Director of Physical Plan
9 days ago
Reading
Job Description About Albright College Founded in 1856, Albright College is a nationally recognized liberal arts institution located in Reading, Pennsylvania, offering a distinctive, interdisciplinary educational experience built around its unique Connections curriculum. The College’s approximately 118-acre residential campus combines historic architecture with modern academic, residential, athletic, and administrative facilities. Albright’s physical plant includes instructional buildings, residence halls, performance and fine arts spaces, science laboratories, dining facilities, athletic and recreation facilities, and extensive landscaped grounds that serve both the campus community and visiting guests. The condition, safety, appearance, and functionality of the campus are critical to supporting the College’s academic mission, student life programs, and community engagement. The Director of Physical Plan plays a central role in ensuring that Albright’s physical environment remains welcoming, operationally efficient, and aligned with institutional goals for sustainability, accessibility, and long-term campus stewardship. Position Summary The Director of Physical Plan provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all physical plant functions at Albright College, including maintenance, custodial services, and grounds. This position ensures that campus buildings, infrastructure, and outdoor spaces are safe, clean, well-maintained, sustainable, and visually attractive. Reporting to the Vice President for Finance and Administration, the Director works collaboratively to support campus operations, long-term facilities planning, capital improvements, and regulatory compliance. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Leadership & Administration • Provide vision, leadership, and management oversight to departmental managers and staff responsible for maintenance, housekeeping, custodial, and grounds functions., • Foster a culture of service excellence focused on safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement., • Represent Facilities & Operations on campus committees related to planning, sustainability, safety, emergency preparedness, and capital development., • Oversee daily physical plant operations to maintain Albright’s diverse portfolio of historic and modern academic buildings, residence halls, athletic facilities, performance venues, and administrative spaces., • Ensure custodial and housekeeping services maintain cleanliness standards that enhance campus safety, sanitation, and community pride., • Direct maintenance programs for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, life safety systems, and general building infrastructure., • Manage campus grounds operations including landscaping, snow removal (contracted), athletic field maintenance, walkways, parking areas, and seasonal campus beautification., • Establish and monitor a comprehensive preventive maintenance program to prolong asset life, reduce reactive service needs, and maintain regulatory compliance., • Work collaboratively with the Vice President of Finance and Administration to develop, manage, and monitor operating budgets for all supervised departments., • Evaluate staffing levels, equipment needs, and vendor services to ensure cost-effective operations., • Solicit and manage service contracts and ensure vendors meet performance, safety, and financial standards., • Participate in campus master planning and space utilization initiatives., • Lead or coordinate renovation projects and campus improvement initiatives., • Serve as primary facilities liaison for architects, engineers, and contractors during project design and implementation phases., • Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local codes governing building operations, environmental safety, fire safety, OSHA requirements, ADA accessibility, stormwater management, indoor air quality, and hazardous materials handling., • Conduct routine safety inspections and correct deficiencies in a timely manner., • Collaborate with Public Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, and emergency response teams to ensure campus emergency preparedness and facility readiness., • Advance Albright College’s sustainability initiatives through energy management strategies, waste reduction programs, recycling efforts, water conservation projects, and sustainable groundskeeping practices., • Identify opportunities to improve building efficiency and reduce carbon footprint through building automation systems, lighting upgrades, preventative equipment replacement, and green cleaning standards., • Serve as the primary point of contact for faculty, staff, and students regarding facilities services., • Ensure courteous, efficient service delivery and timely resolution of concerns., • Develop communication protocols to keep the campus informed of maintenance schedules, renovations, or service disruptions. The Director provides direct supervision to the following departments: • Maintenance Services (internal), • Custodial Services (Internal) Required • Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of training and experience, • Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in facilities or operations management within a complex campus, institutional, or commercial setting., • Demonstrated leadership experience managing multi-functional teams and operating budgets., • Working knowledge of campus facility systems including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, life safety systems, custodial operations, and grounds maintenance., • Familiarity with regulatory compliance standards (OSHA, ADA, fire safety, building codes)., • Strong project management and vendor management experience., • Higher education facilities experience., • Professional certifications such as Certified Facility Manager (CFM), Facilities Management Professional (FMP), or Project Management Professional (PMP)., • Ability to traverse campus regularly, including stairs, ladders, rooftops, and mechanical spaces., • Ability to lift up to 25 pounds. This position requires flexibility to meet the needs of a residential campus, including rotating evening, weekend, holiday, and on-call responsibilities.