Job Summary:

Miss Porter’s School seeks a visionary leader with a deep commitment to our ambitious mission. Our ideal candidate is a modern day facilities leader who is comfortable in the boardroom, boiler rooms, and every space on our campus.  We need a strong tactical manager with a proven ability to lead teams, collaborate broadly, complete projects, and operate within budget.  Our next leader is wise, kind, dynamic, organized, creative, thoughtful, and genuinely excited by the opportunity to provide leadership to our talented Buildings and Grounds (B&G) team and oversee our physical plant and campus safety operations. 

The Director of Facilities Services reports to the Chief Financial and Operating Officer, and works closely with the Head of School and other senior administrators to meet the school’s operational and safety needs in support of the overall mission of the school. The Director serves as the chief advisor to the Chief Financial and Operating Officer on all matters related to the physical plant and campus safety.  The Director is responsible for the maintenance and appearance of the school’s historic buildings and grounds, inclusive of our 50-acre campus, 70 buildings, and 460,000 square feet of space. With 55% of our buildings over 100 years old, the Director leads our efforts around preservation, upkeep and maintenance of all MPS buildings and works closely with the Town of Farmington and the Farmington Historic District Commission to ensure that our campus contributes to the beauty and charm of the Farmington Village. The Director is also responsible for the leadership and oversight of the safety and security of our community - a 24/7 dynamic boarding school environment. 

Key operational areas:

• Leadership
• The Director has a team of 4 direct reports and oversees 23 personnel in Facilities and Campus Safety. Staff departments include buildings, grounds, custodial/housekeeping, and campus safety.  Housekeeping is primarily outsourced and requires active management of our vendor relationship.
• Leads, reviews and manages personnel-related issues in partnership with the Director of Human Resources. Ensures that department and personnel policies and procedures are succinct, up to date and appropriately carried out.
• Participates in recruitment and selection of new employees as well as evaluations of personnel in the Facilities and Campus Safety departments.
• Facilities Management
• Plans, manages, and executes all activities of the Facilities Department. 
• Maintains the integrity of the school’s physical assets by overseeing planning, renewal and general maintenance repair. Oversees the maintenance and upkeep of the campus buildings, grounds, residences, and athletic fields; management of the school’s fleet of vehicles; manages and executes special events (including opening of school, Reunion, Family Weekend, Graduation and other activities) in partnership with colleagues.
• Oversees building management systems (including recent conversion to FMX platform to manage workflow and monitor and plan for capital projects); facilities planning (including development of a rolling multi-year capital projects plan).
• Hires and manages the work of independent contractors and vendors; development, negotiation, and execution of contracts.
• Campus Safety
• Actively plans for and manages a comprehensive safety operation that ensures the safety and well-being of our students.
• Oversees the development and implementation of emergency and incident management plans for the safety and security of our students, employees and visitors. Makes recommendations for new and revised policies, procedures and methods related to campus operations. 
• Assesses the overall effectiveness of the Campus Safety Department on an ongoing basis. Directs the Safety Committee and ensures a culture of safety across all constituent groups. Engages with the Farmington Police and Fire Departments and other appropriate agencies.
• Strategic Planning
• Translates the strategic directions work of the Board of Trustees into multi-year facilities and campus safety plans; engage with external partners to identify, plan, develop and execute a forward-looking master plan.
• Develops operating plans to encompass new school initiatives including sustainability and energy conservation; develops a sustainability strategy with the goal of reducing energy consumption and expenditures across a campus composed primarily of historic buildings.
• Construction and Project Management
• Oversees (jointly with Chief Financial and Operating Officer) capital projects, including schedule development, design, bidding/negotiation, and construction (with responsibility for managing architect and contractor selection processes and relationships and for keeping projects on schedule and on budget); identifies, evaluates and prioritizes the needs of the school within budget and personnel limitations.
• Supervises architecture, engineering, and construction service providers to ensure all projects are completed with top quality workmanship and delivered on time and on budget.

Major Responsibilities:

• Leadership: provides steady and consistent wise counsel to the CFO/COO on all facilities and campus safety issues. Coordinates the selection, training, development and performance evaluation of supervisors and staff, including outsourced relationships. Actively participates in the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees. Presents to committees and to the Board of Trustees as needed.
• Budget Management: develops, manages, and controls the annual facilities budget of $4.2 million, including implementing new department wide bidding procedures.
• Technology: develops and implements enhanced systems and protocols, e.g., Facilities Condition Information System (FCIS): a recently completed extensive facilities and equipment database and FMX: an online work order tracking system to manage campus facilities, including construction projects, preventive and routine maintenance, service requests, etc.; develops policies and procedures for all facilities operations; uses infrastructure building to improve quality and timeliness of service in all operational areas. Advocates for new technology, processes and initiatives to improve the efficiency of the facilities staff and school resources.
• Communication:  ensures effective, constant communication within the school community of all maintenance, construction and related projects and issues. Demonstrates willingness to be a partner in discussions and decision making. Communicates with the community regarding facilities and campus safety issues and is a consistent and effective spokesperson for Facilities and Campus Safety.
• Risk Management: identifies and manages all insurable risks and develops plans to mitigate risk in all areas. Effectively engages risk management resources through our insurance broker, relationships with other schools, and carriers. 
• Regulatory: collaborates with relevant departments to implement and oversee the Miss Porter’s School emergency management plan, Occupational Safety and Health Programs, and Environmental Protection Agency and Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection requirements; manages all interactions with regulatory agencies. Manages maintenance activities to ensure compliance with school safety programs, environmental management systems, asbestos management program (AHERA), lead paint regulations, and right to know/life safety requirements. Ensures the safety of all community members through a consistent, comprehensive approach to safety.

Requirements:

A minimum of ten years 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 is a visionary leader and steward of institutional excellence with a sense of humor, a proven ability to build relationships, and a strong desire to work in a demanding, inclusive, mission-driven boarding school environment. 

Previous successful experience in staff supervision, project management, leveraging technology to support current and future needs, and prioritizing multiple complex projects is 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.

The ideal candidate can rapidly identify and address critical facilities issues; react quickly and calmly in times of emergency, prepare and present effective written and oral reports; navigate a project from concept to completion on a timely basis, and ensure proper management and operation of the plant and to meet emergencies or special needs. 

Primary residence must be within 25 miles of campus; campus housing is not provided.  The ideal candidate will begin work on or around August 4, 2025 but the start date is flexible.  

MPS offers a competitive and comprehensive salary and benefit package including but not limited to, medical/dental/vision/life insurance, short and long-term disability plans, a generous 10% employer retirement contribution and generous time off.

Salary is commensurate with experience and will reflect experience and capabilities.  

Essential Physical Requirements:

The position requires an extensive amount of walking around campus and through buildings, climbing stairs, and driving. Lifting and carrying objects is limited but may be necessary from time to time. The ability to be attentive and contribute during meetings with members of the community and project planning meetings is essential.

While the essential functions and basic skills of the position have been outlined, this should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities needed to succeed in the role. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. 

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter with salary requirements electronically to [email protected]. Please include “Director of Facilities Services” in your subject line.

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