Manager of Facilities

Company Information:

National Heritage Academies (NHA) partners with communities to build and operate public charter schools. Founded in 1995, today NHA serves over 100 schools in nine states, with more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Our schools are designed to eliminate the achievement gap and provide school choice to families so their children are prepared for success in college, career, and life. A majority of our schools consistently outperform their local district on the state test. According to the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University, NHA is a leading performer among charter schools and management organizations, outperforming both conventional district schools and other charter school operators. In addition, according to our employee survey, over 90% of respondents agree that the work they do is meaningful to them. Join our team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Facilities Operations & Support:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all facility-related concerns at assigned schools, including emergency response coordination and after-hours support when needed.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with school leaders and staff to identify, prioritize, and resolve facility needs proactively.

• Oversee third-party custodial and operations & maintenance (O&M) vendors to ensure contract compliance, service quality, and responsiveness.

• Conduct periodic facility assessments and inspections to identify safety, maintenance, and compliance issues, and initiate corrective actions.

• Track, manage, and report on facility-related work orders and service requests using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).

• Monitor vendor performance through regular reviews, site visits, and quality assurance inspections.

• Coordinate and verify the completion of seasonal maintenance programs and preventative maintenance schedules.

• Support environmental health and safety efforts, including indoor air quality, pest control, fire/life safety systems, and hazardous material management.

• Collaborate with internal departments at NHA—such as Legal, Finance, Safety, Real Estate, and School Operations—to ensure facility initiatives align with organizational goals, policies, and compliance requirements.

• Conduct vendor onboarding, training, and orientation to ensure a clear understanding of NHA’s expectations, standards, and school-specific needs.

• Analyze facility data to identify trends, recurring issues, and opportunities for operational improvement across the network.

• Review contractor and vendor invoices for routine facility services to ensure accuracy, completeness, and alignment with the work performed.

• Monitor and assist with the operation of building management systems (BMS) used to control HVAC systems across school facilities, including scheduling, troubleshooting, and coordinating adjustments with service providers.

Capital Planning & Project Management:

• Develop and manage annual capital improvement budgets (CapEx) for lifecycle renewal and facility upgrades.

• Serve as Owner’s Representative on all assigned capital projects, from planning through close-out.

• Lead architects, engineers, and contractors in the planning, design, and execution of projects in existing school facilities.

• Prepare and issue RFPs, review proposals, and assist in selecting qualified design and construction professionals.

• Oversee project budgets, schedules, and construction quality to ensure projects are completed on time and within scope.

• Ensure proper documentation and closeout of assigned projects.

• Review contractor and vendor invoices for assigned projects to confirm accuracy of charges and scope of completed work.

• Monitor and enforce safety compliance on all job sites in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.

• Additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Facilities Management, or equivalent work experience.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in facilities or construction project management, preferably in an owner’s representative role or in an educational environment.

• Strong knowledge of facility operations, building systems, and capital planning best practices.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously without compromising quality or deadlines.

• Excellent time management, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams, vendors, and contractors.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with project management software and CMMS platforms preferred.

• Experience with building management systems (BMS) used to monitor and control HVAC systems.

• Willingness to travel occasionally (up to 10%) to schools across the network.

This is an in-person position at our NHA Service Center located at 3850 Broadmoor Ave., Grand Rapids, MI.