AVP for Facilities Development & Operations Western Washington University

Are you a seasoned professional ready to lead with vision and foster an inclusive culture? Western Washington University (WWU) is actively seeking an Associate Vice President for Facilities Development and Operations in Bellingham, WA. This role is not just about facilities – it's about shaping the future with diversity and sustainability at the forefront. Join us to strategically lead the university’s built environment, play a pivotal role in crafting a facilities master plan, and spearhead the university's key facilities functions.

If you're ready to make a lasting impact at WWU, seize this opportunity and apply today!

Another Source’s client, Western Washington University, is recruiting an Associate Vice President for Facilities Development and Operations located in Bellingham, WA. 

Here’s a little about Western Washington University and the position they are recruiting for: 

Western Washington University is one of six state-funded, four-year institutions of higher education. The university is located in Bellingham, a city of approximately 87,500, situated in the northwest corner of Washington State. The University is 90 miles north of Seattle, 55 miles south of Vancouver, B.C., and an hour’s drive from the ski area on 10,778-foot Mount Baker. Western maintains over 60 permanent buildings on a 212-acre campus that sits along Sehome Hill overlooking Bellingham Bay and many of the Salish Sea’s San Juan Islands. Among other properties, Western Washington University includes an additional 88 acres of off-campus laboratory and classroom facilities at Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, Washington, and a 9.8-acre student-owned facility at nearby Lake Whatcom.  

Western Washington University, with over 16,000 students in seven academic colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students, and faculty. The main campus is in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 83,000 sited on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish Peoples, who have lived in the Salish Sea basin and throughout the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades watershed from time immemorial. Western is the highest-ranking public, master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings. 

The division of Business and Financial Affairs supports Western’s mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. 

About the Department: 

The Associate Vice President for Facilities Development and Operations (AVP for FDO) provides strategic leadership for all aspects of the university’s built environment, including planning, space management, capital budget, physical development, operations, preservation, and maintenance.  

The individual will lead the university’s two main facilities functions: Capital Planning and Development, and Facilities Management staffed by over 270 employees in various departments. These units support the mission of the seamless delivery of services, including site acquisition, planning, budgeting, design, construction, operations, space management, maintenance and renewal of the university’s buildings, infrastructure, and grounds. This individual will also be responsible for strategically managing the public sector capital and operational financial systems to support these functions. An understanding of the skills and strategies necessary to develop and support public sector budget proposal requests and mixed resource capital projects is key. 

It is essential that the AVP for FDO can manage, inspire, and lead a diverse team of dedicated professionals in planning, design, skilled trades, and support staff. The individual should have demonstrated experience in creating and maintaining a workplace that supports and respects accessibility, equity, inclusion, and diversity. An understanding of the key performance metrics and strategies to improve the delivery of services and projects is essential. Clear, persuasive, and proactive communications are critical to achieve the strategic goals of the unit. 

About the Position: 

Opportunities and Expectations for Leadership 

The AVP for FDO will join Western Washington University at an exciting time. Western is recognized as the best master’s-granting comprehensive institution in the Pacific Northwest and one of the best in the nation for the quality of its academic programs and emphasis on social mobility, research, and public service.  

Recognizing the challenges facing our society, the university has developed an ambitious strategic plan (Strategic Plan 2018-2025) to advance inclusive student success, increase impact in Washington state and beyond, and enhance academic excellence. To that end, the successful candidate will bring innovative solutions to the following areas of opportunity. 

Drive a vision of integrated service delivery. 

This is a unique opportunity to foster a cohesive unit that provides integrated services to the university. This will require the ability to engage various employee groups and enhance a culture of mutual respect and trust, continuous improvement, transitional change, and operational excellence. A demonstrated track record of integrity and success in leading organizations through transformative improvement, including capacity to originate change, impact results, and foster a continuous improvement environment is key. The successful candidate will ensure that services offered by the unit are supported by the most appropriate systems, processes, and tools. The AVP for FDO must have an understanding and support of forward-thinking approaches to ensuring environmental sustainability in facilities planning and operations. Demonstrated knowledge of the methods, practices and procedures of facilities planning, space management, construction and design, maintenance, and operations, as well as capital outlay and funding policies and practices is also essential. 

