Director, Operations and Engineering

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Competition Number: J0225-0573

Position Title: Director, Operations and Engineering

Position Number (Final): 00119298

Employee Group: Managerial & Professional

Job Category: Facilities and Physical Plant

Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada (On-site)

Salary: $117,800.00 - $161,300.00/Year

Grade: 12 Review Salary Information Here

Hours per Week: 35

Job Type: Permanent (Continuing)

Shift: 7 Monday - Friday

Number Of Positions: 1

Date Posted: March 21, 2025

Closing Date: April 13, 2025

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COVID 19 On-Campus Requirements

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.

About Queen's University

Queen’s University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.

We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.

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Job Summary

The Director, Operations and Engineering (the Director) is a member of the Facilities senior leadership team and works to advance the university’s mission through the operational and strategic direction of campus facilities’ operations, engineering, and maintenance. Specific areas of responsibility include; mechanical and electrical engineering and drafting, trades, grounds, custodial services, stores, Fixit client service, commuter services, sustainability and energy planning, and the Central Heating Plant (CHP) including overseeing the direction and administration of the operation and maintenance of the CHP and the steam distribution system.

Providing senior leadership to the unit’s Assistant Directors and Managers, the Director leads annual and long-term planning, strategic visioning, goal development and forecasting, policy development and implementation for the unit, and is accountable for financial planning and resources allocation to ensure sound financial management of the unit. In addition, in conjunction with the Director, Campus Planning and Real Estate, the Director is responsible for the planning of the university’s Deferred Maintenance Plan. This includes the management and analysis of facilities condition data. The Director holds a key leadership role interfacing directly with stakeholders throughout the university community.

Reporting to the Associate Vice-Principal (AVP) (Facilities), as the ambassador for the provision of high quality facilities operations and engineering services to the university community, the Director is accountable to maximize the return on the university’s investment in facilities operations and maintenance against institutional expectations for value and ensure the delivery of client service is designed to support clients through the promotion of a supportive attitude, anticipatory service and extensive knowledge on how to best meet or exceed client service expectations. The Director is a sustainability-minded, proficient quality assurance professional with exceptional quality management and oversight skills. The Director is accountable for the development, implementation and maintenance of published Standards of Service and measures compliance to ensure that the standards are met by the unit and are adjusted where necessary.

Committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, the Director is an accomplished leader and has management responsibility for successfully empowering the operations and maintenance team to provide optimum client service with emphasis on overall client satisfaction through the daily provision of high-quality facilities operations and engineering services to the university community.

Job Description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Client Service

• Engage the university community as a strategic partner in the development of a common vision for the delivery of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services.
• Gather crucial insights based on the development of an in-depth understanding of the university community’s facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance requirements and client service expectations and ensure that decision-making in the development and management of the facilities operations and maintenance service delivery model is in the best interest of all stakeholders.
• Interact with clients to regularly review and evaluate the degree of satisfaction with facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services; recommend and implement solutions to meet expectations; investigate and resolve service complaints, ultimately maximizing client satisfaction through optimum client service by ensuring timely completion and follow-up of service requests and effective communication channels.
• Oversee all operational aspects of the university’s facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance service delivery model.
• Manages building system records, drawings, specifications and manufacturers data.
• Negotiate service contracts for university clients requiring service beyond the published service standards. Ensure that service delivery obligations are met.
• Partner with the Design and Construction unit of Facilities to meet the facilities operations and maintenance and multi-disciplinary client service demands of the university.
• Act as the liaison between Facilities and Event Services to ensure that appropriate operations and maintenance services are provided in a timely way for on-campus events.
• Oversee the research into and procurement of required technology to improve the delivery and cost-effectiveness of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services.
  
