Senior Director, Planning & Campus Engagement

Senior Director, Planning & Campus Engagement

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program ( EAP ); tuition remission; and generous time off.

Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Title of Position

Senior Director, Planning & Campus Engagement

Position Number

A11325

FLSA

Exempt

Scheduled Hours Per Week

35

Department

Facilities Management

Campus

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Facilities Planning & Design, the Senior Director of Design, Planning & Campus Engagement expands the University’s capacity for coordinated campus planning, design, and space management.

The position supports development of campus and residential life master plans and advances projects across Rose Hill and Lincoln Center, including STEM , the AI Hub, the grotto, and the reuse of Lowenstein’s upper floors. Working with University partners, the Senior Director helps establish a professional space-management system for maintaining a reliable inventory, classifying space, analyzing utilization, and planning predictable cycles of improvement.

The role works directly with faculty and staff to assess needs, develop planning and design options, and respond to requests for space allocation, adaptation, and reuse while maintaining consistent design standards.

Essential Functions

Supports development and implementation of campus and residential life master plans, translating academic priorities and departmental needs into coordinated space programs, reuse strategies, and phased improvements across University campuses.

Establishes and maintains a professional space-management platform, reliable inventory, and consistent classification standards with University partners. Uses utilization data, building condition, and assessments of functional suitability to guide space allocation, identify reuse opportunities, and establish predictable cycles of improvement.

Advances planning and design for STEM , the AI Hub, the backfilling and reuse of Lowenstein’s upper floors, and other projects across Rose Hill and Lincoln Center, including the grotto. Defines program requirements, evaluates alternatives and adjacencies, and coordinates project sequencing with University partners.

Works directly with faculty, staff, academic leaders, and administrative partners to assess needs, build agreement on planning decisions, and provide timely assistance with space allocation, retrofits, relocations, and changing program requirements.

Establishes and maintains University-wide standards for space programming, allocation, architectural quality, interior finishes, furniture, and user experience. Applies these standards consistently across campuses and protects design intent from initial planning through construction delivery.

Expands internal capabilities to serve as a professional planning and design consulting resource for University departments, delivering the expertise, responsiveness, and quality expected of leading New York City practices.

Essential Functions Note

This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities

May provide peer-level coordination or subject-matter guidance to colleagues performing similar work and/or student, part-time workers, including helping organize tasks, clarify priorities, or review work for quality or consistency.

Additional Functions

Serves on University working groups and advisory committees related to sustainability, historic preservation, and campus accessibility.

Participates in professional planning and facilities organizations, including SCUP and APPA , to bring relevant practices and peer insights into the University’s work.

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Urban/Regional Planning, or a closely related spatial design discipline; or professional planning certification (e.g, AICP ).

Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in architecture, urban design, campus planning, or public-realm planning.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills

Industry-standard proficiency in BIM , visualization, and graphics.

Demonstrated track record of building consensus among diverse institutional and community stakeholders through public meetings, stakeholder engagement, and agency coordination.

Proven experience managing the interface between an institutional campus edge and surrounding urban commercial corridors (town-gown relationships).

Working knowledge of New York City zoning laws, building codes, and municipal review/approval procedures governing campus development.

Strong design judgment with demonstrated ability to set and uphold quality standards across multiple concurrent capital projects.

Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills, with a proven ability to translate complex architectural plans and spatial concepts for non-technical leadership.

Experience in public-sector or higher education institutional planning involving multi-campus environments and agency approvals.

Familiarity with space management metrics ( APPA , IFMA , FICM , SCUP ) and Facilities Condition Index ( FCI ) data

Demonstrated experience standing up new organizational functions, design standards, or professional teams within a complex organization.

Preferred Qualifications

Certificate or license in respective field of expertise and practitioner experience.

Minimum Starting Salary

$150,000

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