The University of Chicago

Description

ZRG has been engaged to recruit an Associate Vice President of Facilities Services at the University of Chicago, a world-renowned private research university known for its rigorous academic programs, influential scholarship, and leadership in fields ranging from economics and law to medicine and the social sciences.

For more details about this opportunity, please view the position profile by clicking on the cover image below.

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Position Summary:

The University of Chicago is seeking an Associate Vice President of Facilities Services to provide transformational strategic direction and visionary planning for the stewardship of the University’s 217-acre campus, comprised of 170 buildings and 18 million gross square feet, as well as other domestic and international sites. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, the Associate Vice President will shape and champion the long-term physical, operational, and service vision for Facilities, ensuring all activities are fully aligned with the University’s overarching academic and institutional goals. With oversight of a team of approximately 300 staff, the Associate Vice President will drive operational excellence and deliver robust, forward-looking strategies for capital projects, facilities operations, finance and business services, campus planning, and sustainability.

Responsibilities: 

• Set and execute a comprehensive, visionary strategic plan forFacilities Services, aligning stewardship, modernization, and renewal with University priorities and sustainability.
•  Build and sustain strategic partnerships with internal stakeholders and external collaborators, integrating facilities planning and serving as a trusted advisor and ambassador for the University.
•  Lead campus-wide planning, renewal, and modernization initiatives, ensuring alignment with mission, sustainability goals, and evolving needs.
• Oversee capital project delivery, construction, and renovation to ensure projects are innovative, sustainable, timely, cost-effective, and responsive to program and urban/environmental goals, with clear, transparent reporting.
• Conduct rigorous evaluations and transparent reporting of Facilities Services operations and performance, including actionable recommendations and clear rubrics aligned with University goals. Monitor and report on budget, financial performance, and service delivery.
•  Clearly communicate goals, plans, and progress to staff and stakeholders. Foster transparency, accountability, and open dialogue indecision making and reporting.
•  Lead fiscal responsibility, resource stewardship, sustainability, and continuous improvement in all operations and capital programs. Advance efficiency, technology, and best practices organization wide.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, high-performing culture. Advocate for staff, attract, motivate, develop, and retain a diverse workforce. Lead and mentor senior management in achieving objectives.
• Maximize flexibility, responsiveness, and uphold high customer service standards for all internal and external stakeholders.
• Represent the University externally on facilities, planning, and development matters. Maintain and strengthen relationships with government agencies, unions, and other key partners.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Competencies:

• Visionary and strategic thinker, able to align Facilities Services with University teaching, research, and student life priorities.
• Insightful developer and motivator of high-performing, diverse leadership teams, fostering innovation and growth.
• Proven ability to conduct comprehensive operational evaluations using technology, data, and clear criteria for effectiveness, sustainability, financial stewardship, stakeholder satisfaction, and strategic alignment.
• Effective communicator, able to produce substantive reports with actionable recommendations, align partners and staff, and clearly present findings to internal and external audiences.
• Demonstrates rigor, transparency, and objectivity in evaluation, reporting, and communication.
• Effective collaborator, skilled at aligning stakeholders and partners throughout the institution.
• Exemplifies personal integrity, ethics, initiative, and emotional intelligence; displays sound judgment.
• Highly effective negotiator and proactive advocate for institutional interests.
• Strong customer service orientation, maximizing flexibility, responsiveness, stakeholder trust, and inspiring high performance.
• Expertise in process improvement, maintenance prioritization, cost control, risk reduction, energy conservation and planning, sustainable buildings, and practices, change management, and cultural transformation.

About Client:

The University of Chicago, based in Chicago, IL, encompasses a dynamic campus that supports innovative research, advanced clinical care, and a vibrant residential community. With a broad portfolio of academic, laboratory, healthcare, and student life facilities, the University maintains a complex physical environment that is essential to its mission of teaching, discovery, and public engagement. Its campus includes historic collegiate Gothic architecture alongside state-of-the-art research laboratories, medical centers, performance venues, and student housing.

The University’s facilities enterprise plays a critical role in sustaining and advancing this diverse infrastructure. From highly specialized research spaces and healthcare environments to academic buildings, utilities systems, and campus grounds, facilities leadership is central to ensuring operational excellence, safety, sustainability, and long-term asset stewardship. The scale and complexity of the University’s physical plant require strategic planning, capital project oversight, infrastructure modernization, and a strong commitment to customer service across a broad stakeholder community.

Pay Range:

$375,000.00 - $450,000.00
The included pay range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits:

Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.   

Location: 

Chicago, IL

Requirements

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in facilities leadership at large academic, healthcare, corporate, civic, government, or construction organizations.
• Well-rounded experience and knowledge for managing Facilities Services and personnel required.
• Facilities leadership in operations including experience in optimizing maintenance processes.
• Leadership in construction management, including experience having oversight of capital project delivery.
• Demonstrated excellence in managing budgets and finances for capital projects and capital investments.
• Deep knowledge of facilities and environmental planning and design preferred.
• Facilities leadership at a major research university and/or oversight of construction of a major scientific research facility preferred.
• Experience working in a unionized environment preferred.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Chicago provides access to employment opportunities to all employees, applicants, and job seekers, and is committed to making decisions using reasonable standards based on each individual's qualifications as they relate to a particular employment action (e.g., hiring, training, promotions).

No person shall be discriminated against in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. Such discrimination is unlawful. This policy includes the commitment to maintaining a work environment free from unlawful harassment.

The University of Chicago has retained ZRG Partners (www.zrgpartners.com) to support this recruitment. Please note all job seekers wishing to be considered for the position must also submit their materials through the University’s Workday site.

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