Landcare Operations Manager

The Landcare Operations Manager provides oversight of operations programs, leading a team of supervisors, Teamster grounds workers, and students laborers – approximately 70 staff total. This position will coordinate logistics in a dynamic environment including planned as well as spontaneous events and situations impacting campus operations. In particular, this position is accountable to the assistant director for leadership of the following programs and activities.

The Operations Manager position reports to the Assistant Director, and oversees teams and procedures involved in day to day campus grounds operations. Landcare is an operations unit within Facilities Management, responsible for campus maintenance and design.

• Landscape & grounds maintenance, including standards development and application for various maintenance programs
• Campus groundskeeping – horticultural care of campus lawns, shrub beds, perennials and annual flower displays, installation and maintenance of seasonal decorations/displays, regular maintenance of hard surface areas to remove debris and litter
• Naturalized area management – establishment and care of approximately 60 acres of prairies, urban meadows, bio‑filtration basins, woodlands, and non‑traditional/alternative‑turf lawn areas
• Tree program – oversight of campus tree program to achieve stated operational goals for maintenance, safety and risk management, as well as supporting climate adaptation goals; includes ongoing obligations related to maintaining Arbor Day Foundation Tree Campus Higher Education status
• Irrigation – maintenance of approximately 130 networked campus irrigation systems which are centrally controlled through an ET‑based computer program; includes completion of controller upgrades project to replace radio‑based system communications with internet connectivity
• Event service – collaboration with campus partners to ensure efficient waste management for approved campus events, including football tailgating, Homecoming events and Welcome Week activities
• Snow removal and deicing – oversight of Landcare’s winter maintenance program including storm response preparation planning, and coordination with campus stakeholders and customers to provide a safe and accessible campus for various transportation modes; this involves approximately 100 miles of streets, docks, plazas and walkways, and approximately 100 acres of parking facilities
• Equipment fleet management for approximately 650 units, from large trucks to small, hand‑held power equipment; maintain records of current inventory; manage balance of capital reserve fund, and oversee maintenance and repairs by vendors and in‑house mechanic staff; this involves timing acquisitions and disposal to optimize trade values and minimize maintenance and repair costs
• Ongoing maintenance of customer relationships, including proactive, regular communications and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and University policies
• Coordination of record keeping and reporting related to deicing product storage, application and housekeeping in compliance with campus MS4 permit obligations
• Oversight of chemical inventory and application record keeping, as well as Safety Data Sheets library
• Compliance with programs related to Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures/Regulated Tank storage, Stockpiles, and Depot safety inspections
• Coordination of procedural, safety & equipment training; ensure that Landcare staff meet all institutional and department training requirements according to established schedules and deadlines
• Oversight of licensing/certifications for Landcare staff, such as licensed pesticide applicator training and license management for Gardener and Senior Gardener staff; commercial driver’s license (CDL), including random testing compliance; power limited technician (irrigation system wiring); tree risk assessment qualification (TRAQ)
• Manage contracts & RFPs for multiple products and services related to campus operations, such as services – snow, street sweeping,…