8860 Skilled Trades Foreman
POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Skilled Trades Foreman
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 8860
GRADE 27
MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR Superintendent of Facilities Maintenance
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Skilled Trades Foreman directs and performs skilled mechanical maintenance work in the installation, operation, repair, and maintenance of refrigeration, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, and electrical systems for the campus. The Foreman is responsible for planning and scheduling daily and weekly work activities for the refrigeration, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing trades within the Mechanical Maintenance Department in coordination with the Work Management Center and assigns work to electricians, HVAC mechanics, instrument control mechanics, HVAC/food service mechanics, and plumbers. The Foreman also assists in developing, implementing, and monitoring preventive maintenance programs for all campus mechanical and electrical systems, supervises the performance of emergency and routine maintenance on campus facilities and systems, and enforces federal regulations governing environmental protection, hazardous waste disposal and the use of chemical substances and materials.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education A high school diploma or the equivalent is required. Completion of a technical training program in mechanical maintenance or an apprenticeship in a mechanical maintenance trade is preferred. However, significant work experience beyond that required for the position may be substituted for the required education.
Experience At least eight years of progressively responsible experience is required in the installation, repair, and maintenance of industrial or commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), electrical, plumbing, and refrigeration systems.
Skills Must be skilled in electrical, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, and plumbing systems. Skills in the proper use of test equipment, hand and power tools, diagnosing and trouble-shooting equipment malfunctions and systems failures are required. Must be able to read and interpret blueprints, schematics, and wiring diagrams. Supervisory skills and administrative ability are required. Computer literacy is required.
Effort Must be able to lift and transport materials and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds on a frequent basis and up to 100 pounds on an occasional basis; prolonged standing and frequent bending, stooping, and reaching on a daily basis; and working in confined spaces. Requires a full range of physical motion in order to operate manual and electrically-powered tools and electrical test equipment, to move throughout campus, including climbing stairs in all University buildings, and to work at heights. Work is performed indoors and out-of-doors, occasionally in environments that are dusty, noisy, or which could have work hazards.
License A journey mechanical license or journey electrician license is required.
Other Scope of the position requires exposure to and use of chemicals, solvents, and cleaners common to most maintenance trades that may be hazardous and/or cause injury if specific instructions regarding their mixture, use, and disposal/storage are not properly followed.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Assists the Maintenance Supervisor with ensuring that all University facilities are structurally sound, mechanically operational, electrically efficient, and safe by planning and scheduling daily and weekly work activities for the skilled trades within the Facilities Maintenance Department in coordination with the Work Management Center, recommending priorities for scheduled facilities maintenance services and operations, making work assignments based upon an evaluation of job requirements and individual expertise, and supervising electricians, HVAC, instrument control mechanics, HVAC/food service equipment mechanics, and plumbers in the performance of emergency and routine maintenance on campus facilities and systems.
2. Assures completion of assigned maintenance and repair tasks by monitoring work progress, inspecting work performance and providing corrections of any deficiencies as necessary, redirecting work efforts to meet critical and/or necessary work requirements, and recommending the use of additional departmental personnel or contract personnel (as appropriate) to meet assigned completion targets.
3. Assists with the development of a competent and efficient Facilties Maintenance Department work force by training departmental personnel (as necessary) in the proper use of test equipment, hand and power tools, and shop safety, and demonstrating appropriate work methods.
4. Performs journeyman level mechanical maintenance work (as required) in the installation, operation, maintenance, modification, service and repair of electrical, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, plumbing and refrigeration control systems by inspecting and testing elements of those systems to locate and diagnose faults and malfunctions, troubleshooting and/or performing required repairs, and providing an estimate of repair (and/or replacement) costs beyond the capability to perform.
5. Minimizes the likelihood of water system failures or malfunctions from blockages due to mineral deposits or corrosion by supervising the testing and treatment of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) open and close loop water systems.
6. Provides technical assistance in the purchase of new or replacement mechanical maintenance equipment or systems by reviewing and preparing equipment specifications, and advising the Maintenance Supervisor on equipment capability and compatibility, installation requirements and costs, and potential operations and maintenance expenses.
7. Assists with documenting the cost of electrical maintenance repairs and services by keeping records of time and materials to be charged to each job, and providing periodic status reports to the Maintenance Supervisor.
8. Assures that skilled trades personnel have the equipment and supplies necessary to perform mechanical services by monitoring the use of supplies and materials, estimating future material usage, requisitioning those supplies and equipment, distributing supplies/materials and equipment as required, and advising the Maintenance Supervisor regarding potential shortages, recommended replacement items, or related equipment needs.
