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Job Category:
Academic Staff
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Building & Grounds Manager (B)
Job Summary:
The Upham Woods Facilities and Support Services Manager develops, coordinates, and implements strategies and objectives for buildings, equipment, and grounds operations at Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center to meet the needs of the university, its employees, and user groups.
The Facility and Support Services Manager oversees the operations of buildings, technology needs, maintenance needs, nature center/animal care oversight, land management objectives, and equipment operations, and includes oversight of on-site vehicles and boats at Upham Woods. The position directs the day-to-day operations of the facility and support services unit to provide technical advice, problem solving assistance, and unit goals and policy interpretation. This involves interfacing with multiple UW work units (Legal, Risk Management, Facility Planning & Management) to ensure optimum efficiency and compliance with appropriate policies, procedures, and specifications.
The Facility and Support Services Manager supervises and manages performance of kitchen, maintenance, and custodial teams, and serves as the lead coordinator with external contractors, risk management, and university facility contacts. The position coordinates land management and conservation volunteers to support the Center’s mission and strategic priorities, prepares the facility & operations unit budget, and approves unit expenditures. It reports to the Center Director and coordinates with the Administrative and Financial Assistant Director for all work matters including recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of operations staff, budget development, policy development and implementation, capital project and long-term facility planning.
This position shares responsibility as emergency on-call and on an as-needed basis for evening and weekend facility issues, flexing work hours during the typical work week (M-F) to accommodate evening or weekend hours. The successful candidate must hold a valid driver’s license to drive university fleet vehicles and must obtain Adult/Child/Infant CPR/AED, First Aid, and Food Handler certification within 3 months of employment, if not already certified.
It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.
This position may be required to work occasional nights and weekends to meet the program needs and priorities of the communities served.
Physical Requirements
Key Job Responsibilities:
- Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures
- Implements and evaluates existing strategies and objectives for building and grounds operations and makes recommendations to unit leadership for program or function enhancement
- Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
Seek professional development opportunities to obtain or maintain certification in various areas that may include motorized and non-motorized boater safety, food handler training, low-element challenge course construction, maintenance, and facilitation, advanced medical and water safety training (WFR, EMT, LG, WSI), shooting sports certification, chainsaw safety, and prescribed fire management
- Schedules logistics and secures resources for program activities across multiple work units to ensure optimum efficiency and compliance with appropriate policies, procedures, and specifications
- Monitors the unit budget and approves unit expenditures
- Prepares periodic reports and financial statements, and records progress, status, or other special reports for leadership or external agencies
- Directs day-to-day operations of the unit to provide technical advice, problem solving assistance, and unit goals and policy interpretation
Department:
Division of Extension, Natural Resources Institute, Upham Woods
About Extension
Extension embodies the Wisconsin Idea by developing and connecting the research and educational resources of UW–Madison with residents and communities to address local, statewide, and national issues. We teach, learn, lead and serve, transforming lives and communities.
The Division of Extension Natural Resources Institute (https://naturalresources.extension.wisc.edu/) serves Wisconsin's land, water, and communities through programs that inform local decision-making, foster meaningful dialogue, and empower the next generation of community leaders. One of Extension’s six institutes, the NRI embodies the Wisconsin Idea — fueling innovation and working in tandem with partners to create a future where people and nature thrive — side by side. Our outreach specialists, educators, researchers, affiliates, and support teams are committed to providing the information and leadership needed to grow healthy, thriving communities and support resilient, productive natural resources, food systems, and economies. We work at the crossroads of natural resources and society to improve and sustain ecosystems, strengthening the communities and livelihoods deeply connected to them.
About the Program
Upham Woods is a residential, year-round, outdoor learning center for youth and adults, operating under the Natural Resources Institute of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension. We offer environmental education and outdoor recreation programs, 4-H and other youth camps, professional development workshops, and conferences and retreats. Our mission is to provide an innovative outdoor experience that connects youth and adults with the research and educational resources of UW-Madison to improve the human-nature connection, support understanding of science, foster environmental stewardship, and engage communities. Upham's campus consists of 14 buildings, including a conference and retreat center, nature center, 6 cabins, a two-story dormitory, and staff housing to provide seasonal and year -round lodging for visitors. The center sits on the Wisconsin River with 320 acres of forested land, including a 210-acre island called "Blackhawk Island," which is a designated state natural area.
Compensation:
The minimum annual (12 months) starting salary for the position is $76,000, but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.
Required Qualifications:
At least 3 years of relevant professional work experience related to the responsibilities of the position
Demonstrated leadership and success in overseeing facilities and grounds operations
Demonstrated experience developing and managing budgets
Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills that contribute to positive and productive workplace relationships and effective partnerships
Demonstrated ability to effectively work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives
Preferred Qualifications:
Staff management and supervisory experience, including position recruitment, performance management and volunteer supervision
Leadership and management experience at a camp or facility that serves youth groups
Experience managing multiple projects, multiple tasks, timelines, and schedules while maintaining high quality work
Experience with developing and implementing land management priorities in a forested system
Experience planning for and managing facility and site accessibility to ensure an inclusive learning environment
Experience or certification in various operational areas such as operating motorized and nonmotorized watercraft; food service operation in a commercial kitchen; construction, maintenance, and facilitation of low-element challenge courses; advanced medical and water safety training (WFR, EMT, LG, WSI); shooting sports training (archery); chainsaw safety; prescribed fire management.
Education:
Required Education
High School diploma or equivalent
Preferred Certifications
Adult/Child/Infant CPR/AED, First Aid, and Food Handler certifications or ability to obtain in the first 90 days of employment.
How to Apply:
We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. To begin the application process, click the "apply now" button. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:
Please note when applying, there will be only one attachment field. You must upload all your documents in the attachment field. Please submit a cover letter referring to your work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background as it relates to this position. Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews. Failure to upload all required materials may result in your application not being considered.
For additional guidance and resources on how to tailor your application materials to the job posting, please click https://extension.wisc.edu/careers/.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
This position has been identified as a position of trust with access to vulnerable populations. The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial caregiver check to be eligible for employment under the Wisconsin Caregiver Law and then every two years.
Application Deadline is June 3, 2026 at 11:59pm (CST).
Contact Information:
Michele Blakeman
michele.blakeman@wisc.edu
Amy Workman
amy.workman@wisc.edu
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.