The Hotchkiss School

Reports to Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Description

ZRG has been engaged to recruit a Director of Facilities for The Hotchkiss School.

About The Hotchkiss School:

The Hotchkiss School is a highly selective, independent boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, the School provides an education of academic distinction to 614 students in grades 9 through 12, and to a small number of postgraduates. Students reside on 6 continents, in 31 countries abroad, and in 34 states and territories. Hotchkiss graduates attend many of the most selective universities and colleges.

The boarding school experience at Hotchkiss provides students with exceptional curricular, co-curricular, and residential experiences that transform students’ lives. From the classroom and theater stage to the athletic field and the great outdoors, students share every aspect of life together. Hotchkiss offers more than 270 courses, 18 off-campus learning programs, 56 athletic teams in 19 different sports, and 80+ student clubs, affinity groups, publications, community service organizations, and performance groups.

At Hotchkiss, the average class size is just 12 students which gives everyone an opportunity to have their voice heard and to learn from the perspectives of fellow students. Outside of the classroom, students continue to expand their perspectives and horizons by participating in meaningful artistic, athletic, cultural, and residential activities.

The Hotchkiss community is intentionally diverse. Its population is comprised of students from a range of nationalities and races as well as various socioeconomic backgrounds. Each student brings their own interests, experiences, personality, and skills, creating a vibrant learning community. In the 2024-2025 school year, 42 percent of Hotchkiss students are U.S. students of color, 14 percent are international, and 93 percent of students are boarders.

Central to the mission of Hotchkiss, $13.9M in tuition assistance allows 37 percent of students to receive financial aid, among whom 26 percent attend tuition-free. Students are further supported by generous non-tuition assistance.

Position Summary:

The Hotchkiss School Facilities Department has wide-ranging responsibilities in operating, maintaining, improving and adapting the buildings and infrastructure. The facilities team is committed to creating an environment that supports and enhances the School’s educational environment and meets the operational needs for all School programs and activities.

The Director of Facilities leads operational planning and direction of the 60-person facilities team responsible for trades in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, painting, vehicle maintenance, housekeeping and grounds maintenance as well as outside third-party vendors, contractors, and service providers. The Director leads the team to be effective collaborators and communicators with campus constituents.

Primary responsibilities include identifying strategic initiatives, developing the facilities team, and leading the daily activities of facilities management and staff to attain goals and objectives. In addition, the Director is ultimately responsible for the management of building and grounds maintenance, construction, renovation, repair, and regulatory compliance.

Essential Functions, Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Campus as a Strategic Asset

• Partner with school leadership and the Board of Trustees to keep the campus best-in-class and central to the Hotchkiss experience.
• Interface with the Dean of Faculty Office, Summer Programs, and the Head of School Office regarding School events to minimize conflicts between operational projects/daily work and daily campus activities, prioritizing projects where appropriate.
• Act as the liaison with School Administration on all Plant matters.
• Oversee large renovation and new building projects to be on time and within budget, assigning certain jobs to the Project Manager.
• Ensure the department invests in environmentally sustainable best practices, such as utilizing energy efficient equipment and infrastructure.
• Deliver a high level of service to the school community.
• Develop, manage, and evaluate direct reports, ensuring overall supervision and evaluation of the entire Facilities Department.
• Utilize data from reliable sources to monitor and improve service delivery and efficiency at all levels within Facilities.
• Manage all outside vendors providing services to the physical plant, including negotiating contracts.
• Prepare information and reports to communicate current status on budget, capital projects and deferred maintenance for the CFOO, Head of School and Board of Trustee committees.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to committees and to the Board of Trustees as needed.
• Recommend and develop operating plans to encompass new initiatives of the School.
• Communicates with the Hotchkiss community regarding energy issues and acts as a spokesperson for facility management.

Operational Efficiency

• Manage resources, processes, and costs effectively and sustainably.
• Monitor the safety, functionality, and appearance of all campus grounds and facilities, and implement corrective measures when warranted.
• Oversee RFPs, and review bids for building and grounds work in coordination with internal stakeholders.
• Maintain communication with Town and State agencies as required, ensuring all required permits, approvals, licenses, etc. are obtained for all facilities, buildings, vehicles and grounds.
• Promote new technology, processes and initiatives to improve the efficiency of the facilities staff and the School’s resources.
• Oversee environmental health and safety compliance, including hazardous materials management, indoor air quality. OSHA & CTDEEP requirements across all facilities operations.
• Responsible for the Facilities Department operating and capital budgets, ensuring maintenance programs and major internal projects are completed in a time and cost-efficient manner.
• Oversee the School’s vehicle fleet, including maintenance scheduling and replacement planning.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Architecture, Facility or Construction Management, or combination of education and work experience in related field.
• Minimum of ten years’ experience managing facilities, preferably in an educational setting with extensive supervisory experience.
• A high degree of technological proficiency and knowledge of operations management software.
• Extensive knowledge of building codes, blueprints, safety and environmental regulations.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work both independently and to collaborate as a member of a team.

Physical Conditions:

• Able to bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, climb, kneel, and lift.
• Work outdoors in all weather conditions, with excessive dust, dirt, temperature, rain, or snow.
• Subject to hazards and atmospheric conditions including moving vehicles, moving mechanical parts, fumes, odors, and gases.
• Stand and walk for long periods of time. Able to traverse the campus and buildings on different types of terrain.
• Able to safely drive a School vehicle.

Additional Information:

The essential functions and basic skills have been included. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This position description is subject to change at any time.

The Hotchkiss School is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to basing judgments concerning the employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities. The School is firmly committed to equal employment and advancement opportunities for all employees and applicants in all phases of the employment process (including recruitment, hiring, assignment, terms and conditions of employment, compensation, benefits, training, promotion, transfer, discipline and termination).

In accordance with applicable law, the School does not discriminate against any individual based on age, ancestry, color, genetic information, learning disability, marital status, past or present history of mental disability, national origin, physical disability, race, religious creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.