Chief Building Engineer

We are recruiting for a Chief Engineer to join our property management team for 28-story landmark Class A office building in Fort Lauderdale.

The Chief Engineer is responsible for the operation and maintenance of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire/life safety equipment and systems. The Chief Engineer directs, trains, and supports Building Engineers in their role of providing hands-on electrical and mechanical equipment troubleshooting and operations. In this role, you will manage 2 direct reports.

Essential Responsibilities:

Budget

• In conjunction with property management team, develop, implement, and maintain annual repair & maintenance budget and long-range capital improvement plans.
• Work with the design team to develop safe, efficient, and effective projects that are within budget.
• Evaluate all costs associated with each project including materials, labor, and schedule.

Operations

• Oversee the operational aspects of the property in a manner that protects, maintains, and improves the value of the asset.
• Conduct regular evaluations of asset for property needs and recommends improvements as required.
• Develop and implement proactive strategies to resolve property operational and compliance-related challenges.
• Create, document, and implement ongoing preventive maintenance/repair programs with systems in place to record PM efforts.
• Maintain safety, cleanliness, and integrity of all areas of buildings (interior and exterior), systems, and equipment for all property users.
• Oversee the condition and preventive maintenance programs of key asset systems; HVAC and duct systems, fire protection/sprinkler systems, plumbing - sewer mains/clean out drains/structural building plumbing/sump pumps, vertical transportation, electrical equipment, etc.
• Proactively manage insurance exposures at the property ensuring that all common areas throughout the asset are safe for public access.
• Respond to emergencies in a timely manner, requesting assistance as needed.
• Test, maintain, and restore to working order any component of the emergency systems used within the property.
• Ensure compliance with the emergency procedures in conjunction with local jurisdiction and property management guidelines.

Tenant Relations

• Work cooperatively with property management team to expedite the completion of landlord work, delivery of spaces to tenants and the opening of tenants for business.
• Maintain a helpful, courteous, and professional relationship with the tenants and their staff, using diplomacy in dealing with difficult tenants. Ensure the Engineering staff does the same.
• Ensure expeditious completion of all tenant maintenance requests and track accordingly.
• Ensure that tenants comply with lease requirements regarding preventive and ongoing maintenance (pest control, HVAC, exhaust/duct/hood cleaning, window cleaning, fire extinguishers, etc.)

Vendor and Capital Project Management

• Select contracted services by developing scopes of work, requesting bids, monitor performance per scopes of work and contractual agreements.
• Work to ensure projects stay on budget and within the projected time schedule.
• Monitor performance and take necessary action to ensure service providers meet or exceed expectations (security, landscaping, janitorial, etc.)
• Ensure ongoing compliance with applicable building, city/county and safety codes and regulations.

Staff Supervision and Motivation

• Effectively manage engineering team to include activities such as assigning work, providing supervision and direction as needed.
• Reinforce monthly staffing schedules, ensuring 24/7 emergency coverage.
• Manage ongoing staff development efforts and skill building/learning initiatives

Qualifications:

• Minimum high school diploma or GED Equivalent
• 10+ years related work experience in operating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a commercial property setting.
• Universal CFC certification required.
• Experience in operation, maintenance and basic repair of HVAC, boilers, heaters, pumps, refrigerant systems, compressors, water systems, etc.
• Knowledgeable in energy management systems, energy reduction techniques and operations.
• Knowledge of front-end Building Automations Systems
• Thorough knowledge of all building systems operations, maintenance, and repair.
• Basic Computing Skills in Outlook, Excel & Word