How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Who We Are
About Facilities & Operations
Facilities & Operations provides essential services that support the University of Michigan's mission of education, research, patient care, and public service. The organization is responsible for the stewardship, operation, maintenance, planning, and renewal of campus facilities and infrastructure. Through collaboration, technical expertise, and a commitment to service excellence, Facilities & Operations helps create safe, sustainable, accessible, and welcoming environments for students, faculty, staff, patients, visitors, and the broader university community.
Job Summary
Facilities & Operations at the University of Michigan seeks an experienced, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as the Assistant Vice President for Maintenance Services. Reporting to the Vice President for Facilities & Operations, the Assistant Vice President provides executive leadership for the university's Maintenance Services organization, which is responsible for the operation, maintenance, repair, and long-term stewardship of the building systems and infrastructure that support the university's academic, research, clinical, and campus-life missions.
This role oversees maintenance planning, service delivery, and system reliability of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, life safety, and facility-operating systems within individual campus buildings. Maintenance Services delivers this work through regional maintenance teams responsible for a broad portfolio of building-specific systems and equipment, including HVAC, refrigeration, chillers, heating and chilled water distribution, piping, secondary electrical distribution and lighting, fire alarm and suppression systems, roofs, elevators, and related infrastructure. These teams are supported by central shops and specialized technical groups focused on access control and keying, metal fabrication, building automation and controls, central mechanical repair, infrastructure project support, and program management for critical and regulated systems.
The Assistant Vice President manages a $65M budget and leads a diverse organization of approximately 290 managers, supervisors, skilled trades professionals, and technical staff. This position requires a seasoned executive with substantial senior-level management experience, strong labor relations skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with university leaders, academic and administrative units, union partners, contractors, consultants, and regulatory agencies.
Responsibilities*
Strategic Leadership and Planning
- Provide strategic leadership for Maintenance Services by developing, implementing, and continuously improving long-term predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance strategies across a broad portfolio of campus facilities, infrastructure, buildings, and systems.
- Partner with Facilities & Operations executive leadership to advance organizational priorities, operational excellence, sustainability, customer service, and long-range infrastructure planning.
- Lead maintenance planning for new construction, major renovations, capital renewal, and infrastructure improvement projects to ensure maintainability, reliability, and lifecycle performance.
- Use data, technology, asset management systems, and condition assessments to proactively address aging building systems, infrastructure risks, deferred maintenance, and operational needs.
- Integrate sustainability, energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, and resilience into maintenance planning and operations.
- Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with critical building systems, infrastructure reliability, regulatory compliance, and business continuity.
Operational and Financial Oversight:
- Provide executive oversight for the operation, maintenance, repair, and renewal of campus building-level mechanical, electrical, and facility operating systems.
- Ensure maintenance services are delivered safely and effectively, in alignment with university standards, customer expectations, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
- Oversee project and operating budgets, allocate resources effectively, and ensure responsible stewardship of university funds.
- Monitor performance metrics, service levels, work management processes, vendor performance, and contractor compliance.
- Facilitate coordination among internal teams, external consultants, contractors, vendors, and regulatory agencies.
- Serve as a senior liaison to university leadership and other campus units on building maintenance and infrastructure matters.
Senior Management and Organizational Leadership:
- Provide executive direction, mentorship, and development to managers, supervisors, and staff across Maintenance Services, building a high-performing team capable of supporting complex operations in a large institutional environment.
- Foster a respectful, collaborative, and safety-focused workplace culture.
- Support workforce development, succession planning, technical training, and professional growth for staff at all levels.
- Maintain constructive and effective working relationships with unions and university labor relations partners.
- Lead organizational change and operational transformation initiatives that improve reliability, efficiency, transparency, and service delivery.
- Represent Maintenance Services in senior leadership meetings, executive committees, campus planning discussions, and other university forums.
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, facilities management, business administration, construction management, or a related technical field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in facilities maintenance, engineering, construction, infrastructure operations, or a closely related field.
- Minimum of 7 years of senior-level management experience overseeing large, complex, interdisciplinary teams.
- Demonstrated experience leading facilities or infrastructure operations in a large, complex environment such as higher education, health care, government, research, utilities, industrial operations, or a comparable setting.
- Strong knowledge of facility management practices, building systems, infrastructure maintenance, asset management, and lifecycle planning.
- Demonstrated experience working in a unionized environment, including effective collaboration with multiple skilled trades groups.
- Proven ability to develop and execute strategic plans, manage large budgets, allocate resources, and lead complex operational initiatives.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to safety, sustainability, operational excellence, service quality, and inclusive leadership.
Skills You Have
Core Competencies
- Executive leadership and strategic vision
- Facilities operations and infrastructure stewardship
- Predictive and preventive maintenance strategy
- Asset management and lifecycle planning
- Fiscal responsibility and business acumen
- Labor relations and union partnership
- Stakeholder engagement and executive communication
- Project and program management
- Staff development and succession planning
- Change management and continuous improvement
- Commitment to safety, sustainability, equity, and service excellence
Desired Qualifications*
- Master's degree in engineering, facilities management, business administration, public administration, construction management, or a related field.
- Professional licensure or certification such as Professional Engineer, Certified Facility Manager, LEED accreditation, Project Management Professional, or similar credential.
- Experience in higher education, academic medical centers, research institutions, or other mission-driven organizations with complex facilities portfolios.
- Experience implementing or optimizing computerized maintenance management systems, asset management platforms, building automation systems, or predictive maintenance technologies.
- Demonstrated success leading organizational change, process improvement, workforce planning, and service delivery transformation.
- Experience supporting maintenance operations for research, laboratory, clinical, residential, utility, or other mission-critical facilities.
Why Work at Michigan?
Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care - that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It's adding a purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:
- Generous time off
- A retirement plan that provides immediate vesting and two-for-one matching contributions after 12 months
- Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability coverage
- Paid maternity and parental leave
- Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
The expectation for this position is fully on-site at the Ann Arbor campus. This position may be eligible for an occasional hybrid work arrangement with prior arrangement. Modes of work are reviewed and approved by the university and are subject to change based on business needs.
Additional Information
Facilities and Operations is a positive organization dedicated to the principles of being respectful, collaborative, solutions-based, and proactive.
The Assistant Vice President will be expected to work collaboratively across a complex institutional environment and represent Facilities & Operations with professionalism, sound judgment, and a strong commitment to the university's mission.
This position may require availability outside of regular business hours to respond to urgent operational needs, emergencies, or other critical campus situations.
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.