Associate Director, Facilities Planning

University of British Columbia · Kelowna · CA$10,460–CA$15,676/month (stated in the posting)

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At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary

The Associate Director, Facilities Planning manages and leads staff and consultants, and coordinates funds and time required for the planning and programming of the University's academic and support facilities for the entire UBC Okanagan Campus.

This position leads the planning and programming of facilities for instruction, research, faculty and staff offices, informal learning and works closely with senior academic and administrative leadership and other functions including Campus Operations and Risk Management, Finance Operations, Provost and Vice President Academic, Research and Innovation Office, Faculties and the Centre for Teaching & Learning.

The Associate Director translates user requirements into functional and master programs and develops frameworks and processes to support the ongoing allocation, assessment, distribution and redistribution of space within the campus. Ensures that facilities and the use of space comply with faculty needs and provincial space standards.

Organizational Status
Planning and Development (UBC Okanagan), the Associate Director liaises with users and other campus departments. Additional responsibilities include ongoing management and guidance of the facilities planning process to capture and develop solutions for the ongoing space requirements of the institution. This includes interaction and communications with internal organizations such as the UBC Okanagan Strategic Space Committee, Provost and Vice President Academic, Research and Innovation Office, faculties, administrative departments and external organizations. A significant part of the Associate Director’s work involves interacting, liaising and negotiating with the campus community and recommending facilities and space allocation alternatives and solutions.

Work Performed

The Associate Director provides leadership to Facilities Planning staff including: assigning and reviewing work of direct reports; developing, implementing and monitoring operational policies and procedures; developing client service initiatives; setting, executing and evaluating staff performance goals and objectives.
 

The Associate Director may consult, and coordinate less than 10 people on a small project while a large multi-million-dollar capital project may engage 30 or more people.

• The Associate Director is responsible for the management of major and minor capital planning initiatives from inception to completion of the pre-design phase.
• The Associate Director may direct programming and facilities' consultants or undertake work directly.
• The Associate Director advises and participates in project working and/or steering committees on significant capital projects.

Work includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Master Planning for Facilities

• Leads the creative problem solving and facilities planning that optimizes and intensifies the changing use and types of spaces in response to evolving needs of multiple users;
• Is a key contributor and resource to the university's senior academic, administrative, and research leadership and coordinator of multi-year facility planning strategies;
• Responsible for the development of frameworks and processes to support the ongoing process of space allocation and management as well as facilities re-purposing and renovations for the entire UBC Okanagan Campus;
• Creates master and functional programs defining the areas required and how facilities are used including function, equipment and technology. Programs are based on changing user needs, department and faculty expansions, and Campus Master Plan undertakings;
• Develops planning specifications, functional plans and test fits in response to requests from various campus clients;
• Develops conceptual and schematic plans for various faculties, departments and administrative groups in response to requests from departments;
• Manages consultants in the development, review and approval of planning documents;
• Formulates, recommends and negotiates swing space options for campus users affected by major renovations or new construction.

Facilitation and Collaboration

• Convenes, chairs and/or participates in user group meetings;
• Facilitates meetings with senior administration and faculty representatives (e.g., Deans, Associate Deans and administrative staff) to better understand needs and space requests and to explore potential solutions;
• Collaborates closely with key managers from Campus Planning (UBC Okanagan), Campus Operations and Risk Management (UBC Okanagan), and various other university departments including some in Vancouver such as Facilities (UBC Vancouver);
• Brings recommendations to the UBC Okanagan Strategic Space Committee, other committees as appropriate and user groups regarding space utilization;
• Achieves solutions through negotiation and compromise, developing agreements that serve the best interests of the project and the University;
• Formulates and recommends move options for campus users affected by major space renovations or new space construction;
• Prepares documentation, analysis and recommendations for UBC Senior Executive for decisions with respect to capital projects and capital plans;
• Represents UBC Okanagan in meetings of appropriate University committees and discussion of facilities-related issues with the City of Kelowna, Development and Advancement, the UBC Okanagan Student Association, Student Clubs or Community groups;
• Key contributor to the preparation of business cases for submission to Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, donors and other external granting agencies for approval of capital funding;
• Leads the selection of specialist participation and assists resource people, users and other departments in developing detailed requirements and reviews construction projects to ensure conformance with compromises plans; and
• Key contributor in meetings of appropriate University committees for presentation and discussion of facilities programs and feasibility studies.

