Facility Design Standards Lead

ensures SAIT's buildings and grounds are safe, functional and welcoming. Join a team dedicated to equipping learners and faculty with state-of-the-art spaces through sustainable growth.
The Opportunity
Job classification
: P2043 - Project Coordinator Salary range: $90,000 - $100,000 Placement within the range is typically based upon a review of skills, experience, and internal equity.
Hours per week:
Paid leave: 4 Weeks Vacation / 14 Flex Days per year Final date to receive applications: 4:00PM, Friday, June 5th, 2026 The Facility Design Standards Lead is the institutional authority for facility design and technical standards and project design review across SAIT’s built environment. The role is responsible for ensuring that all capital projects, renovations, infrastructure upgrades, and operational activities adhere to approved Facility Design Guidelines, regulatory, legislative, and AHJ requirements to support safety, maintainability, operational reliability, and lifecycle value.

Operating within an asset management context, this position provides a single point of subject matter expertise across architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and technology systems (including access control, building management systems, and smart building infrastructure).

The role owns the development, governance, upkeep, and continuous improvement of facility design standards. The position works collaboratively with Campus Operations, Facilities Maintenance, Engineering, Security, Sustainability, and Project Delivery teams to ensure consistent application, compliance, and education related to facility design standards.

How you'll contribute

Design Standards Ownership and Governance:

Serve as owner and custodian of SAIT’s Facility Design Guidelines and associated standards.

Lead ongoing review, maintenance, updates, and version control to ensure alignment with operational needs, asset lifecycle strategies, regulatory requirements, and emerging best practices.

Establish and manage processes for standards interpretation, updates, and approved variances.

Develop and steward a comprehensive standards library.

Liaise with operations and maintenance staff to stay informed on preferred manufacturers and products.

Design Review and Technical Subject Matter Expertise:

Provide independent oversight of design deliverables for capital projects, renovations and infrastructure upgrades.

Ensure all planning, design, construction, and operational activities adhere to internal facility design guidelines and external regulatory, legislative, and AHJ requirements.

Review drawings, specifications, and technical submissions at key milestones to ensure compliance with facility design standards and identify risks impacting safety, maintainability, performance, cost, or operations.

Act as technical authority for facility design standards across architectural, building envelope, structural, mechanical, electrical, life safety, security, BMS, and smart building systems.

Provide guidance to project teams, consultants, and internal stakeholders during planning, design, and delivery phases.

Support commissioning and turnover processes to validate alignment with design intent and operational outcomes.

Collaboration, Education, and Enablement:

Work collaboratively with Campus Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Security, Sustainability, and Project Delivery teams to guide document development and ensure alignment with institutional standards.

Develop and deliver guidance, standards interpretation, and education to support consistent understanding and application of facility design standards.

Continuous Improvement and Asset Lifecycle Integration:

Incorporate lessons learned from operations, maintenance, and capital delivery into standards updates.

Support asset management and lifecycle planning by aligning design standards with long-term performance, risk, and sustainability objectives.

Support expansion of guidelines into lifecycle analytics and future digital building maintenance.

Research emerging materials, methods, technologies, and best practices to ensure current, evidence-based resources are available to guide planning, design, and project delivery.

What you bring

Diploma in Engineering Technology, Facilities Management, Construction Engineering Technology, Architectural Technology, or related discipline required.

Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, Engineering Technology, Engineering, Interior Design, or related discipline preferred.

7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in facilities design, engineering, construction, or asset management.

Demonstrated experience in design standards development, QA/QC, and institutional or complex operational facilities.

Experience working within construction and performing shop drawing reviews would be an asset.

Eligibility for registration with ASET, APEGA, AAA or equivalent professional body.

Strong technical judgment and systems thinking.

Quality assurance and risk-based decision-making.

Ability to influence without…