Senior Campus Planner

The George Mason University, Department of Capital Strategy and Planning invites applications for a Senior Campus Planner. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason's academic and culturally inclusive environment.

About the Department:

The Capital Strategy and Planning Department works with George Mason's leadership, schools, and units to develop and manage the University's capital improvement program in pursuit of project approval and funding for investment in projects to support strategic capital plans. Capital Strategy and Planning works closely with the Facilities Department throughout the planning process on each capital project to ensure a smooth transition to implementation by Facilities through subsequent design and construction.

Department staff manage a rigorous capital planning framework, which integrates unit programmatic planning with capital-related project plans, including scope, budgets, cost estimating, schedule, logistics, risk, and communication strategies. The framework includes a prioritization process to ensure the capital improvement program is aligned with the University's strategic goals, Master Plan and operational budget. Using this framework, in consultation with the Office of Strategic Budgeting & Planning, the Department staff develop a capital plan and capital financing plan for the University, including both short- and long-range plans for the development and execution of capital improvement projects. The Department is responsible for project update and capital plan submissions to the Finance and Land Use Committee of the Board of Visitors in conjunction with the annual operating plan, approved by the Board and submissions to the Commonwealth of Virginia, as required.

About the Position:

The primary function of this position is to work with University schools and units to manage multiple capital planning projects from preliminary scoping through conceptual planning and project approval and funding in preparation for architect/contractor engagement. Based on these planning analyses, the planner will assist with the University prioritization of these projects and inclusion in both long (6 year) and short term (2 year) Commonwealth of Virginia planning and approval requirements. The planner will also be a resource available to the University Facilities design and construction staff and the Budget Office staff once a project receives final approval. The Senior Campus Planner will partner with the Budget Office and Fiscal Services on the determination of annual and multi-year investments for capital projects. The Senior Campus Planner may supervise a more junior Campus Planner in some activities, providing oversight and mentoring and play a role in the overall management of the Capital Planning project portfolio management. The Senior Campus Planner will typically be assigned the larger and more complex capital planning projects due to their years of experience.

Responsibilities:

Capital Planning Analysis:

• Responsible for managing planning activity by working with University Business Units to identify user's needs for assigned projects;
• Provide technical information, analysis and advice on building space needs, utilization and standards to committees of current or prospective occupants who recommend or determine building needs and priorities;
• Assist in developing scope, budget, funding plan, and schedule related tasks for assigned projects;
• Carry major responsibility for university capital outlay program submissions and presentations;
• Supervise preparation of and/or review documentation supporting annual major and minor capital improvement programs, including campus priority and complex projects;
• Provide peer review and guidance for Campus Planners;
• Assist with preliminary project scoping and cost estimating;
• Perform or manage Needs Assessment, Business Case Analyses and Financial Feasibility Analyses studies with consultant support as required in support of project justification;
• Develop project funding plans in collaboration with the Fiscal Services and Budget Departments;
• Complete analyses as required in support of project prioritization;
• Prepare materials for inclusion in the 2-year and 6-year Capital Plans;
• Prepare annual submission forms for Commonwealth funding requests;
• Prepare executive summaries and presentation materials as required for project approval and funding.

Consultant Selection and Management:

• Develop project scope of services as required on assigned projects and coordinate with contracts for solicitation of RFQ or proposal request; issuance of contract or task order;
• Participate in consultant selection as requested;
• Serve as primary point of contact with consultants for assigned projects throughout the duration of the project planning phase;
• Coordinate preparation of special studies requested by the University, Commonwealth or Federal levels of authority on various aspects of educational facilities programming and utilization;
• Maintain a working knowledge of consultant contractual responsibilities (including the requirements set forth in the contract MOU and CPSM (Construction and Professional Services Manual)), and administer consultant contracts for all assigned projects through the planning process;
• Promptly address consultant performance issues if performance does not meet contractual obligations;
• Facilitate consultant dispute resolution.

Stakeholder Communication and Management:

• Assist the AVP of CS&P in submissions and presentations in pursuit of funding and approval activities for capital projects;
• Assist the AVP of CS&P in relationships with university and governmental committees;
• Coordinate the preliminary planning and programming phases of construction projects for both new construction and major renovations;
• Serve as primary point of contact with academic and business unit representatives for assigned planning projects throughout the duration of the planning;
• With academic and business unit representatives develop project objectives, program requirements, schedule requirements and a project budget;
• Develop / Utilize a consistent methodology to communicate project status;
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Project Management and Administration:

• Utilize departmental and University standards for organizing, naming, and maintaining project files;
• Ensure maintenance of project files in project management software and departmental file shares including timely uploading of documents, completion of templates and manage project approvals for budget, contracts, and schedules;
• Prepare project meeting agendas (2 days prior to meeting) and minutes, or ensure completeness and accuracy of meeting minutes prepared by consultants or contractors;
• Provide planning study deliverables to project stakeholders as appropriate and manage timely comment incorporation for comprehensive project documentation;
• Solicit and review project work plan and schedule at from engaged consultants upon initiation of each planning study;
• Monitor project schedules and budgets and notify stakeholders if schedule overruns or budget shortfalls are likely to occur;
• Periodically review project file folders to ensure that the documentation is being filed in a timely manner and in accordance with established office procedures.

Space Management and Administration:

• Provide customer interface for Space Management requests and triage all project intake requests;
• Participate and provide leadership in the University's space management stakeholder groups, including classroom refresh, learning environments, and other space working groups;
• Provide leadership and management of continuous space management process improvement;
• Assist in the creation and application of space policies applicable to all capital projects in collaboration with SMEs and campus stakeholders;
• Act as building space planning and programming liaison and coordinator in relationships with academic and administrative committees and staff members;
• Liaise with University units to assist in identifying common space types that can be shared to meet various unit needs;
• Develop what-if scenarios that provide solutions for better alignment of space use/co-location of similar functional support areas more efficiently;
• Provide leadership to University units to develop multi-year space need projections;
• Provide leadership to University units on impacts of growth plans on space usage and needs.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Engineering or Architecture or related area, or equivalent combination of Bachelor's degree, training/certification, and experience;
• Substantial, progressively more responsible, capital planning, design and/or construction experience (10+ year's preferred).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience specifically in the area of Higher Education is highly desirable.

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For full consideration, applicants must apply at https://jobs.gmu.edu/ ; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.
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Great Careers Begin at Mason!

George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in both academics and research. Mason holds a top U.S. News and World Report "Up and Coming" spot for national universities and is recognized for its global appeal and excellence in higher education.

Mason is currently the largest and most diverse university in Virginia with students and faculty from all 50 states and over 135 countries studying in over 200 degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William, as well as at learning locations across the commonwealth. Rooted in Mason's diversity is a campus culture that is both rewarding and exciting, work that is meaningful, and opportunities to both collaborate and create.

If you are interested in joining the Mason family take a look at our current opportunities and catch some Mason spirit at jobs.gmu.edu/!

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