PLANT SERVICE - Assistant Director

Job Classification

  

Position summary

This position is responsible for supervising the day-to-day operations of Plant Service by managing the trades foremen and work assigned to those areas. It also includes being able to perform trade-based work either independently or alongside other tradespersons. Also responsible to serve in a rotating on-call capacity for facility emergencies including overnight, Sabbath, and holidays.

They serve as second in the Plant Services chain of command following the Director of Facilities.

Qualifications summary

This position requires the ability to lead a team of diverse work and experiences and the skills and/or experience to perform trade-based work similar to that of a general contractor. They must think critically, analyze, and respond effectively to complex situations. This requires excellent customer service skills and experience reading prints, work orders, budgets, or other construction related documentation.  

Previous experience in facility or shop/trade management preferred.


Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Duties and responsibilities

Administrative

• Create, maintain, and update office-related spreadsheets/software to track project completion/trade performance, etc.


• Contribute to the development and enforcement of University. construction/maintenance standards.


• Manage construction records as appropriate.


• Serve on committees in absence of Facility Director or assigned (Facility Committee)


• Serve as acting Facility Director in their absence.


• Provide leadership/mentoring to the trades groups.


• Participate in Office personnel functions (candidate selection, hiring, evaluation, discipline, termination).

Inventory and Procurement

• Work with Facilities Coordinator to ensure proper selection and inventory for trades areas.

Operations Support and Backup

• Provide general administrative support to the Director and office as needed.


• Serve as backup for the trades areas.


• Assist trades with project completion as needed.


• Serve in a rotating on-call capacity for facility emergencies including overnight, Sabbath, and holidays. This could be for both a specific trade or as management. When on-call, must be capable of responding to the campus within 30 minutes.

Additional Duties

• Maintain the office’s emergency preparedness plans for campus emergencies and utility failures.


• Coordinates trades-based facility data management with Facilities Coordinator and GIS.


• Participate in departmental cross-training and perform other related duties as assigned.

Other duties may be assigned.

Supervisory responsibilities

• Directly supervise trade foremen (Carpentry/Pain, Electrical, HVAC, Locksmith, and Plumbing), managing timely and accurate completion of projects, work orders, and clerical duties.


• Provide leadership, training, performance feedback, and support to direct reports.


• Coordinate workload assignments, monitor deadlines, and foster collaboration within the office team.


• They serve as second in the Plant Services chain of command following the Director of Facilities.

Responsible to assist in the operational management of the office including:

• Personnel functions (selection, hiring, training, evaluation, discipline, termination).


• Process/Procedure Improvement


• Statistical Reporting/Analysis


• Equipment Maintenance/Improvement/Purchase


• Develop and maintain job manual(s) outlining the minimum expectations for both their own role and the office’s.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

In addition to the subsections below:

• Ability to rely on experience, training and judgment to execute policies and procedures.


• Ability to work cohesively in a team-oriented environment.


• Advance communication and customer service skills with the faculty, staff, students, community visitors over the telephone and in person to resolve conflicts or respond to requests for assistance.


• Advanced proficiency in English speaking and writing skills.


• Experience working with trades and/or maintenance preferred.


• Must be able to work scheduled hours.


• Must function well while under stress.


• Must have excellent human relation skills, dealing with a wide variety of people. 


• Must have excellent time/project management and attention to detail, being able to complete tasks with limited to no supervision.


• Must have or obtain a valid Michigan driver’s license.

Education, Experience, and/or Certifications

Must have or be capable of obtaining certifications:

• MIOSHA Level I


• First Aid/CPR/AED


• Construction-based certifications such as General Contractor or Michigan’s Residential Builders or Maintenance & Alteration Contractor


• Any Trade-specific license/card at journeymen level or higher.


• Relevant education, experience, and or certifications to complete duties

Leadership & Received Direction

The position has the authority to take action or make recommendations that will affect procedures, processes, and practices involving customers or employees within the same unit as well as campus wide in regards to the facilities and purchasing of facility-based items.

Ability to provide leadership to both their subordinates and the entire office. Expected to lead by example and be capable of developing skills in subordinates.

Once trained, this position should function with limited direction and be responsible to identify daily/monthly tasks and any additional training necessary for the completion of their duties.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as proportions, percentages, distances, area, circumference, and volume.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry. Ability to calculate statistical data.

Other Skills

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Ability to read/interpret construction documents and provide instruction for completing construction work.


Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Technical competencies

Computer Skills

Proficient in Microsoft Office including Outlook and Word.

Preferred experience in construction management software and GIS.

Equipment/Software Used

• Communications equipment, including radios, phones, messaging applications (Teams)


• Computerized Maintenance Management System


• Vehicles (vans, trucks, trailers, flatbeds, etc.)


• Various power/hand tools


• Various commercial equipment (forklift, aerial lift, telehandlers)

Interpersonal interactions

Internally this position requires the ability to lead by example and to provide direction/training to subordinates. This requires the intentional fostering of working relationships through trust/credibility.

Externally this position will work with campus units to both provide support and assistance while enforcing University standards.

Assists with creating a cheerful, supportive environment for positive interaction in a unique, service-oriented department.

Physical demands

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is regularly required to use other senses to talk, hear, taste, and/or smell. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to sit, stand, jump, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Employee will also be required to work in/be exposed to, all weather conditions associated with the State of Michigan.

Work environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

25% of the employee’s work will be completed at their assigned work station, with the remaining 75% of the work being completed away from their desk, either at various locations within Plant Services or across the campus.

While it is impossible to predict all situations that someone might encounter while performing their duties, it is understood, that employees will occasionally work around or near machinery, equipment, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, blood borne pathogens, vibration, and other environments associated with maintenance work. The noise level is usually moderate to loud.

This work will also be completed both indoors and outdoors, with the employee exposed to all types of weather conditions associated with Michigan.

While a regular day shift is expected, they may be called in for campus emergencies at all hours of the day and night, including the hours of Sabbath and holidays.

While completing these duties, the employee will be walking through campus grounds including sidewalks, parking lots, roadways, and grass areas. The employee will also be accessing buildings, from common spaces to classrooms, labs, mechanical/electrical rooms, residential spaces, roof-tops, or any other area belonging to the University.