Director of Operations

Students who attend Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) will be the next generation of leaders in the City of Chicago. Talented people who wish to be employed by Chicago Jesuit Academy must demonstrate a past and continued commitment to academic excellence, professional development and the Jesuit ideal of being people for others. Strong candidates are disciplined workers, compassionate listeners and tireless advocates for the children they serve.

Most importantly, they recognize that Chicago Jesuit Academy will ask them to approach their work as a vocation and make substantial contributions of their time and talents in the service of the students, alumni and families of CJA.

Reporting to the Vice President of Operations & Finance and collaborating closely with the IT Team and school leadership, the Director of Operations will be responsible for working with their team to oversee the facilities and campus safety of CJA. The Director of Operations is responsible for maintaining and strengthening a rigorous and loving institutional culture that invites all members of the community to be persons for others who aspire to seek intellectual excellence and be open to growth, loving, religious and committed to doing justice.

A successful candidate will prudently manage CJA’s resources and ensure CJA’s students, alumni, faculty and staff are learning and working in a safe, clean and welcoming space. The Director of Operations will manage a three person Facilities Team and be the clearinghouse for all campus safety issues.

• Coordinate with the Facilities Team to manage day-to-day facilities functions of the campus including, but not limited to, the HVAC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
• Manage Facilities preventative maintenance schedules and emergency responses.
• Oversee the use of the Facilities Management system – FMX – to track all relevant Facilities data and manage tickets.
• Communicate effectively and transparently with the Principal, Department Heads, faculty and staff to ensure Facilities responses and projects are completed with minimal impact on day-to-day operations.
• Ensure adherence to OSHA, relevant building codes, environmental regulations and other required compliance.
• Budget, plan and execute annual operating and capital budgets.
• Establish performance measures and monitor results to help ensure the team is successfully serving the school community.
• Collaborate with neighbors, vendors, and community organizations to support CJA’s students.

• Collaborate with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the campus and the immediate blocks around it.
• Plan and oversee all procedures related to student arrival and dismissal.
• Plan and oversee all safety drills (fire, tornado, lockdown, reunification etc.).
• Monitor and manage CJA’s response to unsafe situations occurring in the blocks around the campus.
• Communicate with faculty and staff about safety issues in the area.
• Be well-versed in the work of all departments at CJA.
• Recruit, develop and retain talented members of the Operations Team.

• Have a sincere commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with a belief that all children deserve equitable access to a high-quality education.
• Have extensive operational leadership experience and demonstrated success in management.
• Be a skilled communicator who can work effectively with students, alumni, faculty, staff, neighbors, vendors and community organizations.
• Approach the role as a critical act of service to our students, faculty, staff and community.
• Be willing to admit a mistake, ask for help and receive feedback.
• Possess a professional and resourceful style; the ability to work independently and as a team player, to take initiative and to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time.
• Actively engage in the life of the school.
• Climb over, dig under or go through obstacles that would otherwise keep CJA students, alumni and families from having the resources they need to navigate a path out of material poverty. This will necessate willingness to go above and beyond to get specific jobs done, including weekend and evening work.