Director of Building Operations

REPORTS TO:

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

CLASSIFICATION: EXEMPT

Grace Church School is a JK–12, independent school located on two nearby campuses in downtown New York City. An Episcopal school, welcoming children of all faiths and of none, Grace believes in the inherent, precious dignity of every individual and seeks to provide an outstanding education worthy of our common humanity. Successful candidates will demonstrate a commitment to the Episcopal values of dignity and belonging.

Grace is a school of big ideas, and our structured curriculum promotes academic excellence through a pedagogy of joy: an approach that reflects our belief that joy is the fuel of academic achievement, and that students learn best when motivated by delight, wonder, curiosity, and purpose. We work hard to nurture a culture of dignity and belonging, and we seek to foster in each student skills of intellectual excellence and habits of ethical virtue.

Grounded in tradition, the school remains ever open to innovation, looking to the best research on the science of learning and the craft of teaching to advance the timeless values and aspirations of our mission. In the high school division, students are challenged to reach their full potential, ask essential questions, and wrestle with complex ideas, working to solve real-world problems, and participate in the interconnected global community.

The Director of Building Operations is responsible for Grace Church School’s day‑to‑day building operations, including but not limited to facilities, technology, security, maintenance, and school safety. Driven, with an entrepreneurial spirit, resourceful, innovative, forward thinking and committed, successful candidates will have the energy and ambition to develop Grace Church School’s Building Operations to the highest degree of excellence. The candidate will be organized, attentive to detail, and motivated by authentic interest in the experience of the participants in all School activities.

The candidate will be an independent and strategic thinker capable of understanding the full scope of projects while seeing individual tasks through completion. The candidate will also be a creative self‑starter who brings wisdom, perspective, confidence, and excellent problem‑solving skills to the position. The ideal candidate will have familiarity with the operation of independent schools and a commitment to maintaining and growing the school’s existing operations.

• Coordinate emergency repairs and respond to building related emergencies as needed.
• Collaborate with the Director of Facilities, Building Managers, Facilities Associates.
• Coordinate daily activities between both buildings to maximize efficiency.
• Troubleshoot complex building system issues and determine appropriate solutions.
• Perform advanced repairs that require specialized technical knowledge.

• Maintain, and troubleshoot security equipment, access control systems, and building technologies.
• Work closely with the Technology department on infrastructure projects, network cabling, AV systems.
• Integrate building systems (HVAC, lighting, security) with network and technology platforms.
• Provide technical expertise on the intersection of facilities and technology systems.
• Ensure security and technology systems are functional and meet school operational requirements.

• Address compliance issues including fire safety, building code, and life safety deficiencies across both buildings.
• Maintain accurate records of compliance activities, inspections, and corrective actions.
• Advanced knowledge of School Safety procedures including fire safety, lockdowns, and security procedures.

• Manage priority building projects from start to completion.
• Coordinate work with existing facilities team members to ensure projects are completed efficiently.
• Work with vendors and contractors on specialized projects as needed.

• Partner with IT on cross‑functional projects requiring both facilities and technology expertise.
• Provide technical guidance and…