  

Strategic Planning/Financial Management

• Engage in strategic visioning, goal development and forecasting and propose recommendations to the AVP (Facilities) to ensure the financial and operational viability of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services to the university community and support financial and environmental sustainability at the university through long term strategic planning for energy systems, energy management and conservation plans, sustainability programing, waste management and transportation while ensuring alignment with the university’s climate action plan goals.
• Tactically develop and implement long-term plans for the delivery of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services to all campus buildings through the preparation and management of annual budgets and operational plans that are inclusive of sustainability and green initiatives. Review service delivery and budgetary variance issues with the operations and engineering unit’s management team.
• Oversee the management of the university’s utilities budget including recommendations on purchasing of electrical and fuel products and including recovery amounts from ancillaries.
• Oversee the strategic operational management of the Cogeneration Plant, the Central Heating Plant, and Central Building Automation Control.
• Identify and implement risk mitigation strategies using a variety of root cause and problem- solving techniques.
• In conjunction with the Director, Campus Planning and Real Estate, creates, maintains, and prioritizes the university’s Deferred Maintenance Plan. This includes the management and analysis of facilities condition data.
• Continually evaluate and monitor the quality of operations, engineering, and maintenance work to ensure effective expenditure of university funds; audit for quality assurance and monitor the delivery of operations, engineering, and maintenance services to ensure that consistency is maintained and that the published Standards of Service are met.
• Participate in the preparation of unit’s Requests for Proposal (RFP) in conjunction with Facilities colleagues and Procurement Services.
• Negotiate to engage, manage, and monitor external contractors.
• Ensure that a lifecycle management plan for maintenance and periodic renewal of facilities operations and maintenance equipment is in place and effectively managed.
• Represent the AVP (Facilities) when required on facilities operations and maintenance services related issues.
• Oversee or participate in projects, committees, and other initiatives for Facilities and in the university community as required.
  
  

Quality Management

• Develop and deliver an operations, engineering, and maintenance services Quality Management Program for the university community and stakeholders.
• Manage the quality of client service delivery by establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and review and evaluate performance to ensure that established KPIs are achieved and adapted to drive quality improvement on an ongoing basis.
• Is the ambassador for the delivery of operations, engineering, and maintenance services in the university community and as such, is responsible for client relationship management and negotiation; this has a direct impact on the university clients and KPIs and the working relationship that binds them together.
• Utilize KPIs and related metrics to assess and operationalize efficiency improvements within the operations, engineering, and maintenance unit’s delivery service model.
• Lead the development and ongoing review of a strategic plan creating long-term and annual performance targets for operations, engineering, and maintenance services.
• Address systemic barriers to delivering quality service and implement methods/solutions to improve service across the university.
  
  

Human Resources Management

• Specialize in creating and maintaining an inclusive, rewarding work environment to develop the operations and engineering unit as a unit that attracts and retains a diverse group of talented employees who thrive by providing optimum client service and ambassadorship to the university community.
• Foster a harmonious workplace culture that works together to deliver high quality, professional results by embracing shared values and through the promotion of a respectful team environment which embraces the diversity of all employees.
• Decisively lead the operations and engineering management team by linking the unit’s work to Facilities and the university’s mission, vision and values and inspires, mentors and motivates the management team to high performance and alignment.
• As a competent supervisor, ensures that operations and maintenance services are delivered in a safe manner in compliance with safety regulations, university operating policies and procedures and departmental safety programs.
• Plan, prioritize and manage the work of employees, providing strategic and tactical advice, guidance and coaching. Identifies the need for staff resources, participates on staffing committees, and makes effective recommendations regarding employee selection.
• Assess staff training and development needs, and ensure that employees receive training required to improve and sustain performance.
• Investigate, address and resolve employee/labour relations issues, including disciplinary matters. Make decisions or effective recommendations on matters involving possible discipline, discharge and probationary termination.
• Lead initiatives to promote equity diversity and inclusivity.
  
