"Sr Director, Planning (Space Planning & Operations)"

Job Description Summary

The Sr Director, Planning, is the key administrative leader with and between internal and external parties related to space planning and management issues and prepares and presents space plans and options to senior leadership as requested, providing strategic direction and oversight for campus planning initiatives, ensuring alignment with long-term institutional goals and priorities. The Sr Director counsels and supports Perelman School of Medicine ("PSOM") administrative management, department chairs, as well as leadership and staff of University Facilities & Real Estate Services and UPenn Health System Real Estate, Design & Construction, in the management of data related to all School space assets (owned and leased) on all campus locations.

The Sr Director oversees the analysis of need, programming, capital project formation and feasibility analysis, interiors planning, project initiation, and sustainability for PSOM facilities-related initiatives. The position works in close collaboration with the PSOM and SPO leadership and cross-functional teams to ensure effective use of facility resources, provide planning analysis, and develop design and implementation solutions that meet operational, research, and educational needs at the School and University levels.

This position is considered "essential."

Job Description

• Education: Bachelor's degree in architecture or related field is preferred, or equivalent work experience required. Master's degree is preferred.
• Professional Experience: 7-10 years required. 10+ preferred of relevant work experience preferably in a medical school or academic environment.
• Job Knowledge and Personal Skills:
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills. Significant leadership experience and solid people skills. Accurate and precise, organized, and willing to follow procedures/regimen. Ability to manage concurrent projects while meeting project deadlines and navigating a political landscape with internal and external stakeholders. Ensures accountability, demonstrates self-awareness and resilience, and values differences. Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage conflict and ambiguity. Nimble learning and self-development skills. Ability to work in a collaborative environment and instill trust with supervisor, peers, and constituents.
  • Dynamic leader with excellent communication skills. Outstanding organizational skills, resilience, and an inclusive attitude. Understands the commitment to client service, and desire to work within a diverse, collaborative, and professional environment. A self-motivated professional, who can work independently. Ability to work with a team, build relationships, and interact effectively with diverse stakeholder groups. Flexible enough to adapt to shifting priorities. Ability to effectively manage time, prioritize deliverables, organize workload.
  • Proficiency with MS Office Suite (MS Project, PowerPoint, & Excel)

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: The Perelman School of Medicine is a multi-building research and teaching complex with emphasis on biomedical research. As such, and to ensure successful fulfillment of its mission (research and education), the School Community requires a much higher level of support service delivery than usually experienced in a typical academic environment. Problems that would be mere annoyances in some facilities have the potential of destroying thousands of dollars and months or years of often-irreplaceable work. The Department of Space Planning & Operations is responsible for coordinating and assuring uninterrupted delivery of the necessary utility and other support services.

The above statement is included in this position description to provide the reader with an understanding of: 1) The responsibilities of this Office 2) The importance to both the School and the University of the work performed 3) The stress and pressure placed upon employees by the emergency situations to which they must repeatedly respond. All employees of the Space Planning & Operations department are considered "essential."