Vice President for Facilities

Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), the largest private university in New Jersey, invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice President for Facilities (VPF). Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Frank Barra, the VPF is responsible for the management of University real estate in the United States, along with facilities operations, leads contract development, management and negotiation for facilities, space planning, capital planning and improvements. Facilities operations budget and finance management are critical, as well as regulatory compliance and oversight.

About Fairleigh Dickinson University

Founded in 1942, the University achieved four-year status in 1948 and approval as a university in 1956. The University’s 12,000+ full- and part-time students pursue quality career-oriented programs on schedules tailored to their needs.

FDU is a not-for-profit, nonsectarian, multicampus institution. The University offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including doctoral programs in pharmacy, nursing practice, clinical psychology and school psychology; and an AACSB-accredited business school.

In 2025, the University introduced FDU HealthPath Forward, a forward-thinking initiative that builds on this momentum, advancing partnerships, interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge healthcare delivery models to strengthen well-being on campus and beyond.

The Florham Campus in suburban Madison offers a classical undergraduate and graduate experience in a small college setting. FDU Florham is primarily a residential campus, supported by a strong student life program. It boasts active fraternities and sororities, diverse student activities and dynamic Division III and intramural athletics programs. Resident students are joined in class by undergraduate commuters and by adult, graduate and certificate students, utilizing first-class educational resources either retrofitted into the campus’ distinctive and appealing original buildings or newly built especially in the most recent decades.

FDU’s Metropolitan Campus offers a strong career focus and is home to many of FDU’s business, professional, science and health care programs. It’s a celebration of diversity, too, attracting students from 63 countries. Running through the heart of campus is the Hackensack River. Quaint homes, shops, ethnic restaurants and parks are nearby, as well as shopping malls, community groups and office and professional buildings, where many of our resident and commuter students alike find part-time jobs. The campus’ proximity to New York City is a key feature, where students can study Broadway, Wall Street and the United Nations up close and in person.

Qualifications

The VPF supervises 2 exempt and 2 nonexempt employees, and more than 100 contractors/service personnel. The VPF leads and oversees the following:

• Supports senior University leadership with the assessment and management of real estate, including acquisitions, dispositions, takings, leases and changes of use. Represents the University to outside agencies.
• Administers, supervises and directs activities of assigned exempt and non- exempt staff including decisions to hire, terminate and/or modify personnel status.
• Plans and oversees the facilities operations on the two New Jersey campuses of Fairleigh Dickinson, with a total operating budget of more than $21 million, and capital budget of more than $11 million annually.
• Leads contract development and negotiations for facilities operations. Provides updated budget to actual forecasts quarterly and as needed. Responsible for oversight and management of outsourced facilities contracted vendor.
• Responsible for various regulatory compliance and oversight.
• Proposes updates to the 5-year capital plan at least annually, and as approved, plans for implementation and execution of the plan. Oversees implementation of the plan directly and through subordinates and/or consultants. Also responsible for leading the contract development and negotiations for capital projects.
• Plans and controls Facilities budgets, including internal compensation, operating and capital funds, as well as vendor-required or other funded improvements.
• Within available resources, provides targeted support for University facilities outside New Jersey.

Nominations and Applications

A complete position profile with instructions for application may be found above. For more information, please visit: www.fdu.edu.

The Search Committee is currently accepting and reviewing applications until the position is filled. The deadline for submission for best consideration is Friday, October 3, 2025. All application materials should be submitted electronically in PDF format through the AGB Search portal system at: Fairleigh Dickinson University Vice President for Facilities. Should you have any questions or encounter any difficulties with the application process, please contact: FDUVPF@agbsearch.com.

The search is being assisted by the following professionals from AGB Search: 

Margaret “Peggy” Plympton, Principal, margaret.plympton@agbsearch.com; (484) 554-4543

Rene Stewart O’Neal, Executive Search Consultant, Rene.O’Neal@agbsearch.com; (202) 604-0258