Executive Director – Property Operations

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

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Real Estate and Facilities, the Executive Director – Property Operations will collaborate with the Facilities & Capital Planning (F&CP) senior leadership team to develop and implement efficient processes and high service standards.

This position oversees all operational, fiscal, planning, and personnel activities of the custodial, grounds, and maintenance teams—an organization of over 150 FTEs—dedicated to maintaining, repairing, and preserving the Rice University campus (over 300 acres and 70 major buildings exceeding 6.5 million GSF). The Executive Director is responsible for developing and executing long-range programs to ensure the effective stewardship of campus buildings and facilities, providing a safe and functional environment, delivering cost-effective custodial, grounds, and skilled maintenance services, and fostering a team culture committed to enhancing the beauty and functionality of the Rice University campus.

As an active participant in the pursuit of departmental strategic initiatives, the Executive Director is an essential resource for maintaining continuous campus operations during emergencies. This position works closely with staff, faculty, consultants, contractors, and regulatory officials to ensure effective collaboration.

The ideal candidate for the Executive Director – Property Operations role is a strategic and results-driven leader with deep expertise in facilities management, operational planning, and team leadership. They have a proven track record of managing custodial, grounds, and maintenance operations in complex institutional settings, demonstrating a commitment to service excellence and stewardship of campus assets.

Forward-thinking and dedicated to continuous improvement, the ideal candidate leverages technology and industry innovations to enhance operational efficiency. They are agile and decisive, with the ability to navigate dynamic environments while maintaining a focus on strategic priorities.

Above all, they are a mission-driven professional passionate about fostering an engaged and motivated workforce, upholding the highest standards of safety, sustainability, and service excellence to maintain and enhance the beauty, functionality, and longevity of the Rice University campus.

Workplace Requirements

This is an on-campus position requiring all duties to be performed in person at the Facilities & Capital Planning offices, Monday through Friday. 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.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in facilities management, construction management, engineering, business, public administration, or a related field
• Minimum of seven years of increasingly responsible management-level experience in facilities management, including supervision of multiple direct reports
• Certified Facilities/Property Manager or related professional licenses and/or certifications

Skills:

• Extensive knowledge of soft service delivery and facilities management, including custodial, grounds, and skilled maintenance trades (carpentry, paint, electrical, plumbing, and general maintenance)
• Experience with vendor and contract management
• Relevant safety, compliance, and sustainability experience
• Experience managing a large budget and stewarding university resources effectively
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with staff at all levels and internal/external stakeholders
• Ability to maintain professionalism and composure in a service-driven environment
• Strong verbal, graphical, and written communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in a culturally diverse and inclusive environment while valuing and respecting different perspectives
• Proven success in people development, coaching, mentoring, team building, conflict resolution, and personnel management
• Experience using performance indicators, metrics, and service level agreements to assess and improve organizational performance
• Strong knowledge of process improvement and quality management, including problem-solving, data analysis, and the development of cost-effective solutions
• Analytical mindset with proficiency in computerized maintenance management systems, financial systems, general productivity technologies, and data utilization methods

Preferences

• Experience working in higher education, non-profits, or private firms serving institutional clients
• Understanding of planning, design, project management, and contract analysis/evaluation
• Knowledge of APPA standards and best practices
• OSHA 10 certification

Essential Functions

Service Delivery Leadership

• Provides strategic direction for key operational domains, including property operations, custodial services, grounds, and skilled maintenance
• Collaborates with department leadership to set goals and objectives aligned with F&CP and the University’s mission
• Leads long-range planning efforts to ensure service delivery aligns with organizational objectives
• Develops and implements policies and procedures for maintenance, custodial, and grounds operations
• Ensures compliance with University, state, and federal regulations
• Maintains adherence to service level agreements and high-quality service delivery standards
• Oversees staff support for campus events and inclement weather responses
• Responds to and assists with after-hours emergencies

People Development and Culture Building

• Directs, mentors, and coaches staff to foster a collaborative environment focused on best practices, quality, and sustainability
• Cultivates a work environment where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered to excel
• Develops professional growth plans and career pathways for team members
• Provides training, cross-functional experiences, and certification opportunities
• Fosters a Culture of Excellence through teamwork, innovation, and service commitment
• Enforces University and F&CP safety policies, participates in safety training, and ensures safe work practices
• Models and reinforces University core values of Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence

Operational Excellence

• Sets, communicates, and tracks progress on long-term goals, strategies, and performance targets
• Establishes standards and benchmarks for workmanship and service excellence
• Develops and manages departmental budgets and expenditures
• Champions a data-driven approach to decision-making, leveraging analytics for system performance optimization
• Ensures data integrity and stewardship throughout service delivery processes
• Monitors program performance and provides feedback to drive continuous improvement and accountability
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with faculty, staff, students, academic departments, administrative offices, and external stakeholders
• Represents the organization in University committees and external groups

Working Conditions

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

DO NOT APPLY TO THE RICE WEBSITE FOR THIS POSITION. APPLY DIRECTLY WITH RUSSELL REYNOLDS ASSOCIATES. DIRECTLY CONTACT STEVE NEWTON TO APPLY Steve.Newton@russellreynolds.com