Trades Supervisor - University of Pennsylvania

University Overview


The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.




Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.




The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.








Posted Job Title

Trades Supervisor





Job Profile Title

Supervisor, Facilities





Job Description Summary

Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of the University's campus. Provides direct oversight for operational and maintenance decisions involving staff and contractor deployment, assigning and scheduling work, resource leveling, and overall team building among assigned workforce.


The Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES) provides the expertise, business process, policies and standards required to plan, design, construct, operate, maintain and renew the physical assets of the University, excluding the health system. In addition, the Division, comprised of approximately five Departments, is responsible for the strategic planning, management and operation of non-academic University property, and collaborating with the neighborhood to create a safe, diverse and economically vibrant destination. With close to 12M square feet of space, FRES maintains 186 buildings on a campus of 276 acres, completes over 60,000 maintenance requests per year, and starts approximately 250 projects a year. FRES is comprised of the following Departments: Administration, Office of the University Architect, Design and Construction, Real Estate, Operations and Maintenance.


The University of Pennsylvania is implementing a campus transformation entitled Penn Connects (http://www.pennconnects.upenn.edu). This comprehensive, award winning effort is expanding the campus over the next 20 years, including the construction of new academic research and recreational facilities. In addition, the University has secured $300M in Century Bond funding and continues to upgrade existing facilities over the coming years. https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/ Information.





Job Description


Job Responsibilities


Reporting to the Trades Manager, provide direct oversight for operational decisions involving labor and staff deployment, resource leveling, and overall team building among assigned workforce. This labor force will be comprised of various trades including but not limited to Construction Trades Mechanics (Carpenter, Painter, Mason and Service Mechanics). Supervise to assigned budget goals and authorize purchases as needed to support assigned group within established guidelines. Provide customer follow-up to ensure quality and timeliness of work. Supports all designated initiatives while ensuring adherence to the collective bargaining agreement. Manage and participate in the grievance/discipline process as required/directed. Also, supports all initiatives involving worker safety and sustainability. Work with Service Managers, vendors, and design and construction group to meet established service priorities/requests. Develop working knowledge of time and attendance and divisional work order systems; ensure accuracy of payroll inputs. Monitor and participate in training programs as designated.




Provide first line direction to unionized staff to initiate and coordinate service delivery within established parameters. Manage unionized workforce within collective bargaining agreement guidelines; participate in grievance management process as required.




Ensures all work is done in a safe, timely, and efficient manner by scheduling the daily work of the trades and verifying the work is completed through field inspections. Routinely communicate and coordinates work with internal and external customers.




Assign work to all trades and ensure the work flow processes are followed for all work activities. Monitor the backlog, cycle time, and other metrics and take the necessary steps to ensure the backlog and work order cycle time comply with departmental standards.




Ensure all work is completed within the established budget and schedule. Monitor progress against the budget and schedule and report any variances. Closely monitor spend of staff under your supervision.




Develop and administer Service and repair contracts.




Participates in all performance and process improvement initiatives including the corrective action process.




Coordinates shutdowns in compliance with the established shutdown procedure.




Supports Manager and other supervisors by managing work requirements and personnel of these people in their absence.




Ensure staff participation in University training programs offered by Human Resources, Environmental Health and Radiation Safety, Fire and Safety, etc.).


Also, ensure development of staff through training and job assignments.




Qualifications


Associates Degree,Technical School Degree, certification, training or apprenticeship required beyond High School and 7 to 10 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. A minimum of seven years of building and/or plant engineering experience with an operating background in a unionized work environment, preferably in an academic or similarly complex environment. At least five years experience supervising skilled tradesmen. Significant knowledge of building systems, preventative maintenance processes and construction trade work. Knowledge of City/State Codes, and ASHRE standards. Significant experience utilizing a CMMS system to monitor and control all aspects of a maintenance operation. Demonstrated ability to exhibit good judgement and be able to manage multi-skilled technical groups and multiple competing demands on resources. Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, supervisory, written and verbal communication and organizational skills. Strong financial and analytical skills. Proven record of strong customer service skills. Knowledge of basic computer software ( Microsoft Office). This position will require the individual be on call 24/7 and designated as "essential personnel".






Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





Department / School

Facilities and Real Estate Services





Pay Range

$61,046.00 - $110,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.




Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.




Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.




University Benefits

+ Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

+ Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

+ Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

+ Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

+ Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

+ Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

+ Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

+ University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

+ Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

+ Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

+ Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

+ Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.




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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay



The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.