Overview

The Engineering and Maintenance Executive at Hawassa University provides strategic and operational leadership for the campus’s infrastructure, buildings, and utility systems — ensuring a safe, functional, and well-maintained environment for students, faculty, and staff. The executive is responsible for planning, coordinating, directing, and overseeing all maintenance, repair, renovation, and new-construction activities.

The role ensures that all physical facilities — including buildings, water supply, sewerage, electrical systems, and structural components — are maintained to high standards of safety, reliability, and usability. The Executive leads facility maintenance teams (including technical, administrative, and support staff), manages preventive maintenance programs, and supervises corrective/emergency repairs.

Beyond day-to-day upkeep, the position entails strategic oversight: developing maintenance policies and procedures, preparing and managing maintenance budgets, creating maintenance plans and schedules, and ensuring compliance with applicable safety, health, and environmental regulations. In short: this role ensures optimal functioning, longevity, and sustainability of the university’s physical infrastructure — contributing directly to a safe, productive, and supportive academic environment.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for campus engineering, maintenance and facilities operations covering civil, electrical, mechanical, HVAC, plumbing, energy, grounds and fleet.
• Develop and implement a multi-year maintenance plan and asset register; prioritize capital maintenance and small works.
• Oversee execution of construction and renovation projects from scope, procurement and contract management through handover.
• Manage preventive and reactive maintenance programs, work order systems and spare-parts inventory to minimize downtime.
• Prepare and manage the annual maintenance budget; control costs and seek efficiencies.
• Ensure campus compliance with safety, fire, environmental and building regulations; lead safety inspections and corrective actions.
• Supervise and develop the engineering and technical teams; set KPIs, training plans and performance appraisals.
• Contract and supervise external consultants and contractors; ensure quality, timelines and contract compliance.
• Coordinate with university departments (academics, student services, IT, security) to schedule works with minimal disruption.
• Implement energy-saving and sustainability initiatives (lighting, solar, water conservation) and monitor utility consumption.
• Provide technical input to the university’s emergency preparedness and business continuity plans.