Campus Service Manager

About the role

The Campus Service Manager Operations provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for key outsourced service contracts that support daily University operations. Reporting to the Director of Building Trades, this role ensures the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective services aligned with University standards and sustainability goals.

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee outsourced service contracts, including custodial, elevator, pest control, waste/recycling, window washing, and other vendor-supported services.
• Develop and update service-level agreements (SLAs), FS2 Standards, scopes of work, and proposal/invoice reviews.
• Conduct building inspections and coordinate with internal staff, consultants, vendors, the Office of Risk Management, Legal, and regulatory authorities (DOB, AIC, OSHA) to ensure compliance and risk mitigation.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for service issues and disruptions, coordinating corrective actions and communications among vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Manage a combined annual service budget exceeding $20 million.
• Oversee contract renewals, vendor proposals, service scopes, and compliance documentation.
• Supervise exempt staff and coordinate daily operations in partnership with unionized and vendor workforces.
• Collaborate with internal partners, including Planning, Project Management, Finance, and Procurement, to align operational services with capital and maintenance goals.
• Serve as a central point of contact between Facilities Services, campus customers, and vendors.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with building managers, department directors, Registrar’s Office, Deans, and other campus leaders.
• Support campus events and special projects requiring vendor coordination.
• Foster strong relationships with University departments and external partners to ensure service excellence and customer satisfaction.
• Develop and maintain standardized workflows for contract and invoice tracking using systems such as Oracle and Maximo.
• Track vendor performance through metrics, SLAs, inspections, and reporting tools.
• Conduct regular service quality reviews through inspections, customer feedback, and compliance audits.
• Provide after-hours and emergency response support for facilities-related service disruptions as needed.
• Works mostly independently to create and proactively maintain partnerships with clients, internal and third party service providers and other University partners in an assigned campus area.
• Proactively identifies substandard conditions and services and recommends corrective actions.
• Interprets needs and gaps in service to collaborate with and recommend appropriate services to colleagues and vendors.

Requirements

This position requires mobility and agility necessary to climb stairs and ladders, capability to work in high-altitude environments, and the ability to work in restricted spaces. Ability to move around campus to inspect buildings is also required. Must have mechanical aptitude and manual dexterity and be physically capable of strenuous activity over extended periods of time. Keyboarding, stooping to reach files, and light lifting are also part of the job.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in facilities or operations management.
• Proven experience managing large, outsourced service contracts involving 100+ FTEs.
• Demonstrated success managing budgets of $10 million or more.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Advanced planning, scheduling, and analytical skills.
• Effective problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Customer service orientation with a focus on timely issue resolution.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and perform under pressure.
• Proficiency in reading and interpreting contracts, blueprints, building codes (City of Chicago and International Building Codes), OSHA standards, and safety regulations.

Skills

Proficiency with financial and CMMS systems such as Oracle and Maximo.

Strong understanding of service contract negotiation, vendor compliance, and performance management.

CEFP or equivalent facilities management certification preferred.

Benefits

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.