Kansas University has hired a leader for its newly formed facilities services department, the university announced Wednesday.

Jay Phillips, of Lawrence, who formerly worked for the U.S. Coast Guard, will oversee about 420 employees as the new director of Facilities Services. He will start work today, according to a KU release.

His salary will be $152,500, KU spokesman Gavin Young said.

Phillips had been the chief executive of the Coast Guard’s human resources and payroll operation in Topeka since 2008. He oversaw more than 300 employees there. Before that, he was a facilities engineering director at the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut.

He was a commissioned Coast Guard officer for 27 years. He also has master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois and in public administration from Old Dominion University.

KU formed the facilities services department in July by merging the university’s Facilities Operations office and the Department of Student Housing’s maintenance and custodial division. The merger was part of the university’s efficiency program.