School Building Superintendent

Job Description

Job Description

Overview

The Building Superintendent is responsible for the daily operation, maintenance, safety, cleanliness, and overall condition of the school facility. This is a hands-on leadership position that combines building maintenance responsibilities with supervision of the school’s custodial and porter team.

The Building Superintendent serves as the primary facilities contact for the school and works closely with the Principal, teachers, administrators, and other school staff to ensure the building provides a safe, clean, comfortable, and fully operational environment for students and employees.

The ideal candidate will have strong general building maintenance knowledge, the ability to troubleshoot HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other building systems, and experience leading custodial or facilities employees. The individual must also be comfortable working in a highly visible school environment and providing a high level of customer service.

Responsibilities

Building Maintenance & Operations

• Oversee the daily operation and maintenance of the school building.
• Perform routine inspections of classrooms, offices, mechanical rooms, common areas, restrooms, and exterior areas.
• Troubleshoot and perform general repairs involving HVAC, plumbing, electrical, lighting, carpentry, doors, locks, and other building systems.
• Identify equipment or building issues and determine whether repairs can be completed internally or require an outside contractor.
• Perform and document preventative maintenance on building systems and equipment.
• Monitor boilers, HVAC equipment, pumps, motors, mechanical systems, and other facility equipment.
• Respond promptly to maintenance requests and building-related concerns.
• Maintain an organized inventory of tools, equipment, parts, and maintenance supplies.
• Assist with emergency repairs and unexpected facility issues.

Custodial & Porter Team Management

• Provide daily supervision and direction to the custodial and porter team.
• Assign work areas, daily responsibilities, projects, and special assignments.
• Conduct routine inspections to ensure classrooms, restrooms, offices, hallways, common areas, and other spaces meet established cleanliness standards.
• Train and coach employees on proper cleaning techniques, equipment usage, chemical safety, and workplace procedures.
• Monitor employee performance, attendance, productivity, and quality of work.
• Address performance concerns and provide ongoing coaching and feedback.
• Coordinate coverage for absences, school events, and other operational needs.
• Maintain accountability while creating a professional and team-oriented working environment.

School & Client Relations

• Serve as the primary day-to-day facilities contact for the school.
• Develop strong working relationships with the Principal, administrators, teachers, and school staff .
• Meet regularly with school leadership to discuss facility concerns, upcoming events, maintenance needs, and priorities.
• Respond professionally and promptly to requests from teachers and administrators.
• Communicate building issues, repair timelines, and operational updates clearly to school leadership.
• Maintain a visible presence throughout the school and proactively identify issues before they become larger problems.
• Ensure maintenance and custodial operations support the needs of students and the overall school community.

Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a safe environment for students, employees, visitors, and contractors.
• Conduct routine safety and facility inspections.
• Ensure emergency exits, fire safety equipment, mechanical areas, and other critical areas remain accessible and properly maintained.
• Assist with fire drills, emergency procedures, inspections, and other life-safety requirements.
• Maintain required maintenance, inspection, and safety documentation.
• Follow OSHA requirements and all applicable local, state, and school safety policies.
• Work toward obtaining and maintaining the required Fire and Life Safety Director (FLSD) certification within the established timeframe.
• Maintain any additional certificates or licenses required for the operation of the facility.

Vendor & Contractor Coordination

• Coordinate and oversee outside vendors performing repairs, inspections, preventative maintenance, and specialized services.
• Provide contractors with access to appropriate areas and communicate the scope of work.
• Monitor contractor performance and inspect completed work.
• Obtain quotes and communicate repair recommendations to management when necessary.
• Maintain records of vendor work and recurring service requirements.

School Events & Operational Support

• Coordinate facilities support for school events, meetings, assemblies, and special programs.
• Oversee room setups, furniture moves, and breakdowns as required.
• Coordinate maintenance and custodial priorities around the school's academic and event schedule.
• Ensure the building is properly prepared for students and staff each day.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 5+ years of building maintenance, facilities, engineering, or related experience.
• Previous experience supervising custodial, porter, maintenance, or facilities employees.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of general building maintenance.
• Working knowledge of HVAC, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and life-safety systems.
• Ability to diagnose building problems and determine the appropriate course of action.
• Strong leadership and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and customer-service skills.
• Ability to interact professionally with school leadership, teachers, employees, vendors, students, and visitors.
• Ability to prioritize multiple maintenance and operational requests in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability and willingness to obtain the required FLSD certification within the designated timeframe.

Preferred

• Previous experience working within a K-12 school, private school, charter school, college, university, or similar educational environment .
• Previous Building Superintendent, Building Engineer, Chief Engineer, Facilities Manager, or Maintenance Manager experience.
• Knowledge of Building Management Systems (BMS).
• EPA 608 Certification.
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 Certification.
• NYC Fire Department Certificates of Fitness applicable to the facility.
• Previous experience working with boilers, HVAC equipment, pumps, motors, generators, and building mechanical systems.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to regularly walk throughout a multi-floor school facility.
• Ability to climb stairs and ladders.
• Ability to bend, kneel, reach, and work in mechanical spaces.
• Ability to lift and move up to 50–75 pounds as necessary.
• Ability to safely operate hand tools, power tools, ladders, and maintenance equipment.
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying conditions.

Ready to Join Us?

If you’re passionate about managing safe, clean, and functional school environments, apply now to become a School Building Superintendent at CSG!