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Department:
Time Type:
Full time
Job Type:
FLSA Status:
ExemptWork Modality:
Union:
Job Description:
Summary:
The Sr. Director, Planning and Project Development is responsible for leading strategic planning initiatives, overseeing the development and execution of major capital and operational projects, and ensuring alignment with the University’s long-term goals. This role also leads the Office of Space Planning and Management, ensuring that campus space is effectively planned, allocated, and managed to support academic, research, and administrative priorities.
The Sr. Director develops, evaluates, and presents alternatives related to project scope, budget, and schedule, supporting informed decision-making by University leadership. They may serve in either a leadership or support role on projects as assigned, always ensuring a high degree of responsiveness to service requests and operational needs.
The Sr. Director promotes and enforces a culture of customer service excellence, ensuring that interactions with students, faculty, staff, and other internal and external stakeholders reflect the University’s values of collaboration, respect, and accountability.
This role requires an experienced planner and project manager who can guide complex initiatives from concept to completion while balancing technical knowledge, strategic thinking, and stakeholder engagement.
Essential Functions:
1.) Strategic Planning and Project Development
Leads campus-wide planning efforts; develops project scopes, schedules, budgets; evaluates and presents planning alternatives; aligns initiatives with institutional goals.
2.) Project Oversight and Support
Serves in lead or support role on capital and operational projects; coordinates with internal stakeholders; monitors planning milestones and deliverables.
3.) Customer Service and Stakeholder Engagement
Ensures responsive, service-oriented interactions with students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders; represents the department in meetings and presentations.
4.) Team Leadership and Supervision
Supervises planning and space management staff; manages workload, mentoring, and performance expectations.
5.) Budget and Compliance Oversight
Develops and manages planning-related budgets; ensures compliance with institutional policies, codes, and regulations.
6.) Other Duties as Assigned
Performs additional duties or special projects as requested to support departmental or institutional goals.
Supervisory Responsibility:
Directly supervises a team of three full-time planning and space management professionals, providing guidance, performance management, and professional development.
May also oversee and coordinate the work of student assistants or interns supporting planning and project development activities.
Competencies:
1.) Strategic Thinking
Demonstrates the ability to align planning initiatives with institutional priorities and anticipate future needs.
2.) Project Management
Effectively manages complex projects from concept to completion, ensuring scope, schedule, and budget objectives are met.
3.) Space Planning and Utilization
Applies best practices in space assessment, allocation, and planning to optimize institutional resources.
4.) Customer Service Orientation
Provides responsive, service-focused support to all stakeholders with professionalism and attention to detail.
5.) Leadership and Supervision
Leads and develops high-performing teams through clear direction, coaching, and collaborative management.
6.) Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Communicates clearly and effectively across all levels of the organization, adapting style to the audience.
7.) Collaboration and Influence
Builds partnerships and consensus among diverse stakeholders to advance institutional goals.
8.) Analytical and Decision-Making Skills
Uses data and critical thinking to evaluate options, solve problems, and support informed decision-making.
9.) Regulatory and Technical Knowledge
Maintains expertise in relevant codes, standards, and planning practices applicable to institutional development.
10.) Change Management
Leads and supports organizational change by guiding stakeholders through transitions in planning and space use.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
Full-time.
35 hours per week.
Salary Range:
$190,000.00 - $200,000.00 annually.
Required Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering or Construction Management.
10+ years of relevant experience.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in institutional planning and project development, including leadership roles in space planning, capital project management, and stakeholder engagement within higher education or similar environments.
Proven ability to lead complex projects, manage teams, and navigate regulatory requirements using relevant planning and project management tools.
Preferred Education and Experience:
Master's degree or equivalent.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications:
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities simultaneously, preferably in a higher education setting directly for an institutional owner.
Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to facilitate and manage groups or teams, preferably in a higher education setting directly for an intuitional owner.
Ability to drive excellence and high performance within staff.
Other Duties:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Benefits
AU offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn about American University's unique benefit options.
Other Details
Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.
Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.
Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
American University is an E-Verify employer.
Current American University Employees
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Contact Us
For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email theworkline@american.edu.
American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.