Foster a culture of collaboration. 

The AVP for FDO must have strong interpersonal skills, the ability to influence at all levels within the university and local community, and the capacity to function as an effective change agent. The successful candidate will model a collaborative way of working, both within the unit and with university stakeholders. This means that the individual must be very effective at cultivating and establishing trust and credibility with others. The successful candidate will model and promote a culture where accessibility, diversity, inclusion, and equity are highly valued and integrated in capital planning and facilities management. 

Lead efforts to advance accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI), which are fundamental principles integral to the success of Western Washington University.  

The division undertook an assessment of the culture and climate in 2022 which led to a report outlining the steps necessary to develop and maintain a Culture of Care and Open Accountability (attached). The successful candidate will be expected to continue this work throughout the FDO unit. They should be able to demonstrate a record of fostering an equitable workplace that is inclusive of internal and external stakeholders, with advocacy on behalf of those holding diverse cultural backgrounds and social identities.  

The successful candidate will have the skills and experience to apply these values across planning, design, contracting, and procurement processes. They will model and promote a culture where accessibility, diversity, inclusion, and equity are embedded in capital planning and facilities operations. They will help ensure that all unit employees have the support, tools, information, ability, and motivation to reinforce this culture. The AVP for FDO must be an exceptional developer of talent, motivated by facilitating the success of others. 

Demonstrate a strong commitment to service improvement and excellence. 

The AVP for FDO will be a results-driven leader who can assess current systems, resources, practices, and processes to develop a vision for a modern and forward-looking facilities function. The AVP for FDO will foster an environment of strategic thinking and apply data-based decision making. They will need to establish metrics to generate baselines and implement tools to evaluate results and assess impact. They will need to build and measure a set of key performance indicators, sharing outcomes with staff to identify areas to improve. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, or related field. 
• Demonstrated relevant experience in property development, design, construction, and operations with a minimum of five years in a senior leadership role in a complex organization.  
• Proven record of leadership and collaborative skills in inspiring, leading, supervising, and developing a team of effective facilities planning and operational professionals.  

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to form and deliver a persuasive line of reasoning. 
• Demonstrated financial management experience overseeing complex budgets with various funds.  
• Familiarity with consultant and construction procurement, legal matters, and real estate. 
• General understanding of purchased utilities and renewable energy. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Graduate degree in Engineering, Architecture, Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, or related field. 
• State of Washington professional engineering or architecture license or the ability to obtain such license. 
• Experience working in higher education. 
• Experience with alternative construction contract delivery types, i.e., GCCM, CM at Risk, Design-Build, Progressive Design Build, Integrated Project Delivery. 
• Certifications or designations that align with the requirements of the position.  
• Experience working within a collective bargaining environment. 

Application Instructions and Requested Document: 

Western Washington University is being assisted in this search by Another Source. Nominations, applications, and inquiries may be sent in complete confidence to Dayna Brown, Senior Talent Strategist, dayna@anothersource.com.  

Initial screening of applications will begin immediately. Applications received by March 1,  2024  can be assured full consideration. The position salary range is $179,139 - $232,880. For more information about benefits, please review: Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position

Application materials should include: 

• Letter of interest that addresses how the candidate’s experiences match the position requirements.  

• Resume or curriculum vitae. 
• Diversity statement. Western’s strategic plan places Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) as a core value and a core goal of the institution. Please address what role the AVP for FDO has in advancing ADEI. In addition, please share an example of how your work has advanced ADEI at a previous institution or workplace. 
• Five professional references (references will not be contacted without prior permission from the applicant). 

Nominators and prospective candidates also may arrange a confidential conversation about this opportunity with Another Source.  

Upon receiving your application, we will share the 9/6/2022 Creating a Culture of Care and Open Accountability, Business and Financial Affairs for your information. 

For more information about WWU please visit: www.wwu.edu. 

For more information about Facilities Development and Operations, please visit https://fdo.wwu.edu and the Division of Business and Financial Affairs at: https://bfa.wwu.edu/. 

For more information, please view the position announcement on the WWU Careers website. 

All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reac