"Operations Support Manager - OFMD"

Position Summary

The Operations & Facilities Management Department at WashU Medicine is committed to delivering a comprehensive range of services to support the medical campus. We oversee maintenance and operations for 65 buildings, covering more than 11.1 million gross square feet of space. This includes the 11-story, 609,000-square-foot neuroscience research building, which houses one of the world’s highest concentrations of neuroscientists. Our responsibilities include operational and administrative support, strategic planning, and project management.

Furthermore, as WashU Medicine continues to expand its presence both on and off campus in areas such as teaching, clinical care, and research, our team remains instrumental in ensuring the seamless delivery of clinical care, advancing research initiatives, and facilitating educational endeavors.

The Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building is the largest facility of its kind in North America and is the only building on the WashU Medicine campus with a dedicated facilities management team, reflecting its importance as a center of research excellence. The Research Facilities Operations Manager plays a vital role in developing processes, protocols, and innovations that influence the broader campus community and set new standards for research facilities operations.

The Operations Support Manager oversees daily operations, maintenance, space planning, and shared services with a focus on the Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building, a flagship research facility on the WashU Medicine campus.

This role combines operational excellence, team leadership, and strategic process development to create an exceptional research environment and establish best practices that can serve as a model for other campus facilities.

Exceptional communication skills and familiarity with laboratory environments are essential. The Operations Manager regularly engages with OFMD service areas, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Research, department heads, and other institutional leaders.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Operations & Maintenance

• Coordinates building operations, infrastructure performance, and maintenance programs in a laboratory-intensive environment.
• Coordinates scheduled and emergency maintenance with internal teams and external vendors.
• Ensures effective planning and communication of utility outages, construction, and infrastructure modifications with minimal disruption to research activities.
• Maintains records of work orders, schedules, and building documentation.

Space Management & Lab Support

• Partners with program manager, research departments, and principal investigators to understand laboratory operations, equipment requirements, and space needs.
• Supports space allocation, occupancy planning, and laboratory relocations.
• Develops expertise in lab infrastructure systems (HVAC, emergency power, gas distribution, R.O. water) to proactively identify risks and coordinates resolution when needed.
• Represents building and occupant interests during construction projects, renovations, and utility work.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Serves as the primary liaison between building occupants, OFMD service areas, and building/department leadership.
• Develops and maintains strong relationships with the Associate Vice Chancellor of OFMD, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Research, department heads, service area leads, and other leadership stakeholders.
• Distributes timely, clear communication regarding operational updates, outages, and project impacts.
• Facilitates regular check-ins, focus groups, and surveys with building users.

Team Leadership & Culture

• Balances urgent operational demands with proactive project work and strategic development in a dynamic work environment.
• Supervises a team of up to ten staff responsible for daily operations, administrative support, and shared services.
• Fosters a positive work culture that prioritizes service excellence, accountability, and professional development.
• Provides coaching, training, and performance management.
• Implements tools to track progress and ensures accountability.

Shared Resources & Amenities Oversight

• Manages amenities including glass wash services, gas cylinder coordination, lactation rooms, event spaces, and bicycle storage, and aligns with special event planners.
• Oversees badge access systems and specialized room permissions.
• Implements process improvements to drive efficiency and satisfaction.
• Manages accounts receivable in coordination with the OFMD Financing service area.

Safety, Compliance, and Sustainability

• Collaborates with Environmental Health & Safety to maintain compliance with laboratory safety requirements and regulatory standards.
• Assists sustainability initiatives, including Green Labs participation and energy conservation programs.
• Coordinates with WashU EH&S safety, sustainability, and compliance metrics.

Program and Process Development

• Develops, documents, and refines Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines, and protocols for building operations.
• Identifies innovations and process improvements to be scaled across campus facilities.
• Functions as an ambassador for best practices in research facility management.

Other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Job Location/Working Conditions: Normal office environment.

Physical Effort: Typically sitting at a desk or table. Repetitive wrist, hand, or finger movement. Ability to move to on and off-campus locations.

Equipment: Office equipment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications: No specific certification is required for this position.

Work Experience: Relevant Experience (5 Years)

Skills: Not Applicable

Driver's License: A driver's license is not required for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

Skills: Bluebeam, Collaborative Partnerships, Compliance Requirements, Construction Projects, Critical Thinking, Customer Service, Energy Reduction, Facility Management Software, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Safety, Microsoft Office 365, Organizational Commitment, Prioritization, Proactive Problem Solving, Professional Integrity, Progressive Leadership, Service Oriented, Strive for Excellence, Supervision, Sustainability Initiatives, Team Development, Team Leadership, Team Operations, Teamwork, Time Management

Grade

G12

Salary Range

$58,400.00 - $99,700.00 / Annually