Job Description

Position Summary

The Operations Manager position directs the institutional housekeeping program for buildings serviced by either the 1st,, 2nd, or 3rd shift teams, which are made up of 149 buildings with approximately 6,461,727 square feet of cleanable space broken out into 5 zones with differing types of building usage in each zone. Provides supervision, management, and technical support to up to 5 custodial supervisors and an average of approximately 80 front-line staff, to ensure compliance with university cleaning standards, sustainable cleaning practices, safe workplace practices, and applicable regulatory codes to maintain a clean and safe environment for students, faculty, and staff.

About the Work Unit

Facilities Maintenance & Operations at Vanderbilt University manages over $100 million in annual operating expenses and supports 400+ employees. Within this division, Campus Services is responsible for providing housekeeping, groundskeeping, and other ancillary services across 6 million square feet of academic, residential, recreational, and administrative space.

Administrative and Operational Management

• Review and monitor all shift work order requirements and maintain work order status through AiM, an automated work management system.
• Assign responsibilities to Supervisors ensuring accountability and timely execution.
• Supervise night shift and specialty custodial operations, ensuring seamless coverage and consistent service quality.
• Supervise and monitor the quality control program for all campus buildings.
• Assign and supervise the weekly building quality control program for all assigned buildings under your shift responsibility. You will be responsible for inspecting one building per supervisor each week for a minimum of APPA level 2.5 inspection, subject to change at leadership discretion.
• Supervise standards for building maintenance, repairs, and improvements for adherence to university cleanliness and operational standards.
• Supervise day-to-day administrative functions, including recruitment, disciplinary procedures, terminations, FMLA, accommodations, and legal proceedings, monitoring of time and attendance transactions through an automated time keeping system; administer the union contract within area of responsibility.
• Review and monitor vacancy levels of assigned custodial team.
• Supervise the custodial routine program ensuring detailed, accurate information, timely distribution and training of information.
• Supervise logistics for the department, including procurement and distribution of supplies, equipment lifecycle management, maintenance programs, and inventory control.
• Evaluate building maintenance, repairs, and improvements for adherence to university cleanliness and operational standards.
• Supervise the utilization and understanding of the Assetworks AiM work management system and ensure proper completion of work orders, monitor work progress and hold users accountable for accuracy of information.
• Supervise the campus-wide floor care program, ensuring all flooring types are maintained according to best practices.
• Responsible for ensuring timely response to an initial call for emergency of all facilities water incidents and reporting in a timely manner.
• Coordinate the Vanderbilt University summer maintenance program for housekeeping, which includes all floor care, window cleaning, blind cleaning and detailed cleaning of dormitories and academic buildings as assigned and managed by the Sr. Operations Manager.
• Coordinate the summer housing room turnover cleaning program.
• Coordinate the summer conference and events room turnover cleaning program.
• Coordinate the winter inclement weather program for coordinated pre incident preparedness, incident management, incident communication and monitoring of the event.
• Works closely with university schools and departments to monitor custodial services requirements and performance and responds quickly to correct custodial quality and services delivery concerns.
• Responsible for being a primary point of contact with an assigned university key customer(s) as deemed appropriate by Sr. Operations Manager.
• Coordinate the custodial KPI program.
• Coordinate the custodial customer satisfaction (Cstat) program.
• Collaborate with departmental partners as deemed appropriate.
• Liaison with custodial leadership
• Ensure full compliance with departmental policies, procedures, rules, contract guidelines, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Hold regular team communication events to foster employee engagement, understanding and open dialogue amongst the team.
• Supervise and monitor the custodial training compliance program.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that promotes accountability and collaboration.
• Responsible for coaching and professional development of direct report supervisors.

Financial Management

• Monitor expenditures against budget; prepare necessary documentation for managerial review/approval, tabulate budgetary data, calculate figures, and check for accuracy.
• Responsible for management and oversight of custodial product ordering in accordance with established budgets and guidelines.
• Review and monitor operational overtime requirements of the department.
• Assist senior management team with establishing and maintaining the internal process for tracking purchase requests, vendor requests, and various programs.
• Maintain proficency with VU operating systems: Concur, Oracle, AiM, ReADY, Kronos, and others.

Supervisory Relationships

This position does have supervisory responsibility of Housekeeping Supervisors. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Building Services Sr. Operations Manager.

Required & Preferred Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• 5 years of supervisory or management experience leading a team of at least twenty personnel is required.
• A valid Driver License is required; must have and maintain a valid driver's license and a satisfactory driving record. Vanderbilt University engages a third party to provide up-to-date notifications regarding negative changes to motor vehicle records.

Required Soft Skills

• Must have strong organization, communication and interpersonal skills, relevant technical and functional expertise, leadership, and personal effectiveness.
• Excellent reading, writing and speaking skills
• Holds team members accountable for meeting unit goals and expectations.
• Addresses conflicts and issues promptly.
• Publicly recognizes and appreciates team achievements.
• Provides constructive feedback privately, focusing on improvement and future success.
• Communicates a clear vision for the team and sets explicit expectations for outcomes.
• Offers clear, consistent guidance and direction to support staff performance.
• Multitask management, quality assurance and customer relations skills are essential for this position.
• Basic knowledge and working skills of MS Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• Knowledge of Oracle, AIM and Kronos is preferred.
• Must be able to work weekends

This job description outlines key responsibilities and qualifications for the Operations Manager position. Duties may evolve based on the university’s operational needs and strategic priorities.

Vanderbilt University is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We are committed to fostering a workplace culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.

We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.

Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.