The client is seeking an Executive Director of Utilities & Engineering Services to provide strategic, operational, and financial leadership for campus-wide utility systems and engineering services. This executive role oversees centralized utility plants, distribution systems, energy management, engineering support, capital program contribution, and regulatory compliance within a complex, high-reliability environment. The Executive Director will report to the Vice President of Facilities and ensure safe, reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective utility and engineering support that enables core institutional missions.
The Executive Director will set and execute a long-term vision aligned with institutional priorities, climate commitments, and growth plans. Key responsibilities include developing utility master plans, infrastructure renewal strategies, and resiliency initiatives; advising leadership on infrastructure risk, capacity planning, and investment decisions; and ensuring seamless day-to-day operations for critical utility services such as electricity, steam, chilled and hot water, domestic water, sewer, and stormwater. The role also leads incident response, outage management, and business continuity planning, establishes performance metrics and continuous improvement programs, and provides oversight of engineering standards, design review, commissioning support, and technical guidance for capital projects and renovations, including governance for utility interfaces with new construction and major facilities.
The Executive Director will plan, prioritize, and manage a multi-year capital renewal and improvement portfolio, including development and oversight of operating and capital budgets to optimize lifecycle costs and return on investment, while partnering with relevant entities to deliver projects on schedule and within budget. The role advances energy efficiency, electrification, decarbonization, and climate resilience efforts by leveraging data and analytics and supporting campus climate initiatives; champions a strong culture of safety, regulatory compliance, and environmental stewardship by ensuring adherence to applicable codes, standards, permits, and utility regulations; and proactively identifies and mitigates infrastructure, operational, and cyber-physical risks. The Executive Director leads, develops, and mentors a multidisciplinary team, fosters a collaborative and inclusive culture, manages people-related matters including hiring and coaching, addresses union-related issues, identifies skills gaps, supports performance appraisal processes, maintains strong working relationships with collective bargaining counterparts, and represents Facilities Management in internal meetings.