Director of Facilities

Kingswood Oxford is located on 33 acres in beautiful West Hartford, Connecticut.  Located just steps away from Blue Black Square and minutes to I-84, KO enrolls approximately 500 students from more than 60 towns within Connecticut and Massachusetts, in addition to about 20 international students. The School is comprised of ten buildings serving its academic and athletic purposes on one contiguous main property and one athletic building approximately two miles away.  The School owns several single family and two-family homes adjacent to the campus. Buildings range from 20-100 years old.  The School also owns a complex of buildings currently being leased to The Children’s Museum.  Overall, there is approximately 300,000 square feet of building space.

Outdoor facilities include natural grass athletic fields, a synthetic multi-sport athletic field, landscape gardens, parking lots, sidewalks and courtyards.  The School runs a summer camp, Camp KO, from June to early August.  In addition to the facilities being used by students, faculty and staff, space is rented out periodically to outside individuals and organizations for special events, camps and clinics.

Position Description:                           

Kingswood Oxford School is seeking an experienced Director of Facilities with a history of leadership in facility maintenance to serve as the School’s Director of Facilities. The position is a 12-month, full-time, exempt position, and will require some weekend and evening hours. Reporting to the Director of Finance & Operations (DFO), the Director of Facilities is responsible for proactive oversight of the School’s physical campus, including maintenance, repair, and improvements of all buildings, security, school-owned residences, grounds, water system, athletic fields, vehicles, and other equipment. This role has 4 direct reports between the Buildings and Grounds and will also oversee security and custodial services which are outsourced. The Director of Facilities will work closely with campus partners in the planning and execution of campus projects outlined in the Strategic Vision.

Daily and ongoing responsibilities:

• Provide leadership, mentoring, and day-to-day guidance of service operations including the operational oversight of the facilities staff, skilled trades, custodial services, landscaping, pest control, storm response operations, preventative maintenance, utilities and energy management, vehicle maintenance and other mechanized equipment.
• Work closely with the Admissions, Athletics, the Advancement Office and the Director of Auxiliary Programs to manage and execute key logistics essential to the success of various on-campus events
• Oversee and coordinate responses to all facility requests for maintenance and repairs and for school activities and programs including setups, takedowns and cleaning.
• Organize, schedule and oversee regular preventative maintenance and repairs on mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofs, finishes, security, safety and monitoring systems and other equipment.
• Regularly inspect buildings, mechanical areas and grounds to ensure they are in keeping with the school’s maintenance standards and life safety requirements.
• Responsible for the maintenance and safety compliance of all Building & Grounds vehicles
• Manage maintenance, repair and construction projects with sensitivity to school schedule and operational need.
• Manage and oversee buildings’ systems life-cycle inventory with planned replacement and repairs schedules.
• Utilize technology to oversee a transparent workflow of the Facilities Department
• Oversees the administration and management of campus access control systems, including key/fob distribution and key card access for all students and employees.
• Manage all outside vendors providing services to the physical plant, including negotiating and obtaining contracts, approvals, licenses, etc., for all facilities, buildings, vehicles, and grounds
• Responsible for ensuring effective, constant communication within the school community of all maintenance, construction, and related projects and issues.
• Ensure compliance with local, state and federal regulatory requirements, including work safety regulations.
• Oversee and maintain records of inspection of all building systems as needed for compliance (fire alarms, elevators, heating system, etc.)
• Oversee safety program for security/custodial personnel; provide monthly safety meetings and keep MSDS files current. Encourage and facilitate the participation of the team in training seminars, professional development programs and opportunities to increase skills, knowledge bases and competencies.
• Recommend and manage facilities annual operating budget and facilities capital budget. Responsible for reviewing budget reports and managing and controlling expenditures to make the best use of school resources.
• Interface with various town commissions and departments, including but not limited to West Hartford Fire Department, the West Hartford Police Department and others. Responsible for all federal, state, and local regulatory compliance.
• Maintain communication with town and state agencies as required, ensuring all required permits
• Be available on call 24/7 for emergencies and special events; be able to work days, occasional nights weekends and holidays as needed.

Strategic and long term responsibilities:

• Support the DFO and work closely with the school’s Campus Planning Committee.
• Work with the DFO and oversee the development of a major maintenance, repair, and replacement plan as part of the school’s long-term financial plan and budget and ensure the maintenance program and major internal projects are properly staffed and completed in a timely and efficient manner.
• Develop operating initiatives, including sustainability and energy conservation; development of a sustainability strategy with the goal of reducing energy consumption and expenditures across campus
• Collaborate with academic and staff leadership to understand the facilities work needed to support the school’s mission and operations (e.g. admission, advancement, athletics, technology and security.)
• Participate in the strategic development and management of the campus (e.g. master plan, zoning compliance, traffic compliance, utilities services, energy management)
• Prepare RFPs and review bids for all facilities work.
• In collaboration with the DFO, provide oversight of and management of all third parties (including owner’s representative, architect, and construction manager), who are working on major capital projects; This will include schedule development, design, bidding/negotiation, and keeping projects on schedule and on budget; Must be able to identify, evaluate, and prioritize the needs of the School within budget and personnel limitations
• Serve as a key member of the Crisis Management Team. Support the School’s Emergency Response plan and serve as a member of the Emergency Response Team
• Serve as the Head of the Safety Committee. Ensure meeting requirements and record requirements are up to date.
• Perform other management duties as requested.

Education, Experience and Training:

• A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Facilities Management, Business Administration, Construction Management, or related degree is strongly preferred; or an equivalent combination of work experience and training.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in a senior facilities management role in a complex, multi-building, campus setting like an independent school, college/university, or hospital.
• The successful candidate has a strong work ethic, a proven ability to build relationships, and a strong desire to work in a demanding school environment.
• Previous experience in staff supervision, project management, using technology to support the needs of the department, and prioritizing work projects are important.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and customer service skills are necessary to work effectively with a variety of constituents, including the Board of Trustees, students, faculty, staff, town officials, and neighbors.
• Asbestos Training
• Certified Facility Manager (IFMA) or Facility Management Professional (IFMA)
• Demonstrates exceptional oral and written communication, organizational and interpersonal skills.  Must be able to communicate effectively, professionally and clearly with the entire school community of faculty, staff, parents, students, visitors and vendors.
• Experience interpreting documents and instructions such as work requests, drawings, AIA documents, blueprints and schematics.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, Google applications, Gmail and School Dude (or comparable project/task management system).
• Knowledge of ADA, OSHA, and EPA safety regulations and training, including Material Safety