Director of Facilities

The Hotchkiss School Facilities Department has wide-ranging responsibilities in operating, maintaining, improving and adapting the buildings and infrastructure. The facilities team is committed to creating an environment that supports and enhances the School’s educational environment and meets the operational needs for all School programs and activities.

The Director of Facilities leads operational planning and direction of the 60-person facilities team responsible for trades in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, painting, vehicle maintenance, housekeeping and grounds maintenance as well as outside third-party vendors, contractors, and service providers. The Director leads the team to be effective collaborators and communicators with campus constituents.

Primary responsibilities include identifying strategic initiatives, developing the facilities team, and leading the daily activities of facilities management and staff to attain goals and objectives. In addition, the Director is ultimately responsible for the management of building and grounds maintenance, construction, renovation, repair, and regulatory compliance.

• Partner with school leadership and the Board of Trustees to keep the campus best-in-class and central to the Hotchkiss experience.
• Interface with the Dean of Faculty Office, Summer Programs, and the Head of School Office regarding School events to minimize conflicts between operational projects/daily work and daily campus activities, prioritizing projects where appropriate.
• Act as the liaison with School Administration on all Plant matters.
• Oversee large renovation and new building projects to be on time and within budget, assigning certain jobs to the Project Manager.
• Ensure the department invests in environmentally sustainable best practices, such as utilizing energy efficient equipment and infrastructure.
• Deliver a high level of service to the school community.
• Develop, manage, and evaluate direct reports, ensuring overall supervision and evaluation of the entire Facilities Department.
• Utilize data from reliable sources to monitor and improve service delivery and efficiency at all levels within Facilities.
• Manage all outside vendors providing services to the physical plant, including negotiating contracts.
• Prepare information and reports to communicate current status on budget, capital projects and deferred maintenance for the CFOO, Head of School and Board of Trustee committees.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to committees and to the Board of Trustees as needed.
• Recommend and develop operating plans to encompass new initiatives of the School.
• Communicates with the Hotchkiss community regarding energy issues and acts as a spokesperson for facility management.

• Manage resources, processes, and costs effectively and sustainably.
• Monitor the safety, functionality, and appearance of all campus grounds and facilities, and implement corrective measures when warranted.
• Oversee RFPs, and review bids for building and grounds work in coordination with internal stakeholders.
• Maintain communication with Town and State agencies as required, ensuring all required permits, approvals, licenses, etc. are obtained for all facilities, buildings, vehicles and grounds.
• Promote new technology, processes and initiatives to improve the efficiency of the facilities staff and the School’s resources.
• Oversee environmental health and safety compliance, including hazardous materials management, indoor air quality. OSHA & CTDEEP requirements across all facilities operations.
• Responsible for the Facilities Department operating and capital budgets, ensuring maintenance programs and major internal projects are…