"Operations Utility Manager"

Job Description Summary

The Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES) provides the expertise, business process, policies and standards required to plan, design, construct, operate, maintain and renew the physical assets of the University, excluding the health system. In addition, the Division, comprised of approximately five Departments, is responsible for the strategic planning, management and operation of non-academic University property, and collaborating with the neighborhood to create a safe and economically vibrant destination. With close to 12M square feet of space, FRES maintains 186 buildings on a campus of 276 acres, completes over 60,000 maintenance requests per year, and starts approximately 250 projects a year. FRES is comprised of the following Departments: Administration, Office of the University Architect, Design and Construction, Real Estate, Operations, and Maintenance.

The University of Pennsylvania is implementing a campus transformation entitled Penn Connects. This comprehensive, award winning effort is expanding the campus over the next 20 years, including the construction of new academic research and recreational facilities. In addition, the University has secured $300M in Century Bond funding and continues to upgrade existing facilities over the coming years. https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/

Job Description

The Operations Utility Manager is responsible for managing personnel including Operations Control Center team of 5 Supervisors, and MEP Operations and Repair team of 4 Supervisors- steam, plumbing, electrical operators, A/C and 1 chilled water plant supervisor who respond to, execute and complete pro-active maintenance work, customer service requests, and other requests for special work. They will ensure staff, contractors and vendors meet contractual requirements and industry standards/best practices while providing safe work environments for employees, visitors and customers.

These complex utilities infrastructure includes:

• Chilled Water: 14 chillers at two central plants capable of producing over 53K tons of chilled water distributed through 16 miles of piping holding 5 million gallons of water.
• Electricity: 13.2 KV electricity by PECO to 7 dual fed campus substations.
• Steam: Supplied by Vicinity Energy thru ~9 miles of underground piping & 140 manholes capable of providing up to 400,000 lbs of steam per hour.
• Water/ Sewer: Supplied by Philadelphia Water Department
• Natural Gas: Supplied by Philadelphia Gas Works
• Building Systems: MEP systems in 189 instructional, research, administrative, and residential buildings containing 14 million GSF of space

Job Responsibilities

• Manage and lead multiple supervisors who lead utility trades teams, including steamfitters, A/C, electrical operators and plumbers.
• In addition, manage trades staff including hiring, on-boarding, coaching, discipline, PTO approval, training, professional development, and performance review.
• Management of the University's central chilled water production plants and physical infrastructures for distribution of steam; chilled water; high voltage electricity; and plumbing/sewer.
• Coordinate with in-house engineering and management entities to plan and direct the activities of the in-house trades staff, contractors, and subject matter expert consultants to ensure proactive load analysis, planning, design, construction, funding, maintenance, preventative maintenance, code compliance and operations of the utility infrastructure.
• Develop and recommend maintenance project priorities for equipment and operational strategies to improve operating efficiency.
• Conserve energy and manage peak load management.
• In collaboration with Executive Director and Director of Trades establish benchmarks for usage, develop and implement conservation measures using SCADA, BAS) and CMMS systems.
• Procurement and oversight of work performed by Engineering, Utility and MEP consultants and contracted services in compliance with established standards and procedures.
• Implement and enforce safety protocols and industry best practices to ensure a safe working environment.
• Stay updated with local, state and federal regulations related to construction, safety and building codes.
• Maintain long and short-term formal plans and strategies for each utility system, including five-year financial plans and budgets.
• Collaborate with finance department to manage operational utility budget.
• Coordinate activities with Design & Construction and 12 schools and centers and exemplifying excellent customer service
• Oversee the supervision of union personnel and management union contracts. Participate in the grievance/discipline process.
• Work collaboratively with union representatives to ensure smooth project operations and adherence to labor agreements.
• This is a designated essential personnel position. Must be available to attend emergencies on-or off regular work hours.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's & 5-7 years required. 10 plus years of progressively responsible experience in operations and maintenance utility infrastructure or facilities maintenance and operations preferred.
• Demonstrated experience handling the operation and maintenance of major infrastructure on a campus serving higher education or medical/research initiative highly preferred.
• Technical/Vocational or associate's degree or completed apprenticeship in a related field required and 10 + years of Building plant engineering operational experience and supervisory experience. BA/BS preferred in mechanical engineering or related field.
• Proven experience (minimum 10 years) in operating and managing mechanical, electrical, plumbing and utility (generation and distribution) systems, preferably in large-scale projects or institutional settings.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and guide a diverse group of multi-skilled workers and multiple competing demands on resources.
• Knowledge of control room operations SCADA, BAS systems and Computerized Management Maintenance System (CMMS)
• The ideal candidate must have prior experience of overseeing the supervision of union personnel and managing union contracts.
• They should have a strong understanding of labor union dynamics, collective bargaining agreements, and the ability to work collaboratively with union representatives to ensure smooth project operations and adherence to labor agreements.
• Excellent project management abilities, including budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation.
• Thorough understanding of construction safety regulations and best practices.
• Knowledge of city/state codes and ASHRE standards.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to collaborate effectively with various stakeholders.
• This position will require the individual to be on call 24/7 and designated as essential personnel.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Facilities and Real Estate Services

Pay Range

$91,000.00 - $130,000.00 Annual Rate