9. Promotes preventive maintenance as a strategy in maintaining campus electrical, mechanical, control, and plumbing systems by assisting in the development and monitoring of preventive maintenance programs, keeping accurate records on all equipment indicating all repairs/breakdowns, required and performed maintenance, performing spot checks of equipment to determine their working condition, and performing and/or directing periodic cleaning and servicing of tools and test equipment.
10. Assists the Maintenance Supervisor with ensuring that contract mechanical maintenance services meet specified results and/or work orders thus minimizing future operational problems by observing (spot checking) the work performed and advising the Supervisor when contracted services fail to meet specifications or endanger University property or lives.
11. Reduces the likelihood for liability regarding the University's compliance with federal regulations by complying with and enforcing policies, laws, and regulations governing environmental protection, hazardous waste disposal and the use of chemical substances and materials.
12. Contributes to the operation of safe campus pools and fountains by supervising the testing and treatment of their water chemical systems.
13. Enforces University and departmental rules and policies regarding employee conduct by advising mechanical personnel of the rules and policies on employee conduct, issuing verbal warnings and written reprimands for violations, and recommending progressive disciplinary action to the Maintenance Supervisor as necessary.
14. Helps to reduce the likelihood of a significant disruption of mechanical services (i.e., heating, cooling, electricity) provided to the University campus and assures around-the-clock responsiveness to mechanical failures or emergency situations by assisting the Maintenance Supervisor to anticipate requirements for exceptional mechanical maintenance efforts, assisting in developing appropriate contingency plans to respond to those needs and other emergency conditions, assisting in the coordination of contracted services beyond the capabilities of the University to handle, and assisting with maintenance efforts to restore the University environment to normalcy.
15. Contributes to the overall success of the Facilities Maintenance Department by performing other essential duties and responsibilities as assigned.
SUPERVISION
The Skilled Trades Foreman is supervised by the Maintenance Supervisor, however, generally works independently under established guidelines and with minimum supervision. The Skilled Trades Foreman exercises supervision of refrigeration, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing personnel.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED OCTOBER 2006
JOB FAMILY 2
Factor 1: Educational Requirements of the Job
Level 2 - 100 Points: The job requires a high school diploma or equivalent.
Factor 2: Skill Requirements - Craft and Trade Skills
Level 5 - 1100 Points: This level represents journeyman-level skill in building trades or related areas requiring extended training and/or experience and considerable practical knowledge in a trade or technical area, or other skills requiring similar levels of training. Skill at this level normally requires six years of experience within the trade.
Factor 3: Managerial Responsibility
Level 5 - 500 Points: Supervision of a work group or department including hiring, training, disciplining, and directing the work of others. At this level the required supervision will likely include general rather than close supervision of others. Typically, the nature of the work may involve the supervision of other supervisors or work group leaders, or the responsibility for a rather large group of operative employees in non-technical or non-highly skilled areas. At this level, supervisory responsibilities consume significant amounts of work time and include substantial responsibility for budget development as well as financial control, purchasing, and work planning responsibilities.
Factor 4: Guidelines
Level 3 - 90 Points: Procedures and standards exist, but considerable latitude in applying procedures and selecting a sequence of activities must be exercised. The employee uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as agency policies, regulations, precedents, and work directions for application to specific cases or problems. The employee analyzes results and recommends changes.
Factor 5: Contacts
Level 4 - 175 Points: The purpose is to coordinate activities involving employees, students, and/or the general public. At this level, contacts involve considerable interpersonal skill involving cooperation and coordination and may involve the organization of activities of programs requiring working relationships among several parties. While contacts may require some level of persuasion, potential for conflicts and disputes are relatively minor.
Factor 6: Work Environment
Level 3 - 70 Points: The work area involves moderate discomfort and/or risk such as operating heavy machinery or dangerous equipment, or frequent exposure to hazardous materials. Alternatively, the work area may be subject to environmental discomfort such as poor ventilation. Loud noises, and/or extremes of heat or cold. The work often requires wearing protective gear that may be uncomfortable. The nature of the work environment may produce moderate levels of stress.
Factor 7: Physical Demands
Level 3 - 100 Points: Work requires continuous moderate with some strenuous physical exertion including standing, climbing, crawling, and regular lifting of objects over 50 pounds.
Factor 8: Responsibility for Facilities and Resources
Level 3 - 70 Points: At this level would be jobs in which the incumbent has considerable ongoing responsibility for building security and public safety.
Factor 9: Complexity
Level 5 - 1000 Points: The work involves varied duties requiring many different and unrelated processes and methods applied to a broad range of activities or substantial depth of analysis, typically for an administrative and professional field. Decisions regarding what need to be done include areas of uncertainty in approach, methodology, or interpretation and evaluation processes resulting from such elements as continuing changes in programs, technological developments, unknown phenomena, or conflicting requirements. The work requires originating new techniques, establishing criteria, or developing new information.