Project Manager-Construction & Operations
Department: Facilities Operations & Management
Reports To: Director of Facilities
Status: Full-time, exempt, 12-month
Supervises: No direct reports; manages architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, and service vendors on assigned projects, and provides functional direction to trades, grounds, and custodial staff on assigned initiatives
Position Summary
The Project Manager- Construction & Operations is responsible managing the School's capital renewal, renovation, and new construction projects from concept through completion.
The campus comprises 500 acres, 40 buildings, and approximately 400,000 gross square feet, including the School's own water and wastewater systems. Because the School is a residential community, every project and every service decision is made inside a living campus where students, faculty, and families are present.
This is a role for someone comfortable moving between a construction trailer, a mechanical room, and a budget spreadsheet in the same day.
Essential Responsibilities
Capital and Construction Project Delivery
- Manage assigned capital, renovation, deferred maintenance, and new construction projects from concept through closeout and warranty period.
- Develop project scopes, schedules, budgets, and phasing plans in coordination with the Director of Facilities and project stakeholders.
- Serve as the School's primary day-to-day contact for architects, engineers, construction managers, general contractors, and specialty consultants.
- Prepare and administer bid documents and RFPs; support contractor selection, contract negotiation, and execution.
- Conduct site inspections and progress meetings; monitor quality, schedule adherence, and conformance to contract documents.
- Review submittals, shop drawings, RFIs, change orders, and pay applications; maintain complete project documentation.
- Secure required permits, approvals, and inspections; ensure compliance with building, fire, life safety, accessibility, and environmental codes.
- Coordinate hazardous materials surveys and abatement (asbestos, lead, PCBs) where required in existing buildings.
- Manage project closeout — punch lists, commissioning, as-built drawings, O&M manuals, and warranties — and personally own the transition of each completed project into the department's maintenance and asset records.
Operational Project Management
- Plan and deliver non-construction operational projects: equipment replacements, systems rollouts, service transitions, space reconfigurations, and campus-wide initiatives.
- Coordinate summer turnover work across trades, grounds, and custodial, sequencing tasks around commencement, summer programs, and the start of the academic year.
Campus Coordination, Safety, and Child Protection
- Sequence construction and operational work around the academic calendar, boarding schedule, athletic seasons, admissions events, and summer programs to minimize disruption.
- Coordinate utility shutdowns, road and building closures, deliveries, laydown areas, and contractor parking with campus community.
- Enforce site safety requirements for all contractors and subcontractors working on campus.
- Establish and maintain secure construction perimeters, controlled access routes, and separation of construction activity from student and residential areas.
- Ensure all contractor personnel complete required background screening, check-in procedures, and campus conduct orientation before working on site.
- Coordinate facilities support for School events, admissions visits, athletic contests, parents' weekends, graduation, and summer rentals or programs.
- Support after-hours and emergency response, including storm events and utility interruptions, in rotation with other department leaders.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in construction management, facilities management, engineering, architecture, business, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience will be considered.
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in construction project management, facilities operations, or a combination of the two, including independent budget responsibility.
- Demonstrated ability to read and interpret construction documents, specifications, and contracts.
- Working knowledge of building systems — HVAC, electrical, plumbing, life safety — and of construction means, methods, and applicable codes.
- Experience with work order or maintenance management systems and with data-driven reporting.
- Strong organizational skills and proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities with accurate documentation.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear procedures and to explain technical matters to non-technical audiences.
- Proficiency with project scheduling software, spreadsheets, and document collaboration tools.
- Valid driver's license and ability to move about a large campus in all weather conditions.
- Ability to successfully complete a criminal background check and any additional screening required for employment in a residential school setting.
Preferred
- Experience in an independent school, boarding school, college, or other owner-side campus environment.
- Familiarity with APPA standards, facilities benchmarking, and service level frameworks.
- Experience managing occupied-building renovations and phased work in active residential settings.
- Knowledge of water and wastewater system operations, compliance reporting, or central utilities.
- Experience with energy management, utility tracking, or sustainability initiatives.
- Experience with historic building renovation and preservation requirements.
- Credentials such as PMP, CCM, CEFP, CFM, LEED AP, or relevant state licensure.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
- Work is performed in both office and active construction or campus environments, indoors and outdoors, year-round.
- Regular walking of the campus and job sites, including uneven terrain, ladders, scaffolding, roofs, crawl spaces, and mechanical rooms.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds occasionally.
- Exposure to construction noise, dust, temperature extremes, and other typical job site conditions; required use of personal protective equipment.
- Occasional evening and weekend work required for project schedules, shutdowns, School events, emergencies, and utility interruptions. Workload is heaviest during school breaks and summer.
Community Expectations
All employees are expected to support the mission of the School, contribute positively to a residential community, and uphold the School's standards for the safety, supervision, and well-being of students. All staff are mandated reporters and must complete required child protection training.
