Weill Cornell Medicine

Facilities Management Grounds Director

Weill Cornell Medicine$132K — $162K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in relevant field required (landscape management, horticulture, agronomy, etc.).
  • 7-10 years of leadership experience in grounds, landscape, or facilities operations.
  • Experience leading multi-functional teams, including union staff.
  • Ability to develop and implement operational strategies aligning with organizational priorities.
  • Experience managing budgets and balancing operational and fiscal responsibilities.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills to engage diverse stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to operate effectively under pressure.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage grounds, landscape, and facilities operations.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with staff and stakeholders.
  • Develop operational strategies focusing on safety and environmental stewardship.
  • Oversee budget management and resource allocation for operational needs.
  • Foster a culture of inclusion, belonging, and well-being within the team.
  • Influence and guide capital project outcomes including design and maintainability.
  • Implement continuous improvement initiatives and systems.

Benefits

  • Fully on-site position located in Ithaca, New York.
  • Comprehensive health care options and generous retirement contributions.
  • Access to wellness programs and employee discounts with retailers.
  • Three weeks of vacation and specific federal and additional holidays.
  • Tuition-free study opportunities and assistance programs for children's education.
Full Job Description
What We Need

We are seeking a team member who demonstrates strong leadership skills, excels at building strong relationships, is creative in motivating and engaging staff, exercises sound judgement in complex situations, and effectively communicates key issues and recommendations to leadership. Additionally, you will have:
  • A Bachelor's degree in landscape management, horticulture, agronomy, natural resources, forestry, construction management, landscape architecture, civil engineering, or a related field.
  • 7 -10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in grounds, landscape, or facilities operations within a large, complex organization, including oversight of operations, staff, and budgets or equivalent combination.
  • Demonstrated experience leading multi-functional teams, including professional and union and/or represented staff, with accountability for workforce planning, operational performance, and organizational effectiveness.
  • Proven ability to develop and implement operational strategies aligned with organizational priorities, including safety, environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance, and service delivery outcomes.
  • Experience managing budgets and resources, with the ability to balance operational needs, long-term planning, and fiscal responsibility.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders, from frontline staff to senior leadership and external partners.
  • Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a dynamic environment, including during high-pressure situations such as campus emergencies or critical operations.
  • Proficiency with standard business and operational software tools.
  • Valid driver's license required.
  • Proven experience connecting inclusion, belonging and wellbeing practices to business goals.


If you possess these experiences and skills this may be the role for you! There are a few other qualifications we would view as incredibly helpful in this role, to include:
  • Advanced degree in a related field (e.g., landscape architecture, environmental management, business administration, public administration, or engineering).
  • Professional certifications relevant to the field (e.g., Certified Arborist, Landscape Industry Certified Manager, Professional Engineer, LEED accreditation, or similar).
  • Experience in higher education or similarly complex, decentralized environments.
  • Experience integrating operations with asset management, capital planning, or campus stewardship functions.
  • Demonstrated experience advancing sustainability initiatives, including landscape sustainability, waste reduction, or environmental compliance programs.
  • Experience influencing capital project outcomes, including design review, constructability, and long-term maintainability.
  • Experience leading organizational change, continuous improvement initiatives, or implementation of new systems, processes, or standards.
  • Experience leveraging data, metrics, or enterprise systems (e.g., EAM/CMMS platforms) to inform planning, prioritization, and performance management.


A cover letter and resume are required for consideration for this position. Your cover letter should describe your interest in the position and explain how your experience and professional goals align with the role's objectives and opportunities for mutual success.

Rewards and Benefits
  • This position is based in Ithaca, New York and is fully on-site.
  • Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.
  • Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
  • Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
  • Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
  • Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.


Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

University Job Title:
Director Facilities

Job Family:
Facilities & Safety Services

Level:
H

Pay Rate Type:
Salary

Pay Range:
$132,942.00 - $162,484.00

Remote Option Availability:
Onsite

Company:
Endowed

Contact Name:
Jamie Doss

Contact Email:


Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
  • Prior relevant work or industry experience
  • Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
  • Unique applicable skills
  • Academic Discipline


To learn more about Cornell's non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell's union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected].

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

2026-08-11

About Weill Cornell Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine is a biomedical research unit and medical school that is part of Cornell University. It is located in New York City and is one of the leading medical schools in the United States. The institution was founded in 1898 and has since grown to become a major center for medical research and education. The school is known for its innovative research programs and its commitment to providing high-quality medical care to patients. The faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine includes some of the most respected medical professionals in the world, and the institution has a long history of producing groundbreaking research in a variety of fields.
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