Executive Director of Facilities and Capital Planning

JOB SUMMARY

The Executive Director of Facilities and Capital Planning (Director) will report to the Chief of Operations and interact at a significant level with a wide range of staff across PPSD, the City of Providence Department of Public Property, the Rhode Island Department of Education, the Rhode Island Governor’s Office, as well as other public agencies. The Director will support the advancement of district capital planning, new school construction, and major school renovation projects, ensuring capital budgeting through final project execution are completed efficiently and with the interests of Providence’s students foremost in mind.

The individual in this role will also be responsible for managing the district’s maintenance and custodial budget, ensuring contracted maintenance and custodial activities meet standards of high-quality and are appropriately delivered. We are looking for a seasoned facilities leader to meet the ambitious goals set forth by the district.

• Certified Educational Facilities Manager (or college degree in a related field)
• Minimum 10 years of supervisory experience in construction, facilities management, or related fields.

• A deep belief in the capacity of all students to achieve at high levels.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse set of partners and stakeholders to drive transformative change within and outside of an organization.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and focus on detail as required by the job.
• Proven ability to motivate staff/contractors to produce projects on time and within budget.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, communicating effectively with multiple stakeholders across a complex ecosystem, including school leaders, administrators, colleagues, parents, contractors, and other Providence stakeholders.
• Excellent presentation skills, with experience presenting to senior management, board-level staff, and/or elected officials.
• Available outside business hours, as needed, for meetings and project-specific tasks.

• Minimum 10 years of supervisory experience in construction, facilities management, or related fields. Knowledge of capital budgeting, contract practices, procurement, and construction regulations.
• Familiarity with state environmental regulations related to school buildings.
• Certified Educational Facilities Manager or related degree.

• Develop a vision for the district’s facilities aligned to the Superintendent’s educational vision.
• Evaluate governance and management of facilities to ensure the educational vision is the primary priority of capital planning.
• Ensure district’s facilities are appropriately managed and coordinated in conjunction with the city.

• Lead and oversee development and execution of the city-led capital planning process.
• Develop space planning scenarios/configurations for new projects and evolving district needs.
• Collaborate with district academic leaders to align capital plan with broader academic goals.
• Assist in regular assessments of the district footprint with demographers to inform decisions about facilities.
• Drive community engagement to inform and gather input into the district’s capital plan.

• Conduct site visits and evaluate the quality and condition of all district-occupied facilities.
• Develop remediation and improvement plans for identified issues.
• Hold school managers accountable for maintenance and facility use expectations.
• Maintain relationships with relevant contractors.
• Assemble and maintain school building maintenance schedules in partnership with the city.
• Visit school buildings to assess facility needs and monitor ongoing projects.

• Allocate maintenance and custodial budget appropriately; project manage contracted services.
• Ensure contracts deliver intended outcomes and provide high-quality, clean learning environment.
• Lead negotiation and development of new contracted services as needed.

• Partner with the state School Building Authority and the City of Providence’s Department of Public Property regarding school construction activities.
• Coordinate with external partners, including City Hall and community-based organizations, to align citywide efforts.
• Strengthen systems for managing all of the above.