Widener University is seeking an Assistant Director of Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Systems to oversee the maintenance and reliability of all campus buildings and utility infrastructure. In this leadership role, the Assistant Director will plan, organize, and direct maintenance and repair operations while ensuring work is executed safely, efficiently, and to the highest standard.
This position provides leadership to a team of skilled trades professionals including electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and a controls engineer as well as external contractors. This role ensures that all maintenance work is properly prioritized, efficiently coordinated, and completed to the highest standards while engaging relevant campus stakeholders throughout the process.
The Assistant Director will be responsible for setting priorities, coordinating projects with campus stakeholders, and ensuring that all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems operate effectively to support the university’s mission.
Reporting to the Director of Maintenance, the Assistant Director oversees the planning, organization, and execution of maintenance and repair activities for all university buildings and utility systems.
In addition to daily maintenance operations, the Assistant Director develops and manages the university’s energy and water conservation initiatives, with a focus on reducing utility costs and advancing institutional sustainability goals. The position also supports the Director of Maintenance in both short and long-term capital planning efforts. The Assistant Director is expected to actively support and contribute to Widener University’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of their work.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (including, but not limited to):
Essential Duties:
- Plan, organize, oversee, and direct the maintenance and repair of all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) equipment and systems.
- Hire, direct and manage contractors to supplement in-house forces as required to provide as required to provide constituents levels of service consistent with department goals.
- Negotiate campus-wide contracts for services including electric supply, HVAC equipment maintenance, building automation system maintenance; elevator maintenance, water treatment, generator maintenance, and duct cleaning.
- Ensure Widener follows applicable laws related to maintenance, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements for facility systems within the purview of the Director.
- Supervise staff including hiring, scheduling, and assigning work, reviewing performance, training and professional development, disciplining, and recommend and/or implement salary increases, promotions, transfers, and demotions.
- Supervise outside contractors as required.
- Ensure priority and productivity is in line with relevant key performance indicators for higher education facilities maintenance.
- Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local codes and regulations.
- Perform frequent assessment of buildings and equipment to identify unsafe conditions or conditions in need of repair.
- Document and schedule repair and maintenance activities.
- Identify opportunities for improving department and procedures; implement improvements and conduct quality reviews periodically/as needed.
- Devise work methods and procedures for the safe and efficient maintenance and operation of building systems and utilities.
- Establish and define goals and objectives for maintenance and energy conservation programs.
- Analyze maintenance issues and establish standards for MEP systems that impact operations.
- Develop equipment and component inventory list for the purpose of scheduled maintenance, repair and replacement.
- Develop scopes-of-work, budgets, and schedules for maintenance specific projects.
- Assist Director of Maintenance and Facilities Management counterparts on short and long-range planning.
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Assist in developing scopes-of-work, designs and budgets for facilities’ capital projects.
- Assist technicians in performance of maintenance work.
- Perform other job-related duties as assigned or directed to support departmental needs and align with the mission, values and goals of Facilities Management and Widener University.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: (education/training and experience required)
Required:
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering preferred. A combination of training and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
- Seven (7+) years progressively responsible facilities management experience.
- Demonstrated success in developing teams and leading others.
- Superior interpersonal skills; excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to identify problems and implement creative cost-effective solutions to complex problems.
- Demonstrated proficiency in managing the trades and systems for which this position supervises and is responsible.
- Demonstrated knowledge of fundamentals of energy and water conservation.
- Demonstrated ability in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with a full range of campus and external constituents.
- Demonstrated commitment to customer service.
- Experience in working with groups of diverse individuals.
- Knowledge of modern facilities management trends.
- Expertise in developing and executing preventive maintenance programs.
- Proficiency in developing and working with facility budgets.
- Demonstrated knowledge of all federal, state, and local ordinances applicable to the position.
- Valid Driver’s License.
Preferred:
- Experience leading an MEP team in higher education.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR UNUSUAL HOURS:
- Must be able to stand, sit, bend, kneel, climb stairs, reach, and climb ladders.
- Must be able work in confined spaces and in elevated spaces (e.g. scaffold, bucket-truck platform, ladders, high-reach lifts).
- Essential and required to report and remain on campus in response to emergencies and weather events even when normal business operations are cancelled or suspended.
- May be required to work on weekends and holidays to support weekend operations or special events.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Widener University is committed to fostering an inclusive community in which faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or status as a protected veteran.
Widener University, an independent, metropolitan, doctoral-intensive university, connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention and experiential learning are key components of the Widener Experience. Located in Chester, PA, Widener's main campus is nestled between Philadelphia, PA and Wilmington, DE, with Law Schools located in both Harrisburg and Wilmington. For more information about the university, please visit our website at www.widener.edu.
EOE M/F/V/D
