Senior Director, Plant Operations

Special Instructions to Applicants:

DO NOT APPLY TO THE RICE WEBSITE FOR THIS POSITION. SEE THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TO COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION.

Rice University has engaged Insight Global to assist with this search. For additional information or to nominate qualified candidates, please email meredith.ryals@insightglobal.com or schedule a meeting via this link to be considered for this role: https://calendly.com/meredith-ryals.

To be considered for the position, you must provide a resume and a cover letter that address the responsibilities and qualifications of the Senior Director of Plant Operations role.

Executive Search Lead:
Meredith Ryals
meredith.ryals@insightglobal.com
(404) 490-2640 

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities. 

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Plant Operations provides strategic leadership, operational management, and long-term planning for all central utility systems supporting the university campus. This role is critical in addressing aging infrastructure, advancing institutional sustainability goals, enhancing operational efficiency, mitigating risks, and ensuring utilities are future-ready to support the university’s ongoing growth and development.

The Senior Director oversees chilled water, steam, steam condensate, electrical distribution, emergency power systems, and all associated infrastructure, ensuring reliable, efficient, and sustainable utility services that underpin academic, research, residential, and administrative functions across the campus.

The ideal candidate is a resilient and visionary leader with deep expertise in utility operations and infrastructure management, committed to innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence. They bring strong strategic planning and risk mitigation skills, paired with a collaborative and diplomatic leadership style that fosters team development, builds strong relationships, and drives results in support of the university’s growth and evolving needs.

Workplace Requirements

This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in person. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. 

This role is classified as an essential position, requiring on-site presence to effectively carry out its vital functions.

• Primarily on-site with frequent plant visits as well as office-based administrative work
• Requires availability for emergency response and on-call support during off-hours or critical incidents
• Exposure to mechanical/electrical equipment and moderate noise levels
• Ability to climb a ladder
• Ability to lift 20 pounds

Hiring Range

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• 6+ years of progressively responsible experience in central utility plant operations

Skills:

• Extensive knowledge of thermal and electrical utility systems, central plants, district energy systems, and di