Yale University has retained Helbling, a ZRG company to conduct an executive search to secure a Director of Facilities Operations.

Position Summary

The Director of Facilities Operations will lead an 800-person team responsible for all facets of site operations, including day-to-day and strategic planning for general licensed and unlicensed trades in maintenance, custodial, trash and recycling, physical plant, grounds, and structural trades as well as outside third-party vendors, contractors, and service providers. 

The Director will be responsible for establishing service levels within budgetary constraints and establishing service level agreements with departmental “customers,” developing procedures and processes to ensure compliance with these service agreements while creating an organizational culture that embraces continuous improvement as well as personal accountability at all levels.

For more details about this opportunity, please view the position profile by clicking on the cover image below.

As a member of senior leadership within the Facilities Department, the Director shall work cooperatively and effectively with the leadership of other University departments as well as Facilities organizational units, including Engineering, Utilities and Campus Resiliency, Planning and Capital Programs, Business Administration, and Sustainability. 

The Director will be accountable for overall leadership of professional, technical, and operational staff within Facilities Operations to achieve year over year improvements and campus stewardship priorities. 

Primary responsibilities include setting strategic initiatives, developing the talent of the operations team, directing the performance management process, establishing key departmental performance metrics, and leading the daily activities of operations management and staff to attain goals and objectives.

Position Responsibilities

• Define future requirements and programs; plan and formulate long-range facilities management goals and strategies;
• Continuously drive productivity and improvement processes into the organization’s culture; initiate and maintain cost-effective strategies, ensure that all activities related to facilities management are aligned with these strategies, and effectively communicate these strategies to management and staff throughout the organization;
• Develop and utilize Key Performance Indicators to monitor and improve service delivery and process at all levels within Facilities Operations through data collection, integration, and analysis via maintenance management and other software systems and tools;
• Oversee the creation, administration, and oversight of budgets and finances for units within the specified areas of responsibility, encompassing income and expense reconciliation as well as identification of capital requirements; establish strategic goals related to capital equipment procurement, inventory assessment, identification of obsolete assets, and evaluation of new maintenance needs; work closely with Facilities Operations personnel and the business office to formulate budgets and long-term planning strategies;
• Direct the activities of diverse and specialized trade functions on maintenance, repairs, renovations, custodial, special events and programs, and activities; develop staffing plans as necessary and provides leadership for department initiatives to enhance staff development and performance management; direct the performance process for supervisors and staff, evaluating performance, staffing needs, training, payroll, and employee relations; 
• Develop and implement service delivery performance requirements and process standards to safely and efficiently maintain and operate Yale’s buildings, including preventive maintenance, routine cleaning and appearance, emergency response, sustainability initiatives, and support of special events and activities; meet regularly with Facilities Department directors and managers to review current and upcoming projects;
• Provide input from the customer base to assist departments in the planning, prioritization, and execution of their work; analyze the input and feedback gained from contact with customers such as heads of colleges, deans, department heads, business managers, and building tenants when meeting to discuss upcoming projects, services, and events affecting their area of responsibility; develop plans to identify new needs and requirements to determine priorities;
• Safeguard the University’s interests by ensuring all services align with University, federal, state, and local regulations, and codes; clarify the mission of units under supervision and ensure staff actions and activities are in support of that mission;
• Work closely with the University Architect and Capital Program in design standards development, fostering design for maintainability, operations-based lessons learned feedback, and project commissioning and turnover support, including active participation across all operational units;
• Evaluate and align organization structure and operational practices to be consistent with University sustainability goals;
• Represent the department in various meetings and committees and articulates facilities strategies and policies;
• Duties beyond those specified above may be assigned.

About Yale University

Yale University is a private, Ivy League research institution that was founded in 1701. 

Approximately 12,000 students attend Yale, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 373 acres. Yale University is ranked fifth in the National Universities category of the 2024 Best Colleges edition of U.S. News and World Report.
 
Yale blends its Ivy tradition of excellence with a modern work culture that values different points of view and thrives on respect and innovation. The University offers challenging, exciting, and rewarding careers to those who seek opportunities to gain experience and excel. 

Location

New Haven, CT

Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business administration, or a closely related field and ten years of experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Experienced strategic planning leader both in development and implementation; ability to work on a senior team as a listener, contributor, collaborator, mediator, and advocate, interacting with internal and external constituencies;
• Superior customer service orientation and the ability to take charge and drive initiatives through to completion; excellent project management skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong client relationships and work in concert with others to accomplish goals and objectives;
• Proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and other software applications for timekeeping, payroll, and maintenance management purposes;
• Proven track record of executing organizational change initiatives; demonstrated capacity to effectively lead, supervise, and mentor direct reports, providing guidance and counsel to management teams regarding leadership strategies.

Preferred Experience

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a closely related field;
• Professional registration;
• Knowledge of APPA best practices and operational initiatives;
• Previous experience in a college or university environment;
• Prior experience in overseeing a unionized workforce preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer

University policy is committed to affirmative action under law in employment of women, minority group members, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. Additionally, in accordance with Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment, and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).