety partners.
• Transportation and Fleet Management: Direct College transportation and fleet operations, including vehicle assignment and utilization, preventive maintenance, inspections, registration, insurance coordination, driver authorization, fuel use, replacement planning, and fleet expenditures. Oversee transportation services and related vendor agreements to support safe, reliable College operations.
• Environmental Services: Oversee custodial and environmental services, including cleaning schedules, sanitation, waste disposal, recycling, pest control, and response to environmental concerns. Establish standards for service quality, safe handling of materials, regulatory compliance, and timely correction of identified deficiencies.
• Perform other related duties as assigned. Remain available to respond to significant facilities emergencies and operational disruptions outside normal business hours.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Facilities Management, Engineering, Engineering Technology, Architecture, Construction Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field

Experience

• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in facilities management, physical plant operations, engineering, construction, capital planning, or a related field, including at least five (5) years in senior management or executive leadership with responsibility for personnel, budgets, facilities operations, capital projects, or contracts.
• Experience managing public safety and campus security operations, including personnel supervision, emergency preparedness and response, incident management, risk mitigation, regulatory compliance, and coordination with local and state law enforcement agencies, preferably in a higher education or comparable institutional environment.
• Experience directly supervising public safety leadership, including evaluating departmental performance, reviewing investigations, overseeing personnel administration, and ensuring compliance with applicable law enforcement and campus security requirements.
• Experience managing a complex, multi-building facilities operation and overseeing capital projects, maintenance programs, budgets, and contracts.
• Experience overseeing transportation and fleet management operations, including vehicle acquisition and replacement, preventive maintenance, fleet utilization, driver safety, regulatory compliance, contract administration, budget management, and the coordination of transportation services to support institutional operations.
• Knowledge of building systems, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire and life-safety, and building automation systems.
• Knowledge of applicable building codes, environmental standards, workplace safety requirements, and accessibility regulations.
• Experience supervising professional, technical, skilled-trades, custodial, or contracted facilities personnel.
• Experience managing environmental services operations, including custodial services, sanitation, waste management, recycling, pest control, environmental health and safety, regulatory compliance, contract administration, budget oversight, and maintaining cleanliness and safety standards across institutional facilities.
• Ability to manage competing operational priorities and projects, analyze costs and risks, interpret construction documents, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency with facilities management and work-order systems, spreadsheets, and reporting applications.
• Valid U.S. driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Certified Facility Manager (CFM), Project Management Professional (PMP), Professional Engineer (PE), or other relevant professional credential.
  Senior facilities leadership experience in public higher education, government, or a multi-campus environment.
• Experience with state-funded capital projects and the Maryland Department of General Services or a comparable agency.
• Experience with facilities master planning, condition assessments, deferred maintenance, and capital improvement programs. The position also requires working knowledge of campus public safety administration, transportation and fleet controls, and environmental services oversight.
• Experience with computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), building automation, and energy management systems.
• Possess a current Maryland Police & Correctional Training Commission (MPCTC) Certification

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of facilities management, plant operations, capital construction, building systems, maintenance programs, procurement, contract administration, and budget management.
• Ability to provide executive direction to the Director of Public Safety, evaluate departmental operations, assess security risks, review significant incidents, and hold departmental leadership accountable for operational performance, regulatory compliance, and the safety of the College community.
• Ability to plan, organize, direct, and evaluate the operations of multiple departments, including the supervision of professional, technical, administrative, and support personnel.
• Ability to develop and manage operating and capital budgets, establish departmental priorities, monitor expenditures, and identify opportunities for operational improvements.
• Knowledge of construction management, contract negotiations, project planning, and the administration of major capital improvement projects.
• Ability to assess operational needs, identify potential risks, implement corrective actions, and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and College policies.
• Strong leadership, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and make sound administrative decisions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with College leadership, faculty, staff, students, contractors, governmental agencies, and law enforcement personnel.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare reports, present recommendations, and communicate effectively with executive leadership.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in both office and field settings and requires regular inspections of College buildings, grounds, mechanical spaces, and construction sites. The position may involve exposure to noise, dust, operating equipment, construction activity, and varying temperatures. The Vice President must be available to work outside normal business hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, as operational needs require. The position also requires on-call availability to respond to campus emergencies, public safety incidents, facility disruptions, severe weather events, and other critical situations.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit a complete application demonstrating that they meet the minimum qualifications and upload five (5) professional references as an additional document. Final candidates are subject to a pre-employment background check. Employment decisions are made in accordance with applicable law and College policy. Applications are maintained on a secure site and accessed only by authorized personnel. Incomplete applications may be rejected.