Building Trades Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Old Sturbridge Village is seeking an experienced Building Trades Manager to lead our building trades team and oversee the care of one of New England's most distinctive collections of historic structures. This is a rare opportunity for a skilled carpenter or trades professional to do genuinely meaningful work — restoration, conservation, and preservation projects on structures that range from 18th-century farmhouses to working mills — while also leading a talented team and contributing to a mission that matters. Reporting to the Director of Facilities, the Building Trades Manager oversees a team of six staff comprising carpenters, painters, and general maintenance technicians, and is responsible for the full scope of carpentry, masonry, and building trades work across OSV's campuses. If you take pride in craft, know how to lead a crew, and want your work to have lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Do

Team Leadership & Operations

• Direct the day-to-day operations of carpenters, painters, and general maintenance staff.
• Provide safety training and ensure compliance with all applicable OSHA and workplace safety regulations.
• Prepare project and maintenance report documents; track progress and communicate status to the Director of Facilities.
• Manage all material procurement for building trades operations.
• Provide and maintain OSV power tools; ensure staff have appropriate hand tools for assigned work.
• Assist with snow removal and ice control as needed.

Project Management & Contracting

• Work with colleagues across departments to develop scopes of work, secure proposals, and administer contracts on building and maintenance projects.
• Perform cost estimating, material procurement, and contractor negotiations.
• Read and interpret blueprints; create shop drawings as needed.
• Apply and ensure compliance with building codes and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

Restoration, Conservation & Preservation

• Perform historical and non-historical carpentry and masonry work on restoration, conservation, and preservation projects including roof shingling, sidewall installation, structural framing repairs, interior and exterior trim fabrication and installation, fenestration, masonry, and plaster repairs.
• Perform exhibition carpentry for exhibit installations, including case fabrication and setting construction.
• Assist in projects requiring a broad understanding of masonry, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems.

Museum & Safety Standards

• Provide the best experience possible for all visitors by maintaining high standards of workmanship and professional conduct in public-facing areas.
• Ensure the safety and cleanliness of all work areas; share responsibility with all staff for the clean and neat appearance of the entire museum campus.
• Promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in all aspects of the role.
• Safeguard visitors and staff by being alert to foreseeable health and safety hazards.
• Participate in various projects or tasks as assigned by the Director of Facilities.
• Understand and observe all Village policies.
• Other duties as required.

What You'll Bring

Education and Experience

• Eight to twelve years of carpentry experience, with progressive leadership responsibility.
• Associate's degree, two-year college, or technical/vocational training preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• Demonstrated experience in cost estimating, material procurement, and contractor negotiations.
• Proven ability to read and interpret blueprints and create shop drawings.
• Working knowledge of building codes and relevant federal, state, and local regulations.
• Experience with or strong interest in historic preservation, restoration, or conservation work is a plus.

Licenses and Certifications

• Valid driver's license required.
• Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License required.
• Massachusetts Hoisting License preferred but not required.
• Hydraulics Engineers License preferred but not required.

Skills and Attributes

• Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team of trades professionals.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; able to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to work cooperatively with diverse groups across departments and skill levels.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• A steady, solutions-oriented presence — someone who can troubleshoot in the field and make sound decisions independently.

Physical Demands and Work Environment (Essential Functions) The physical demands and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

• Frequently required to stand and walk for extended periods while performing duties across the museum campus, including over varied terrain (paved, unpaved, and uneven surfaces).
• Frequently required to use hands to handle tools and materials and reach with hands and arms.
• Frequently required to climb ladders and maintain balance on elevated surfaces, scaffolding, and staging.
• Frequently required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl to access work areas in confined or low spaces.
• Must regularly lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds unassisted, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 pounds with team assistance.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Frequently exposed to outdoor weather conditions while performing exterior maintenance and restoration work.
• Occasionally exposed to high and precarious places while working on ladders, scaffolding, or elevated equipment.
• May be exposed to dust, fumes, and materials associated with carpentry, masonry, and finishing work; appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is required and provided.
• Works within a public museum environment and must maintain awareness of and consideration for visitors and staff in the vicinity of active work areas.

Scheduling

• Must be able to work varied hours as required by project and seasonal needs, including occasional early morning start times.
• Individuals in this position are subject to a Criminal Conviction Record check upon hire and every other year thereafter.

Who We Are Old Sturbridge Village is the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast — a living, working depiction of rural New England life in the 1830s, spread across more than 200 scenic acres. Our campus includes more than 40 original historic structures: homes, meetinghouses, a district school, a country store, a bank, a working farm, three water-powered mills, and trade shops, all maintained to the highest standards of historical authenticity. Every building on our campus tells a story, and the people who care for them are essential to keeping that story alive.Old Sturbridge Village is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. We are passionate about developing and maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and accessible working and learning environment for all visitors, staff, and OSV community members. We believe every member of our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to different ways of understanding and engaging the world around us.Old Sturbridge Village is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Old Sturbridge Village to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or membership in the uniformed services.

Schedule:

• Monday-Friday, 6:30am-3:00pm

Old Sturbridge Village is the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast, spanning more than 200 scenic acres with over 40 original historic buildings, including homes, mills, trade shops, and a working farm. Our Facilities team helps preserve this unique living history museum while ensuring an exceptional experience for thousands of visitors each year.

Company Description

Old Sturbridge Village is the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast, spanning more than 200 scenic acres with over 40 original historic buildings, including homes, mills, trade shops, and a working farm. Our Facilities team helps preserve this unique living history museum while ensuring an exceptional experience for thousands of visitors each year.