Director, Strategic Projects (Facilities)

Director, Strategic Projects (Facilities)

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Base pay range

CA$104,000.00/yr - CA$142,000.00/yr

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Job Summary

Queen’s University has launched the Queen’s Renew Program, a multi-year initiative aimed at ensuring the university’s professional services are operating effectively to support delivery of our academic and research mission. Under this program, Facilities Management has multiple, pan-university initiatives to implement that improve our processes, technology and service delivery to the Queen’s community.

To carry out these projects, Queen’s Facilities Department is seeking an experienced leader of strategic initiatives reporting to the Associate Vice Principal (AVP), Facilities and working closely with the Renew Program Office (RPO). Working closely with the Renew Facilities Advisory Committee, the Director, Strategic Projects (Director) is responsible for partnering with our clients, the Queen’s Renew Program Office (RPO) and our Facilities team to lead the implementation of special projects across the Facilities Management Team, with pan-university impact. The Director will work with Senior Leadership, clients across the university, and oversee a project team including external consultants, dedicated to the full implementation of a continuous improvement project lifecycle including discovery, assessment, design, implementation and control. The Director will plan, oversee, and execute the implementation of projects, and will work closely with the Facilities team and clients to foster open dialogue and consistent adoption of new processes to improve efficiency and client experience.

Job Description

• Scope, plan and prioritize continuous improvement projects including technology implementations, in support of Facilities functions with alignment to the Renew Program and Facilities Renew Plan
• Working in partnership with Facilities and university leaders, as well as the Renew team, direct initiative timelines, resources, risks and budget to achieve project and initiative goals.
• Utilize Lean, Six Sigma, or other Continuous Improvement methodologies to lead process redesign and optimization.
• Oversee full implementation of project lifecycles including discovery, assessment, design, implementation and control from assessment through implementation and evaluation, monitoring milestones and ensuring timely completion of tasks. Escalate concerns related to task completion to resolve or remove barriers.
• Develop and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and success metrics for continuous improvement efforts aligned to the Renew Program. Communicate progress across the Facilities team and RPO and Renew Facilities Advisory Committee and identify areas of improvement.

Strategic Leadership & Alignment

• Lead implementation of university-wide continuous improvement projects in support of improving Facilities functions while ensuring alignment with Facilities, Renew Program and university strategic goals.
• With the university’s strategic priorities as a driving influence, facilitate shared understanding of Facilities’ priorities, championing consistency and leading the focused change.
• Liaise between Facilities and client teams, ensuring two-way communication and coordinated efforts.
• Establish and maintain prioritization frameworks to ensure strategic initiatives and projects are aligned with overall program goals, timelines and resources.
• Actively builds pan-university participation and engagement in Facilities’ initiatives, identifying strategic relationships and advising, preparing materials and presenting data driven evidence for decisions to project sponsors.

Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management

• Build collaborative relationships with Facilities partners and leaders across VP Offices and Faculties, promoting involvement and coordination of activities to support the priorities of the project and university. Actively manage key constituents’ expectations and monitor satisfaction levels.
• Develop and implement change management strategies to facilitate adoption of new processes and systems and foster a culture of continuous improvement within Facilities, the diverse VP Offices and Faculties.
• Act as a trusted advisor and facilitator, supporting Facilities leaders in adopting new practices.
• Communication & Reporting
• Provide regular updates to AVP, Facilities and Senior Facilities Leadership team on project progress, outcomes, and resource needs.
• Work closely with the RPO Senior Program Manager to track and report on progress.
• Utilize appropriate tools for tracking schedules, budgets, actions and outcomes, including the development of a living dashboard featuring KPIs such as but not limited to Cost Performance Index (CPI) and Schedule Performance Index (SPI).
• Share success stories and lessons learned across community partners to promote transparency and engagement.
• Use analytics to drive improvements in service delivery and employee or client experience.
• Partner with the Facilities and Information Technology Service (ITS) teams to optimize digital tools and systems supporting Facilities functions.
• Ensure that improvements are data-informed and tied to measurable outcomes.

Governance & Policy Harmonization

• Collaborate with Facilities leadership to ensure policy alignment and to mitigate risk in process changes.

Human Resources Management

• Uses consensus building and influence to drive alignment around strategic work.
• Plans, prioritizes and manages the work of employees or consultants, providing strategic and tactical advice, guidance and coaching. Identifies the need for staff resources, participates on staffing committees, and makes effective recommendations regarding employee selection.
• Manages performance by establishing performance standards, reviewing and evaluating performance on an ongoing basis, and conducting annual talent reviews and formal performance reviews.
• Assesses staff training and development needs and ensures that employees receive training required to improve and sustain successful performance.
• Investigates, addresses and resolves employee/labour relations issues, including making decisions regarding disciplinary and discharge matters.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• University degree combined with at least 5 years of experience in leading and implementing multiple process improvement and change management strategies concurrently. Experience in higher education, healthcare, other public sector environments is strongly preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of continuous improvement, change management and project management values, methodologies, and tools is required.
• A professional designation(s) in project management (PMP), process management (Six Sigma, Lean) and/or change management (PROSCI) is an asset.
• Experience participating in or leading a software upgrade or implementation project is preferred.
• Experience developing and evaluating Request for Proposals for external consulting services is considered an asset.
• Satisfactory criminal record check is required.
• Consideration may be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:

• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple demands and diverging priorities in a time-sensitive, highly visible, results-oriented work environment.
• Exceptional influence, problem solving and relationship building skills to build alignment, trust and support for strategic Facilities improvement projects.
• Excellent consulting skills with a client-focused mindset; building valuable relationships with audiences across the university who will be required to actively participate in new processes, technologies or policies.
• Agile, nimble and able to respond to emerging information.
• Understanding of organizational development and change management theory.
• Strong written and presentation skills to work effectively across multiple portfolios within the university at all levels of the organization. Confident leading high-stakes conversations, with strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills and the ability to influence positive outcomes where resources, direction or priorities are at stake.
• Ability to interpret and develop insights from data and provide actionable recommendations to support data-based choices.

DECISION MAKING:

• Provides advice and guidance to university leadership and the AVP Facilities and RPO team on change management strategies and project implementation strategies suitable for a university environment.
• Assess change management and process adoption risks and propose strategies to address them.
• Provide expert advice on managing initiatives, prioritizing strategic projects against operational needs, and contribute to the strategic planning of Facilities’ long-term goals.
• Organize and facilitate engagements with key members of the Queen’s community, choosing the appropriate format, approach and content.
• Assess, manage, and provide recommendations on contractual claims, schedule delays, and scope disputes, balancing risk, cost, and institutional priorities
• Evaluates job candidates and make effective recommendations on suitable hires.
• Evaluates consultant proposal and makes effective recommendations on contract awards.
• Makes decisions and/or effective recommendations regarding transfers and promotions.
• Evaluates employee performance and decides on appropriate training or coaching to address lack of proficiency in carrying out responsibilities, or remedial action for staff disciplinary situations.
• Assesses investigation outcome of grievances and makes effective recommendations on appropriate course of action or next steps on grievances.
• Makes effective recommendations on level of discipline up to discharge and probationary termination.

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