Assistant Director

Special Instructions

This role is offered as a one-year contract, with a chance it may be extended or converted into a career appointment.

Department Overview

UCLA Asset Management is responsible for comprehensive property management across university-owned high-rise office buildings in Westwood, covering eight buildings with 2 million square feet of space, about 150 mostly university tenants, and roughly $30 million in rental revenue. The department also provides limited-service management for 90 additional university-owned properties.

UCLA employees in this department handle building operations, repairs and upkeep, janitorial services, security, safety, parking, and tenant relations. The team also manages rent collection, accounting, budgeting, property tax administration, real estate valuation, leasing, lease administration, construction management for tenant improvements and capital projects, and contract administration for construction and professional services.

Role Summary

As Assistant Director in UCLA Asset Management, you will contribute to the university's tradition of excellence by supporting high-quality management of university-owned high-rise office buildings. The department emphasizes more than just a paycheck, offering competitive compensation, strong benefits, retirement support, and a workplace that encourages professional and personal development.

Compensation

UCLA states that it offers a full salary range for this position. Final pay is based on factors such as budget, previous experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licenses, certifications, and other business needs. Salaries at the top end of the range are uncommon. Benefits begin on day one, and employees can use the UC Total Compensation Estimator to understand the full value of compensation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and guide major property management activities for university-owned office assets.
• Lead large-scale change efforts and introduce programs that affect the broader organization.
• Develop long-term and short-term business and operational plans, then monitor execution against organizational goals.
• Create performance measures, track results, and adjust programs based on the data.
• Recruit, mentor, motivate, and retain strong professional staff and project teams.
• Use sound judgment to resolve complex and unclear problems with wide organizational impact.
• Analyze difficult issues, compare options, build agreement, and implement practical solutions.
• Work with senior leaders, tenants, vendors, and other stakeholders to influence outcomes, negotiate, and resolve sensitive matters.
• Support financial management, budgeting, reporting, and business analysis for the portfolio.
• Oversee or support construction-related matters, including document review, compliance, and contract-related processes.
• Help staff use property management software and related industry tools effectively.

Requirements

• At least 6 years of experience in finance, real estate, or a combination of both.
• Proven background in leading major change initiatives with broad organizational impact.
• Strong experience in strategic planning, execution, and oversight of operational plans.
• Ability to define success metrics and use them to evaluate team and program performance.
• Demonstrated leadership in building and keeping high-performing teams.
• Strong independent judgment and problem-solving ability in complex situations.
• Advanced analytical, strategic, and consensus-building skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Deep knowledge of commercial property management, asset management, and real estate practices.
• Working knowledge of real estate software tools such as Yardi.
• Strong understanding of financial reporting, accounting principles, budgeting, and fiscal management.
• Experience with construction-related laws and procedures, including ADA, fire and life safety, California Public Contract Code, hazardous materials handling, Environmental Health & Safety, and OSHA.
• Ability to interpret construction drawings, specifications, and related contract documents.
• Preferred: strong knowledge of UCLA contracting and purchasing procedures, including bidding, prevailing wage requirements, contractor prequalification, and bonding.

Education and Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in finance, real estate, or a related discipline.
• Preferred: CPM or RPA certification and a California real estate license.

Employment Conditions

• Employment is contingent on passing a satisfactory background investigation.
• A Live Scan background check must be completed before the start date.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Schedule

Standard working hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Policy Coverage

This position is covered under policy 99.

Additional Information

The full position description is available through UCLA's internal job documentation.