The Woods Academy in Bethesda, Maryland, is seeking a highly motivated and collaborative individual to serve as Operations Manager. The Woods Academy is an inclusive Catholic community preparing boys and girls to lead lives of significance. The school serves approximately 300 students in the Washington DC Metropolitan area, including Montgomery County Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The Woods is where children come to discover their talents, grow in their faith, challenge themselves, and foster a strong desire to lead lives of significance. The school provides a comprehensive education for children from Preschool to Grade 8 with strong academics, Montessori preschool, a daily world language program, hands-on technology instruction, and a well-rounded arts program, all conducted in a small classroom setting.

The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the maintenance, safety and operations of the school’s campus.  This role ensures that the building, grounds and facilities align with the school’s educational mission while providing a safe, functional, and welcoming environment for students, faculty, and visitors.  This is a 12-month full-time position reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with school leadership to assess priorities and plan for future campus-wide improvements.  
• Oversee and manage maintenance, repairs and renovation projects of the school building and grounds, ensuring compliance with local, state and federal regulations.  
• Develop and implement preventive maintenance plans for all major building components and critical systems to optimize performance and manage replacement costs.
• Prepare and manage the annual facilities budget, ensuring cost-effective solutions and efficient use of resources.  
• Work with the Director of Finance and Operations to maintain a long-term capital renewal plan and recommend annual capital improvements for budget planning.  Serve as ex-officio member of the Campus Development Relations Committee (CDCR) committee of the Board of Trustees.  
• Oversee all security and safety requirements, including developing and implementing emergency preparedness plans in coordination with school leadership.  Advise the Head of School on campus safety decisions, including security matters and school closures due to inclement weather or utility outages.
• Manage vendor relationships, including contractor selection, contract negotiations, and performance oversight for services such as  HVAC, roofing, landscaping, food service.  
• Oversee after-school operations, coordinating facility use for extracurricular activities, gym rentals and summer camp needs.  
• Serve as the School Transportation Coordinator, ensuring compliance with the Traffic Management Plan and fostering positive community and neighborhood relations.
• Lead all school transportation needs, including campus traffic,  carpool operations, and parking management .  Arrange for offsite parking for special events and maintain positive relationships with area  community members that will allow use of their parking facilities.  
• Maintain the master school calendar and coordinate event scheduling, assisting with logistical planning.
• Oversee the Facilities Managers and develop guidelines and management plans for daily upkeep of the school campus, facilities and common areas.  
• Ensure compliance with all safety, fire, health, and environmental codes. Oversee required inspections (i.e. boiler, sprinklers, fire alarm, etc.) and maintain appropriate records.
• Serve as the primary liaison for faculty and staff regarding repairs, maintenance and construction updates, ensuring minimal disruption to school operations.  
• Collaborate with the Director of Technology to ensure the school’s facilities effectively support technological needs.

Qualification Requirements

• Minimum of five years of relevant technical work experience in construction, engineering, or facility/property management. Experience in an educational setting is a plus.
• Proven experience in contractor management, with the ability to assess the quality of work across major technical trades.  
• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills, essential for success in this role.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the confidence to interact effectively with students, parents, faculty and staff, and community members.
• Understanding of budgeting and long-term planning.
• Strong organization skills, with the ability to quickly assess situations, develop and communicate effective solutions, and obtain necessary approvals.  
• Strategic foresight to anticipate long-term needs and plan accordingly.  
• Proficiency in technology, including the ability to use Excel, Word and Google applications. 
• Commitment to the school’s needs, with the flexibility to respond as necessary, including outside regular hours.   
• A college or trade school degree, or equivalent experience, is required, preferably in one of the following disciplines: Facilities Management, Project Management, Civil, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.  Strong consideration will be given to related experience. 

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Frequently lift equipment and materials weighing 30 pounds or more.
• Crawl, climb ladders, twist, turn and reach in completing a variety of job duties.
• Work outside in hot or cold conditions for extended periods.
• Work in a wide variety of environments as found in all areas of the school.

About The Woods Academy

Connections working at The Woods Academy