Assistant Director, Renewal Capital Projects

About the role

The Assistant Director, Capital Renewal and Capital Projects, oversees a high-volume portfolio of projects essential to campus operations and long-term asset stewardship. This role focuses on efficient, consistent delivery of projects while integrating closely with Facilities Operations and Utilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of the University’s annual renewal and capital program, typically projects totaling Oversee projects including building systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing), roofing, interiors, and infrastructure upgrades.
• Ensure projects are executed efficiently with minimal disruption to campus operations.
• Develop and maintain standardized processes for project intake, prioritization, and execution.
• Monitor portfolio performance across schedule, budget, and quality metrics.
• Drive continuous improvement in project delivery methods and tools.
• Supervise Project Managers, Associate Project Managers, and Project Coordinators.
• Balance workloads and ensure appropriate resource allocation.
• Mentor staff in project delivery, coordination, and operational integration.
• Affiliate with Facilities Operations, Utilities, and Maintenance teams to ensure alignment of projects with operational needs, maintenance standards, and lifecycle planning.
• Support project turnover and long-term asset performance.
• Affiliate with various University departments, including Procurement Services, Facilities Operations & Utilities, Information Technology, DeaconOne, Sustainability, Finance, and Legal, to support efficient day-to-day operations within the department.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director, Major Capital Projects on managing the workloads of all project managers.
• Serve as the primary resource to provide and/or identify adequate training and career development opportunities for assigned project management staff.
• Assists in articulating the University's mission and goals in the area of capital planning and financial stewardship.
• Responsible for fiscal leadership in the department, including the assigned finance approval role of CCM0.
• Completes special projects and serves on committees as assigned by Facilities, Real Estate, and Planning Leadership.
• Prepare historical data and information as requested to guide decision-making for Facilities, Real Estate, and Planning Leadership.
• Coordinate with Facilities, Real Estate, and Planning Business Operations Analyst, in conjunction with the Assistant Director, Major Capital Projects, to provide quarterly and annual key metric data for the Capital Projects unit.
• Coordinate annual report information related to the Renewal Capital Projects construction and renovation projects in conjunction with the Assistant Director, Major Capital Projects.
• Solve complex problems related to the design and construction of multiple projects, often being done simultaneously and involving large capital expenditures.
• Conduct recruitment, selection, orientation, training, coaching, and evaluation of project management staff.
• Review documentation and approve expenditures compliant with Wake Forest University Spend Authority procedures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or a similar field of study.
• Minimum of eight years of project management-related experience or at least fifteen years of construction-related experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple concurrent projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the design and construction industry with regard to design reviews, cost estimating, project scheduling, contracting, and overall management of capital and non-capital projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge of local codes and standards of design and light construction.
• Must be experienced in multiple contract delivery methods.
• Should have general knowledge of building commissioning and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with diverse audiences.
• Strong communication, organization, and leadership skills.
• High integrity needed to handle confidential information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Google Applications, PDF editor, and other software packages, with the ability to adapt and adopt new software as needed.
• Comfortable in a highly fluid work environment, with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Highly organized; ability to plan ahead and prioritize to maximize efficiency based on available resources.
• Ability to travel to on-campus and off-campus locations for business activities.
• Ability to meet the University’s automobile insurance requirements.