Penn State Job Catalog

The Facilities Planning and Design Manager provides strategic leadership and oversight for campus planning and design functions within the Office of Physical Plant; advances the University's physical environment through integrated planning, design excellence, and property strategy; establishes and maintains institutional design standards, guides capital and non-capital project design, and ensures alignment with long-term campus master plans and strategic priorities; fosters coordination across space management, planning, and development functions to support informed decision-making; collaborates with senior administrators, governance committees, and external stakeholders to shape campus development, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance the overall campus environment.

• Direct University facilities planning and design functions, including staff leadership, operational oversight, and budget management
• Develop and maintain university-wide design standards and guidelines for campus planning, land use, architecture, landscape, and signage
• Guide the design of capital and non-capital projects to ensure consistency with institutional vision and campus aesthetics
• Oversee design review processes and facilitate approvals with senior leadership and governance bodies
• Provide direction for projects impacting campus environments, including renovations, public art, temporary installations, and events
• Ensure alignment of real estate decisions with campus planning and space management strategies
• Guide coordination between planning, design, real estate, and space management functions
• Support space-related initiatives including assignments, guidelines, utilization strategies, and committee facilitation
• Ensure integration of space data and planning considerations into capital and strategic decisions
• Lead the development and implementation of campus master plans and College/Unit Environment & Academic Plans (CEAPs)
• Establish priorities and allocate resources to support project demands and institutional goals
• Ensure effective execution of projects, initiatives, and service delivery
• Provide strategic direction on facility needs, project prioritization, and building siting
• Ensure alignment of planning efforts with institutional strategic goals and campus development objectives
• Serve on and support key university and facilities committees, including leadership, planning, design, accessibility, and capital project groups
• Contribute to decision-making processes for capital planning, design approvals, and campus development initiatives
• Serve as a liaison between the Office of Physical Plant and university units, colleges, and external agencies
• Coordinate zoning, land development, and regulatory matters with local government entities
• Communicate campus planning and design initiatives through reports, presentations, and stakeholder engagement
• Manage, mentor, and develop staff; foster professional growth through coaching, training, and performance development

Level:

– Principal Manager

Base Description:

– Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates awareness of broad issues and management trends. Applies exemplary management principles. Evaluates impact of policy and adjusts accordingly. Ensures appropriate skills are developed and maintained within team/unit. Realigns staff responsibilities to meet desired changes. Provides administrative and policy direction. Develops and articulates broad goals. Fosters collaboration between units. Engages in written and verbal communications that reach a university-wide and/or broad external audience. Develops and implements solutions to highly complex and often controversial problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees teams of other supervisors/managers
– Leads a business unit

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Plans, forecasts, develops, and/or approves budgets
– Typically has final signature authority for business unit

Problem Solving:

– Encounters highly varied and complex problems that may have a significant impact on multiple units and/or the University
– Regularly develops creative and/or novel approaches to resolve the most difficult problems
– Creates an environment that encourages imaginative solutions to problems

Independence of Action:

– Work results are not clearly defined and may be frequently changing
– Sets own goals and determines how to accomplish results with few or no guidelines to follow
– Oversees completed work of others and is accountable for unit results
– Delegates advanced tasks to others and provides guidance to team members

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– May represent the University externally
– Collaborates closely with team members and other leaders across the University
– Communicates a compelling vision that inspires and motivates others

• Comp Grade – 17
• Minimum – $150,204.00
• MidPoint – $191,544.00
• Maximum – $232,776.00