Hofstra University Hiring for Vice President for Facilities & Operations at Hempstead, NY Full Time

Hofstra University, a nationally ranked and recognized private university in Hempstead, New York, invites nominations and applications for the role of Vice President for Facilities and Operations.
Hofstra enrolls over 6,000 undergraduate students and nearly 4,000 graduate and professional students in 13 schools, which feature over 100 departments, as well as a number of institutes and centers. Hofstra offers 180 undergraduate programs and approximately 190 graduate programs in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, Communication, Education, Health Sciences, Engineering and Applied Science, and Honors studies, as well as a School of Law and a School of Medicine. The student-faculty ratio is 13 to 1 and the average undergraduate class size is 21. Athletics contribute to the vibrance of the Hofstra community, with 21 varsity sports teams that compete at the NCAA Division I level in the Coastal Athletic Association.

Hofstra recently entered a new era with the appointment of its ninth and first female president, Dr. Susan Poser, in August 2021, as well as a new provost, Dr. Charlie Riordan, in July 2022. This new leadership is investing heavily in academic programs for students while also growing the scholarly and research enterprise and reputation of the University. Hofstra is expected to be officially recognized as a Carnegie R2 university within the next 18 months.

The Hofstra University campus, which has a total of 117 buildings including more than 3.2 million square feet of campus buildings on 244 acres, is situated in the northeast corner of the Village of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York and northward and eastward into the hamlet of Uniondale. The campus is located approximately 25 miles from Manhattan in the geographic center of Nassau County. The campus is a registered arboretum and member of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. The University maintains 35 residence halls which can accommodate approximately 3,500 full time residential students. Significant investments are being made in student-centered facilities, including the library and athletics, and the implementation of a new strategic direction for the university has recently commenced.

Position Title:

Vice President for Facilities & Operations

Position Number:

897750

School/Division:

Facilities and Operations

Department:

Facilities & Operations

Full-Time or Part-Time:

Full-Time

Description:

Reporting to the President, the Vice President for Facilities & Operations (VPFO), serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet and provides strategic leadership for the areas of Facilities and Operations. The VPFO leads teams responsible for capital design and construction projects, building operations, maintenance, grounds, custodial services, central power plant, public safety and campus emergency management. In addition, administrative responsibilities include campus space planning and analysis, dining services contract management, campus utilities planning and budget, printing and mailroom services, campus event management and conference services. This is a highly visible role that interacts with all constituents of the campus community including the University’s Board of Trustees.

The VPFO will also be responsible for developing short and long-range deferred maintenance and strategic capital planning for existing academic, administrative, residential, recreational facilities and new construction. The facilities and operations department includes 350 union and non-union personnel, with an annual operating budget of $50M and capital improvement annual budget of $12.5 million, which may be supplemented by debt financing as authorized by the Board of Trustees.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Ensures that facilities are maintained and secured to provide Hofstra’s faculty, students, staff, and administrators with the environment and functionality required to perform at the highest levels of achievement.
• Collaborates with senior leadership to identify and prioritize campus needs and improvements to support growth and operational efficiency.
• Provides strategic leadership, with a particular emphasis on data driven priority setting, resource deployment, and performance management.
• Develops a culture characterized by customer service, transparency, and accountability, while building morale and sense of shared purpose with the staff and identifying and developing talent within the department.
• Ensures strong project management and oversight of all capital projects, delivering high-quality, on-time and on-budget results.
• Cultivates and maintains working relationships with relevant neighborhood agencies, organizations, and initiatives.
• Negotiates effectively for the University, ensuring the best possible terms and results from architects, contractors, and vendors.
• Plans and provides services in the event of unexpected problems due to accidents, severe weather, utility outages, or other unplanned situations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Strong preference for a Master’s degree with a focus in engineering, construction management, building or real estate management or building technology field. A Professional Engineer or Architectural license is a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive advanced operational experience required. Experience in higher education or other similarly complex and matrix organizations is preferred.
• A record of leading organizational change and creating a facilities organization committed to optimizing operations, providing quality service, and delivering services in a cost effective, efficient manner.
• Experience developing and implementing business processes and systems that enable high-quality service delivery.
• Experience managing complex organizations, union and non-union staff, multi-million dollar capital budgets, and third-party providers.
• Deep technical expertise in construction and renovation management, including knowledge and appreciation of high-quality and environmentally sensitive design.
• Clear working understanding of utilities in a campus environment with knowledge of the crucial interrelationships between utilities, master planning, facilities planning and sustainability.
• Meaningful participation in negotiations with diverse constituencies (including contractors and unions), creating internal and external service level agreements.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in sensitive, political situations requiring diplomacy.
• Valid drivers license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong preference for a Master’s degree with a focus in engineering, construction management, building or real estate management or building technology field.
• Experience in higher education or other similarly complex and matrix organizations is preferred.
• A Professional Engineer or Architectural license is a plus.

Special Instructions:

Please submit resume with cover letter.

Deadline:

March 15, 2024

Date Posted:

02/20/2024

EEO Statement:

Hofstra University is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering diversity in its faculty, administrative staff and student body, and encourages applications from the entire spectrum of a diverse community.

Salary/Salary Range:

$280,000 – $325,000, plus University provided vehicle