  

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering preferred combined with thorough knowledge and expertise in delivering client service excellence evidenced by at least 10 to 15 years of accomplished leadership experience preferably in the area of facilities management/operations in an educational or large industrial/commercial setting.
• Registration as a Professional Engineer by Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) is preferred.
• Facilities Management Professional (FMP) designation through the International Facilities Management Association or a similar organization would be considered an asset.
• Successful completion of a diploma in Quality Assurance or willingness to pursue is preferred, combined with a solid understanding and proven success in the application of the principles of continuous quality improvement.
• Demonstrated experiential success in building, directing and motivating management, administrative, and unionized teams.
• Experience in the management, negotiation, and monitoring of external contractors.
• Significant experience in policy development, evaluation, risk mitigation and quality control.
• Demonstrated career progression and related professional development.
• Capacity to be a competent supervisor within the meaning of the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Minimum valid Class G Ontario driver’s licence.
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check and satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check.
• Consideration may be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  
  

Special Skills

• Ability to understand and anticipate how clients and stakeholders look at products and/or services from a “value-added” perspective and align operations and maintenance services accordingly.
• Knowledgeable about the issues and culture of clients and stakeholders to understand their service needs. Use this information to negotiate goals and initiatives and achieve solutions.
• Proactively identify relationship building opportunities and develop and maintain relationships with university clients, colleagues, suppliers, and external contractors.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to build and maintain a positive and progressive workplace culture where accountability and ensuring completion of deliverables are met on time and within scope.
• Demonstrated management skills, including proven ability to direct, mentor, and motivate teams and individuals to foster positive communications and a team approach among diverse team members.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with diverse clients and stakeholders who have a wide range of skills, experience and responsibility inside and outside the university community and adapt content, tone, medium and style to audience to be inclusive.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to deal with sensitive issues in a confidential and/or professional manner, demonstrating tact, diplomacy and effective judgment.
• Problem-solving and negotiating skills with the ability to influence others to gain consensus and resolve differences with university clients and stakeholders.
• Strong client service aptitude with the ability to maintain a service-oriented perspective while dealing with potentially challenging client service demands.
• Acknowledge diverse ideas and interests of all clients and stakeholders when making decisions.
• Ability to think strategically and communicate long term priorities.
• Strong business analysis skills with the ability to predict outcomes and provide consultative solutions and recommendations.
• Exceptional attention to detail with superior organizational and planning skills to manage multiple priorities and make decisions regarding competing and sensitive priorities.
• Skilled change champion with the ability to lead team members through change.
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting and financial responsibility.
• Solid computer aptitude and capability to learn new applications and lead changes in systems and technology. Proficiency in operations and maintenance technology, i.e. Archibus, OrangeQC, workload balancing and scheduling application, key systems, etc.
  
  

Decision Making

• Develop, implement, and evaluate administrative policies, procedures, and practices for areas that reflect the goals of the Facilities and the university.
• Demonstrate critical-thinking by understanding the needs of clients and employees and ensures decision-making is considerate of the best interest of all stakeholders.
• Make forecasting, financial planning, budgeting and operational decisions that affect the financial stability of Facilities aligning processes and resources to meet the vision and goals of the university.
• Budget management and approving expenditures of funds; determine when corrective action is required to deal with service or budgetary variances.
• Assess effectiveness of work including quality assurance/control.
• Effectively and decisively resolve client service requests and complaints.
• Determine when to escalate issues to the AVP (Facilities).
• Advocate the value of diversity to others, takes action to increase diversity in the workplace (e.g. by recruiting and developing people from varied backgrounds and cultures).
• Determine and implement best methods for service delivery across the portfolio.
• Determine organizational structure and resource allocation to provide the necessary range of services to the university community.
• Evaluate job candidates and make effective recommendations on suitable hires.
• Make decisions and/or effective recommendations regarding transfers and promotions.
• Evaluate employee performance and decides on appropriate training or coaching to address lack of proficiency in carrying our responsibilities, or remedial action for staff disciplinary situations.
• Assess investigation outcomes of grievances and make effective recommendations on appropriate course of action or next steps on grievances.
• Make effective recommendations on level of discipline up to discharge and probationary termination.
  
  

Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources at hradmin@queensu.ca.

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