Plant Manager; Inst

Central Plant Manager (Inst)

Milwaukee, WI – Full Time – JR

The Central Plant Manager oversees multiple campus utility plants and is responsible for both strategic and daily operations. Reporting to the Associate Director of Facility Services, this position manages the state‑owned centralized heating and cooling plant serving the UW‑Milwaukee Kenwood Campus, as well as six satellite plants.

Key responsibilities include:

• Prioritizing and scheduling plant activities; directing heating and cooling production.
• Coordinating equipment availability, chemical treatment, and supervising plant staff.
• Ensuring compliance with data reporting, maintenance requirements, and standard procedures.
• Maintaining safe and efficient operation of four high‑pressure steam boilers and three chillers.
• Operating PLCs and associated devices; maintaining underground fuel oil tank records per EPA/WI regulations.
• Preparing project requests and all‑agency submissions; managing budgets in an operations environment.
• Fostering relationships with university personnel, contractors, vendors, and students.

• Conferring daily with plant staff to establish production priorities and equipment availability.
• Overseeing maintenance and capital projects.
• Participating in startup and commissioning activities.
• Developing and implementing policies to ensure safe, reliable, efficient plant use.
• Supervising at least 2.0 FTE employees, including hiring, performance management, and hours approval.

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering or a related field, or equivalent education/experience.
• Minimum 5 years of utility/plant system leadership experience.
• Minimum 5 years of maintenance and operation experience for industrial plant utilities.
• Experience with engineering plans and specifications.
• Technical and project management skills for design and execution of projects.
• Experience operating and maintaining plant equipment and interconnected systems.
• Analysis of plant performance and implementation of energy optimization strategies.
• Budget management in an operations environment.
• Experience with PLC‑based control systems.

• WI Professional Engineering license (PE).
• 10+ years of supervisory utility system experience.
• American Society of Power Engineers 2nd Class Power Plant Operators License (or equivalent).
• Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Experience managing construction projects.
• Knowledge of Heating Plant Section Division of Facilities Development.
• Understanding of plant equipment, steam and chilled water distribution, boiler maintenance, and large‑tonnage chiller operation.

$110,000 – $120,000 per year, commensurate with experience.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or state law.