Project Planning

• Plans department, faculty and administration group renovations and expansions in cooperation with Project Services and UBC Properties Trust;
• Directs planning feasibility studies for conceptual projects in pre-planning stage, to review feasibility prior to proceeding through full planning and development process;
• Determines the best resources to use and when and how to use them for facilities planning. This may encompass the use of specialist facilities programming services, architects, quantity surveyors, laboratory design or animal facility specialists;
• Engages other UBC departments during the planning process (e.g., Campus Planning, Campus Operations and Risk Management, Campus Security, IT Services etc.);
• Leads or supports CFI and other project planning studies in cooperation with VP Research and Innovation, including preparation of preliminary scope, estimates and enlisting feasibility consultants as necessary for complex grant requests;
• Defines terms of reference, develops Requests for Proposal and selects planning consultants if required;
• Manages consultants in the development, review and approval of planning documents; and
• Coordinates and monitors the activities of on-campus and off-campus resource people during the project planning process.

Monitoring and Assessment

• Audits departmental space use;
• Responsible for institutional space management, including space utilization analysis, maintaining an accurate space inventory, and assessing campus space needs on an ongoing basis;
• Oversees the accurate and up to date project records;
• Acts as lead resource and advisor by developing and managing the agenda and leading discussions at the UBC Okanagan Strategic Space Committee in developing and applying space allocation standards, providing institutional planning experience, knowledge of building codes and construction practices in order to test assumptions for planning work with various groups on campus.

Other

• Establishes active working relationships with other university functions that affect space and its use including the Associate Registrar's Office, Campus Operations, Centre for Teaching and Learning, Information Technology, Provost office, Research office, Student Housing and Community Services etc.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
At any given time, the Associate Director may be involved in several projects with a value exceeding 50 million dollars. Error in judgement and planning of projects can have serious financial impact not only on the department that the work is being completed for, but for the University as a whole. Errors in the planning can result in delayed occupancy and result in faculty unable to teach/carry out research as required. Error in application of programming standards can result in misuse of space, departments being unnecessarily inconvenienced or under/over supplied or undermining of the University academic space planning process. Government funding for projects relies on proof of responsible and accurate space dedication, compliance with BC Universities' Space Standards and meeting the University's enrolment targets. The loss of funding to the University is an additional potential consequence of any such error. Other potential consequences include damage to the reputation of the university and loss of economic and academic opportunity.

Supervision Received

Subject to general direction from the Director, Capital Planning and Development (UBC Okanagan), the Associate Director is responsible within Department and University guidelines to determine what actions must be taken to achieve the ultimate project goal of meeting User and University requirements on schedule and on budget. There is also an informal link with UBCO Senior Academic Leadership.

Supervision Given

The Associate Director directly supervises Facilities Planning staff, providing leadership, direction and support to ensure the effective delivery of the unit's responsibilities. This includes assigning and reviewing work, establishing priorities, setting performance objectives, monitoring performance, supporting professional development, and fostering a collaborative and service-oriented team environment.

The Associate Director is also responsible for coordinating and providing direction to internal and external resources involved in facilities planning and the pre-design phase of capital projects. These resources may include university staff, consultants, contractors and project planning committees. The Associate Director provides technical guidance, coordinates activities and ensures that planning assignments and deliverables meet institutional requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

A minimum of 8 years' related experience.

Experience with major construction or renovation projects or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline, such as architecture, engineering or community planning, with eligibility for membership in the relevant professional association.

A minimum of eight years of relevant experience in facilities planning, including major construction or renovation projects, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience in institutional planning within a large academic environment, including functional programming for administrative and support spaces and planning for office and laboratory environments.

Demonstrated experience developing and presenting planning recommendations, feasibility studies and business cases to senior management to support institutional decision-making.

Strong knowledge of facilities planning principles, space utilization standards, building codes and construction practices. Experience using space management systems such as Archibus and design software such as AutoCAD is an asset.

Demonstrated ability to assess diverse and changing user needs, establish priorities, and develop creative, practical solutions to complex space planning challenges.

Strong leadership, organizational, interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to facilitate discussions, negotiate competing interests, and reconcile diverse perspectives.

Commitment to ongoing professional development and keeping current with facilities planning theory, industry practices and emerging approaches to institutional space management.

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