Link to apply: https://careers.swarthmore.edu/cw/en-us/job/495336/director-sustainable-capital-planning-project-management
- Job no: 495336
- Work type: Full Time
- Location: Swarthmore
- Categories: Staff, Salary (Exempt)
Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.
Who We Are:
Swarthmore College is engaged in an aspirational and robust capital planning and construction program that includes replacing the College’s combustion steam district energy system with district carbon-free geoexchange, retiring the College’s Accumulated Deferred Maintenance through the Campus Renewal Program, and the adaptive reuse of Martin Hall. Planning efforts are underway for significant, phased upgrades to the College’s Athletics Complex. The College has recently completed a strategic plan that will lead to a campus master planning effort to guide the next decade of the capital program. All this is conducted with a sharp focus on environmental sustainability and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is an exciting time to be at Swarthmore College!
The Swarthmore College campus includes over 70 buildings and 1,900,000 square feet of space on 425 acres that includes the bucolic Scott Arboretum. The College seeks a Director of Sustainable Capital Planning and Project Management to lead a team of professionals to steward the evolution of the College’s campus to realize its strategic vision.
The opportunity:
Reporting to the Associate VP for Sustainable Facilities Operations and Capital Planning, the Director accomplishes the department’s mission by working with campus stakeholders and various consultants, designers, and builders and by forming and guiding teams that provide project governance and oversight to deliver a successful capital program. The Director leads the College’s annual capital plan development and prepares materials for plan approval by the Board of Managers. The Director ensures that all design and construction complies with the College’s Design Standards and Guidelines and Sustainability Framework.
The ideal candidate has broad experience and knowledge in capital planning, construction project delivery, and institutional facilities management. The person will possess strong and creative leadership acumen, adeptness at budget development and management, analytical and problem solving competency, strong communication skills, and experience in working within an institutional setting. The ideal candidate is ready to step into this role and lead the College’s dynamic Sustainable Capital Planning and Project Management Department.
Essential Responsibilities
- Campus Planning: Provide overall management for campus planning at a variety of scales, from strategic visioning and campus master planning to precinct planning and planning for facility types. Work with and through direct reports to conduct consensus-driven processes as needed to form well-grounded, coherent, and practical plans for the long-term physical growth of the institution within a framework of environmental sustainability and fiscal responsibility.
- Department Management: Provide overall administrative management of the Sustainable Planning and Project Management Department through sound fiscal management, efficient workflow practices, departmental metrics, and annual assessment.
- Capital Budgeting: Lead the annual facilities capital planning process to develop a comprehensive, balanced and accurate annual capital plan proposal for approval by the Board of Managers, which adequately forecasts upcoming capital needs and reflects institutional priorities.
- Personnel Management: Manage and develop the department’s staff to meet evolving needs and department workload, fostering a culture of teamwork, support, and a shared sense of mission.
- Project Management: Manage the planning, budgeting, design, and construction for assigned capital projects, both those arising from routine replacement and renewal and from larger strategic initiatives funded through capital campaigns, gifts, and/or debt financing, in accordance with the College’s capital project approval process.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Oversee outsourced project management, contract administration, and outside legal counsel, as required, to support the department’s workload. This position may occasionally supervise student workers or interns, including outside program and project managers hired to augment in-house staff.
Directly supervises 3 Full-time Sr. Project Managers (campus planner, small projects & large capital projects), 1 Part-time Sr. Project Manager (campus infrastructure), 1 Project Manager (interiors) & Capital Program coordination with 1 Project Manager (ADA, faculty housing & capital projects).
Who you are:
- Knowledge of the fields of institutional/commercial facilities planning, design, engineering, and construction.
- Knowledge of computer-based spreadsheet, word processing, and scheduling programs.
- Demonstrated effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Well-developed emotional intelligence, strong interpersonal skills, initiative, logical thinking, and a sense of humor.
- Strong understanding of capital project budgeting, including allowances, contingencies, and owner’s reserve. Knowledge of project cost accounting including cash flow projections, commitments-based and cash-based accounting, accruals, and capital planning and forecasting.
- Knowledge of basic accounting principles and theories, including capitalization and depreciation, cost accrual, commitments-based and cost-based accounting, and capital and operating budgets.
- Ability to read and understand construction plans and specifications.
Experience with a variety of project delivery methodologies, including Design/Bid/Build, Design-Build, and Construction Management At-Risk. - Knowledge of best practices for consulting, design and construction contract forms, including standard provisions regarding bonding, indemnification, standard of care, substantial and final completion.
- Experience in administering Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and Request for Proposal (RFP) processes for all services related to the work of the department.
- A demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional education.
- Excellence in communication & presentation skills
What you bring:
Required Qualifications
- Baccalaureate degree in facilities planning, design, or construction management from an accredited college or university.
- Minimum 10 years experience in campus or institutional planning at a range of scales, from long-range strategic facilities planning to shorter-term and more complex precinct and project planning.
- Minimum 10 years experience in project management, including project budgeting and design and construction management, demonstrated by successful completion of multiple capital projects in new construction and renovation with project budgets in excess of $50 million.
- Minimum 7 years staff supervisory experience.
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends in support of College functions and project-related public hearings.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in facilities planning, design, or construction management from an accredited college or university.
- Significant progressive relevant experience in the higher education field.
- Competency in Revit and experience with project management software systems.
- Knowledge of Living Building Challenge certification programs administered by the International Living Future Institute.
- Demonstrated commitment to environmental sustainability in the planning, design, and construction of major capital projects.
- Strong graphic design skills, applied to communicate complex topics to a variety of audiences.
What You Will Get:
You’ll work at one of the world’s most renowned liberal arts colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 425-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.
We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with pay expectations, including a resume and cover letter, by March 8, 2024.
PA Criminal Required
Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.
Review the 2024 Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
Advertised: Feb 15 2024 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close: Open until filled