Assistant Vice President, Planning, Design & Construction (PDC)

Facilities and Business Operations:

The Facilities and Business Operations at UCF is dedicated to fostering a conducive educational environment for our faculty, staff, students, and the broader community. We are committed to excellence, providing unparalleled expertise, and maintaining a world-class standard in service.

Please visit us at: https://fs.ucf.edu/ or Facebook and Instagram: UCF Facilities

The Opportunity:

UCF is seeking a high‑character, forward‑thinking Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Planning, Design & Construction who operates with a deep sense of urgency, thrives in a fast‑moving and complex environment, and has the proven ability to manage construction at scale. This role will lead a large, diverse portfolio of over $500 million worth of capital projects that directly supports UCF’s mission and its academic, research, and student‑facing units. UCF is not a conventional institution—and we are not searching for a conventional leader. We are looking for a candidate who blends strategic leadership with hands‑on engagement, someone who not only oversees but owns the success of each project—and who serves as an authentic, active participant in all phases of planning, design, and construction.

Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership, vision, and executive oversight for the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) department, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and long‑range campus development goals.

• Direct and oversee all phases of capital and minor construction projects—including planning, design, contracting, execution, and delivery—ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and within approved budgets.

• Steward the department’s financial and operational resources, including annual operating budget development, forecasting, staffing strategy, and portfolio‑wide workload management.

• Establish and maintain high‑level partnerships with campus planning, utilities/engineering, academic units, and administrative leadership to ensure coordinated execution and transparent communication.

• Oversee contract administration, procurement, and vendor selection for architectural, engineering, and construction services, ensuring competitive processes, timely renewals, and protection of university interests.

• Drive a culture of authenticity, accountability, and urgency across all stages of project delivery.

• Lead emergency and continuity functions for damage assessment and recovery operations as the ESF‑19 lead, including maintaining a Continuity of Operations Plan for critical PDC activities.

• Develop, implement, and present departmental performance metrics and data dashboards to senior leadership and the Board, using analytics to drive operational improvements and accountability.

• Recruit, develop, and lead a high‑performing team of directors, managers, and professional staff, providing coaching, organizational development, and succession planning.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelors and 10+ years of leadership experience and 10 years within this field; or High School Diploma (or equivalent) and 14 years of leadership experience in lieu of degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6). 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive leadership experience managing large‑scale capital improvement programs or complex facilities portfolios within complex organizations.

• Professional credentials strongly preferred (e.g., PE, RA, PMP, CCM, LEED AP).Demonstrated success leading, mentoring, and developing teams, including oversight of directors, managers, and complex organizational structures.

• Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, design management, construction delivery, project controls, and portfolio oversight.

• Advanced knowledge of architectural/engineering and construction procurement, including development, negotiation, and administration of A/E contracts, construction contracts, solicitations, and continuing services agreements.

• Proven ability to design and use data‑driven metrics and automated reporting tools to track performance, increase operational efficiency, and communicate results to executive leadership and governing boards.

• Strong history of coordinating long‑range planning, infrastructure development, and cross‑department collaboration with planning and engineering units.

• Experience leading emergency response, business continuity planning, or post‑incident facilities assessment within a university, municipal, or critical infrastructure setting.

• Exceptional communication and stakeholder‑engagement skills, with the ability to present complex information to executives, board members, and diverse campus constituencies.

• Familiarity with project management systems, portfolio management platforms, and automated reporting or analytics tools.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

UCF has engaged the services of ZRG Partners to assist us with this recruitment. For more information or to access the search specifications for this role, please visit their website.

Applicant must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer, as sponsorship is not available for this position.

If you are selected as the final candidate for an employment opportunity, both your position and salary will be significantly based upon the information that you have provided in your application for employment. We urge you to please take the time to complete the application in its entirety

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program 

• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays

• Retirement savings options 

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions 

• Education assistance 

• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide.

Dive into our Total Rewards Calculator to discover the diverse selection available to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

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As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.  

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. 

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 407-823-1336 or email onac@ucf.edu.

For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu.