Facility Operations Leader

Department Information

The Indiana University (IU) Northwest Physical Plant department supports the university's academic mission by providing safe, efficient, and responsive maintenance and landscaping/grounds services across campus. The department is responsible for the ongoing operational integrity, appearance, compliance, and functionality of campus facilities and grounds. Through proactive maintenance, adherence to industry best practices, and continuous improvement initiatives, the team ensures a reliable, high-quality campus environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

Job Summary

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Provides direct supervision and operational leadership for Maintenance and Landscaping/Grounds staff, ensuring clear accountability for performance, productivity, and service quality.
• Develops and manages daily and long-range work schedules to ensure appropriate staffing coverage and timely response to campus needs.
• Monitors work order systems and preventive maintenance programs to ensure completion, compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Conducts regular inspections of buildings, grounds, and infrastructure to proactively identify deficiencies and implement corrective action plans.
• Ensures compliance with university policies, safety standards, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
• Collaborates with campus leadership to prioritize projects and align facility operations with institutional goals.
• Leads process improvement initiatives to enhance service delivery, cost effectiveness, and long-term asset preservation.
• Supports budget oversight related to operational supplies, equipment, and workforce planning.

General Responsibilities

• Provides day-to-day operational management of Facility Operations staff.
• Establishes short-term operational objectives.
• Identifies operational issues and/or areas of improvement and implements solutions to improve processes and/or operational efficiency.
• Analyzes, monitors, and evaluates assigned staff performance; establishes work priorities, conducts performance reviews, and provides corrective action as needed.
• Ensures adequate staffing and effective scheduling; participates in and informs employment decisions for assigned staff.
• Provides direct supervision and oversight of assigned staff and activities; impacts, and is held accountable for, the performance of the team and/or assigned staff.
• Ensures and provides training to assigned staff to improve Facility Operations; researches and identifies development opportunities for assigned staff.
• Researches and stays up-to-date on new industry Facility Operations standards, best practices, and emerging technology; keeps next-level leader(s) informed of trends as well as significant problems.