Position Title:

Space Planner

Time Type:

Full time

Position Summary and Qualifications:

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Planning and Construction, the Space Planner plays a critical role in shaping and optimizing the University’s physical environment to advance its mission and strategic priorities. This position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies for interior space utilization, ensuring that academic, administrative, research, and student life facilities are designed and managed to support long-term institutional goals.

Key responsibilities include developing programs of requirements for space during the initial stages of a project, coordinating and scheduling of moves upon project completion, and managing select capital projects that address deferred maintenance, renewal and facility improvement.

The Space Planner provides technical architectural and engineering guidance to align projects with the University’s Campus Master Plan, sustainability standards and safety and quality requirements. The position requires collaboration with University departments and committees, as well as external architects, engineers, and construction firms, to ensure space planning decisions are efficient, data-driven, and equitable. This role uses utilization metrics, benchmarking data, and scenario modeling to evaluate existing space use, forecast future needs, and recommend cost-efficient, data-driven strategies that maximize flexibility and return on investment.

The Space Planner champions a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement, ensuring that physical environments are designed and managed to advance the University’s mission and goals.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning & Alignment

Oversees and implements space management policies, guidelines, and standards (measurement, classification, documentation, use/occupancy and representation of space) to ensure space is allocated and utilized in alignment with the University’s goals, Campus Master Plan, and strategic initiatives.
Leads space planning studies to inform capital planning, Master Plan updates, and institutional decision-making and recommendations as they relate to Campus Master Plan projects and University strategic initiatives.
Develops and applies metrics, benchmarks, and utilization guidelines to support transparent, consistent, and cost-effective space allocation.
Chairs the University’s space advisory committee, fostering collaboration with campus partners to align space decisions with priorities.

Data Management & Analysis

Manages and maintains campus space data, including floor plans, classifications, occupancy, and use ensuring accuracy and integration with portfolio planning systems.
Validates and ensure data quality, implementing processes to regularly update and reconcile space changes (i.e. new construction, renovations, reassignments).
Produces meaningful reports and dashboards that highlight space utilization trends, benchmarking against peer institutions and industry best practices.
Provides regular summary briefs on existing space conditions, portfolio metrics to support decision making and planning.

Operational Oversight & Engagement

Works proactively with departments to identify and anticipate space needs and solutions.
Manages and facilitates the process of space requests and space assignments, prepares and oversees preliminary space analyses and makes recommendations in accordance with the overall Master Plan and long range space plan.
Conducts audits of campus space and makes recommendations regarding the re-utilization and reassignment of space that enhances efficiency
Provides pre-construction and post-construction space data to stakeholders and configures relevant data into the system.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Evaluates new technologies and applications related to the space management process and makes recommendations to senior leadership on required systems adjustments.
Advises senior leadership on trends and best practices in space planning and management, positioning the University to adapt to evolving academic and operational needs.
Promotes a culture of continuous improvement by aligning space planning practices with sustainability, equity and efficiency goals.

Secondary Duties & Responsibilities:

Directly manages projects from feasibility to project close-out. For directly managed projects, responsibilities include:

Performing a key role in project planning, budgeting and identification of resource requirements.
Creating teams, developing objectives/goals of each and assigning individual responsibilities.
Performing accounting functions, including managing budgets, tracking team expenses and minimizing exposure and risk associated with projects.
Ensuring that construction activities move according to a pre-determined schedule.
Developing project work plans and making revisions as needed.
Communicating effectively with contractors responsible for completing various phases of projects.
Coordinating efforts of all parties involved in projects, including: internal stakeholders, architects, engineers, consultants and contractors.
Monitoring progress of project activities on a regular basis and holding regular status meetings with all stakeholders.
Performing periodic inspections of construction sites.
Seeking to ensure project documents (including necessary permits) are complete.
Identifying the elements of project design and construction likely to give rise to disputes and claims.
Coordinating work on-campus with campus activities and campus infrastructure to help ensure minimal disruption to operations.
Seeking to ensure maintenance staff are provided documentation and training necessary to efficiently operate newly constructed/renovated facilities and equipment.
Assisting with the development and maintenance of the Facilities Capital Plan and Multi-Year Forecast.
Supports Senior Project Managers in project management-related tasks as required for larger projects.
Maintains database for Capital Plan and develops Capital Plan and Multi-Year Forecast as required by senior leadership.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education/Training and Experience)

Required:

Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering or related field.
5 years of experience in a similar position.
Intermediate/advanced MS Excel and space management system
Experience with AutoCAD, Revit and Bluebeam systems management
In-depth knowledge of and experience in space information systems and space planning
Strong presentation, and relationship management skills.
Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to prepare study reports for general and public distribution.

Preferred:

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accreditation;
Professional Engineering License or Registered Architect in Pennsylvania;
Proficiency in the use of CAD software;
Proficiency in the use of BIM software

Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours:

Must be available 24/7 to respond to campus emergencies.
Work at night, on weekends, and holidays is not uncommon to accommodate construction schedules.
Must be able to sit, stand, kneel, walk, climb stairs, and climb ladders for 8 hours per day.

Saint Joseph’s University is a private, Catholic, Jesuit institution and we expect members of our community to be knowledgeable about – and to make a positive contribution to – our mission. Saint Joseph’s University is an equal opportunity employer that seeks to recruit, develop and retain a talented and diverse workforce. The University is committed to the diversity of its faculty and staff so that our students, our disciplines and our community as a whole can benefit from the multiple perspectives it offers. The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. EOE

Saint Joseph’s University prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in its programs and activities, including admission and employment, in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Title IX Coordinator is responsible for overseeing compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws and regulations. To contact the Title IX Coordinator, e-mail titleix@sju.edu, visit Campion Student Center suite 243, or call 610-660-1145. To learn more about the University’s Title IX policies, the process for filing a report or formal complaint of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, or other form of sexual misconduct, and the University’s response to reports and/or formal complaints, please visit www.sju.edu/titleix. Inquiries may also be directed to the Federal agency responsible for enforcing Title IX, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Pay Transparency & Benefits Overview

Please click to read more about the university's approach to pay and benefits transparency. Adjunct instructor compensation can be found in the article. Otherwise, an estimated pay range is listed below. This position's estimated pay range is:

$85,300.00 - $93,775.00

Space Planner

Job Description