Associate Director of MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing)

About the Associate Director of MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing)

In this role you will provide strategic and technical leadership for the Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Elevator (MEP) operations that support campus-wide infrastructure. This role oversees multiple skilled trade shops, ensures the reliability and performance of critical building systems, and drives a culture of proactive maintenance, operational excellence, and datadriven decision-making. You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of campus assets, from initial installation through preventive maintenance, corrective repairs, and long-term asset renewal.

A key function of this role is working through frontline supervisors to execute work, develop staff capabilities, and maintain high-performing systems across all facilities.

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Leadership & Operational Management

• Provide day-to-day leadership for the Engineering Shop, Electrical, Plumbing, and Elevator shops, ensuring coordinated, efficient, and high-quality service delivery.
• Work through frontline supervisors to plan, assign, and complete work, ensuring accountability, communication, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Foster a culture of safety, technical excellence, and continuous improvement across all MEP functions.
• Ensure operational best practices are followed in organizational structure, workflow design, and work order management.
  

Technical Expertise & System Reliability

• Serve as the department's technical expert for diagnosing, troubleshooting, and resolving complex issues across MEP systems.
• Ensure all equipment and assets operate effectively through their expected life cycles, applying industry standards and predictive maintenance strategies.
• Oversee compliance-related maintenance for systems such as elevators, backflow prevention, boilers, and electrical distribution.
  

Preventive Maintenance & Program Development

• Build, implement, and manage comprehensive preventive maintenance (PM) programs for multiple trade shops.
• Use asset data, manufacturer recommendations, and operational history to optimize PM frequencies, labor allocations, and task design.
• Ensure PM programs are consistently executed, documented, and refined based on performance metrics and system needs.

Asset & Infrastructure Stewardship

• Manage the campus asset portfolio from inception through renewal, including installation, commissioning, maintenance, and end-of-life planning.
• Oversee infrastructure distribution systems to ensure reliability, redundancy, and long-term sustainability.
• Collaborate with Engineering Services, Asset Renewal and Capital Project teams to align asset renewal strategies with campus growth and modernization.
  

CMMS & Data-Driven Operations

• Lead the effective use of the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to track labor, materials, asset history, and work order performance.
• Ensure accurate data entry, reporting, and analysis to support operational decisions and resource planning.
• Develop workflows and standards that leverage CMMS capabilities to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
  

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications:

• Extensive experience in Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and/or Elevator systems, with strong diagnostic and problem-solving skills.
• Valid CA Driver's License with a minimum of 2 years' driving experience. Position will be participating in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Pull Notice System. A copy of DMV record will be required as a final condition of employment. For more information, please visit the policy website.
• Demonstrated success managing skilled trades, maintenance programs, or technical operations in a complex facilities environment.
• Proven ability to build and manage preventive maintenance programs across multiple disciplines.
• Strong understanding of asset lifecycle management, infrastructure distribution systems, and renewal planning.
• Experience using CMMS platforms to manage work orders, assets, and operational workflows.
• Ability to lead through supervisors, fostering teamwork, communication, and high performance.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, facilities management, or a related field.
• Certifications such as CEFP, CFM, FMP, PMP, or trade-specific licenses.
• Experience in higher education, healthcare, or similarly complex multi-building environments.
  

Competencies

• Technical Mastery: Deep understanding of MEP systems and their interdependencies.
• Leadership Through Others: Skilled at guiding supervisors and empowering frontline staff.
• Operational Excellence: Strong grasp of workflow design, maintenance best practices, and process improvement.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align daily operations with long-term asset and infrastructure goals.
• Data-Driven Management: Comfortable using CMMS data and analytics to inform decisions.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with internal partners, contractors, and stakeholders.

Salary Range:

The Salary range for this position is $138,000 - $143,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.