Organization
Facilities Management was formed in early 2020 to align several facilities-related departments and units into an organizational structure reporting up through an Executive Director of Facilities Management within the Division of Finance and Administration.
Departmental units include:
- Facilities Management
- Planning, Design and Construction
- Physical Plant
- Utility Engineering
- Custodial Services
- Transportation and Parking Services
The Finance and Facilities Administration team provides shared administrative services, human resource management and financial operations for all FM units.
Our Staff
Our units employ over 375 professional, technical, skilled, and service-oriented staff in a variety of roles ranging from entry-level to executive-level.
Together, we are the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ team who:
- Plan, design and build new facilities for the campus future...and restore and renew the historic facilities of the past.
- Provide and manage the critical energy and utilities needed for conducting research, learning, living and working on campus without disruption.
- Maintain and sustain campus buildings and infrastructure so the campus community is comfortable and safe.
- Ensure the cleanliness of campus spaces so that community members can stay healthy and thrive.
- Maintain the beauty of the campus landscape and grounds so that community members can feel inspired and playful.
- Operate, maintain and provide services for transporting people to, from and around campus in sustainable ways.
Commitment to Inclusive Excellence
Our workforce includes a diverse group of individuals who reflect the demographics of both our campus community and the regional community–this includes individuals with origins representing 22 countries who speak 28 different native languages along with individuals who trace their Vermont roots back many generations.
We value this diversity among our workforce because it makes our Facilities organization stronger.
FM unit representatives serve on the Division of Finance and Administration Inclusive Excellence Committee.
Organizational Goals
Cultivate a holistic Facilities Management (FM) organization
- Invest in staff development, recruitment, retention, and competitive compensation.   
- Establish effective internal communications processes to inform all levels of FM staff of shared vision, plans and goals and shared vision.
- Integrate FM work activities across units through IWMS staff training and implementation.
- Identify and adopt Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for all FM work, including sustainability KPIs.  
- Create internal and external partnerships to help advance FM sustainability goals. 
Create short- and long-term Facilities Improvement Plan
- Outline and define a clear process for conducting building condition assessments. 
- Create and update a Capital Plan for asset renewal and deferred maintenance priorities. 
- Ensure that sustainability goals are incorporated into University-wide plans (capital, housing, etc.).
Recruit and retain high quality FM staff
- Develop diversity, equity and inclusion and cultural competency initiatives for all staff.
- Streamline and reduce time involved in hiring processes, especially for frontline workers.
- Create FM-wide orientation/onboarding program that includes sustainability.
- Evaluate current position descriptions and ensure accuracy.
- If feasible for a position, offer telework opportunities to be competitive with public sector and allow hiring from a broader pool.
- Modify pay scales to be market-competitive with private sector (and higher education peers). 
- Establish GED program on campus and continue ESL classes to be more accessible to FM staff.
- Define a clear path of progression for all levels of positions.  
- Ensure safe work practices are embedded within organization culture.  
- Encourage and support membership and participation in professional FM-related organizations
Provide opportunities for career growth and offer professional development
- Build a pipeline of skilled trades workers from within FM with cross-training or internal apprenticeship programs. Provide access to courses for licensure requirements.  
- Continue ESL training and partnerships with community organizations.  
- Explore new training program delivery methods (video, vendor trainings, etc.).
- Enact flexible policies to enable employee participation in training, including licensure.    
Invest in Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) for a new level of information connectivity
- Establish comprehensive reporting of built environment with IWMS for evaluation of costs (building, equipment, assets).
- Train Facilities staff to ensure IWMS utilization.
- Ensure continuous improvement and data accuracy to support data-driven decision-making.  
- Continually track and share Key Performance Indicators (KPI), create dashboards.  
- Utilize IWMS system for tracking and managing sustainability and preventive maintenance data.  
Create and enhance funding mechanisms for major FM initiatives
- Identify thermal projects with payback beyond seven years for $13M Energy Revolving Fund.
- Review and reorganize the Transportation and Parking revenue structure. 
- Research the feasibility of an internal carbon fund for renewable energy transition and upgrades. 
- Create a funding mechanism for deferred maintenance of existing buildings and outdoor spaces.