Director of Operations, BRC

Special Instructions to Applicants: In PDF form, applicants should attach a resume and a cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application. 

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in how we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary

The Director of Operations, BRC, oversees all aspects of building infrastructure for a large, dynamic research and academic facility. This position is responsible for the strategy and daily service delivery for the BioScience Research Collaborative (BRC), an 850,000 sq. ft. mission-critical building that includes laboratory, classroom, office, and event spaces. The Director of Operations, BRC, oversees facility operations, building and equipment maintenance, and all building services and needs. Additionally, this role manages budgets, analyzes operational data, and drives continuous improvements to enhance service delivery, efficiency, and occupant satisfaction.

A people-centric leader, this candidate fosters a culture of excellence, accountability, and professional growth. They provide clear direction, mentorship, and development opportunities for staff while maintaining ethical and respectful relationships with all stakeholders. Balancing operational demands with strategic vision, they continuously seek innovations to optimize facility performance and create a high-quality experience for researchers, faculty, and students.

The ideal candidate for the Director of Operations role is a strategic and service-oriented leader with a proven ability to oversee complex operations in a dynamic research and academic environment. They excel in communication, ensuring transparency and collaboration among faculty, campus partners, and service teams. Their expertise in project management, incident resolution, and cross-functional coordination ensures smooth day-to-day operations and rapid response to evolving needs.

Workplace Requirements

This position is exclusively on-site, requiring all duties to be performed in person at the BRC. Per Rice Policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

This role is classified as an essential position, requiring on-site presence to effectively carry out its vital functions.

Hiring Range

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary range is $140,000 to $150,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
• Five years of facilities management experience, including mentoring others and building, leading, and developing teams.
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.

Skills:

• Expertise in real estate and facilities management.
• Experience managing projects from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery.
• Experience with vendor and contract management.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a culturally diverse and inclusive environment, valuing and respecting different perspectives.
• Experience with people development, coaching, mentoring, team building, conflict resolution, and personnel management.
• Proven ability to maintain professionalism and composure in a dynamic, service-driven environment, with a strong understanding of how service delivery impacts the campus experience for faculty, staff, and students.

Preferences

• Knowledge of controlled laboratory environments and equipment.
• Certified Facility Manager or similar credential preferred.
• Experience in academic, research, medical, or healthcare institutions.

Essential Functions

Service Delivery Leadership

• Maintain effective communication between all functional areas of Rice and the service delivery team.
• Communicate effectively with faculty and campus partners, ensuring transparency and clarity in all stakeholder interactions.
• Stay informed of industry trends and innovations to enhance operations.
• Provide input on fiscal activities, including budget preparation and variance analysis.
• Oversee the budget and ensure financial goals are met.

Operations Management

• Lead all site-based service delivery activities and operations.
• Develop and implement comprehensive operational plans to ensure seamless service execution.
• Collect and analyze operational data to provide insights on service performance, work order productivity, cost savings, and improvements.
• Oversee facility inspections and prepare site-specific and aggregated reports.
• Manage projects, complex requests, and multi-trade work orders.
• Ensure work requests are properly recorded, processed, and resolved within defined service levels.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to investigate, contain, and resolve incidents effectively.
• Conduct thorough root cause analysis to identify underlying issues.
• Manage escalations from occupants, ensuring timely resolution and occupant satisfaction.
• Oversee hospitality and events programs to ensure high-quality occupant experiences.

People Development and Culture Building

• Manage staff performance, ensuring alignment with site goals and individual job responsibilities.
• Provide coaching and mentorship to staff, fostering an environment where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered.
• Provide daily direction to assigned staff and ensure timely response to work requests.
• Maintain ethical and professional relationships with faculty, students, and service partners.
• Supervise personnel activities and ensure staff meet all training requirements.
• Foster a culture of excellence by implementing initiatives that promote teamwork, innovation, and service excellence.

Working Conditions

• Ability to climb up and down stairs, access restrictive openings, and perform emergency procedures.
• Use olfactory, auditory, and visual senses to inspect buildings and detect emergency alarms.
• Access remote work areas (e.g., crawl spaces, roofs, service ladders, and stairways).
• Lift up to 35 lbs. or more.
• Use a full range of manual dexterity (e.g., sitting, squatting, bending, kneeling, walking, and lifting).
• Work indoors 80% and outdoors 20% of the time.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits 

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.

Salary : $140,000 - $150,000