Director of Facilities
Christ School, an all-boys Episcopal boarding school serving grades 8–12, seeks a mission-driven, proven facilities leader who will bring a strategic vision and operational excellence to the Director of Facilities role. The successful leader will oversee the stewardship, maintenance, and long-term planning of Christ School's 500-acre campus and 40+ buildings. The Director of Facilities ensures that the physical plant supports the School’s commitment to academic rigor, leadership, spirituality, and the dignity of manual labor. The role reports to the Head of School and collaborates closely with the CFO, Athletics, Academics, Residential Life, and Director of Student Engagement and Summer Programming. The successful leader will be an exceptional communicator and servant leader who empowers teams, maintains executive presence, and operates under a "no surprises" philosophy while building strong relationships across all levels of the organization. Proven fiscal stewardship expertise and a proactive solution-oriented mindset are required.
Position Summary
The Director of Facilities is responsible for strategic leadership, daily operations, safety and compliance, and long-term planning for all campus facilities, grounds, transportation, and related outsourced services. The Director ensures a safe, sanitary, functional, and mission-aligned campus environment that supports students, faculty, programs, and community life. The Director supervises in-house maintenance team and grounds crew, and a contracted cleaning crew.
Success will require:
• Hitting the ground running with strong facilities management expertise from day one
• Building credibility quickly with a senior leadership team that values data, transparency, and decisive action
• Balancing immediate operational needs with strategic planning for a campus that will continue to evolve dramatically over the next decade
• Serving as fiscal steward of significant resources while delivering the meticulous attention to detail that defines the Christ School campus experience
• Contributing meaningfully to the development of the school's master plan and long-term vision
• Partnering with faculty/administrative leadership to include students, as appropriate, in maintenance of facilities and small projects, to support our pillar that honors the dignity of manual labor.
Responsibilities
The Director of Facilities oversees the daily operation, maintenance, safety, and long-range planning of Christ School’s physical plant.
Campus Operations & Maintenance in a 12-month Environment
Christ School operates year-round with extremely limited windows for major maintenance and projects. The Director must:
• Navigate the complexities of a meticulously maintained campus that never truly closes
• Oversee Food Service: Responsible for the Dining Services budget – Feeding 300+ boys plus faculty and faculty families 3 meals a day during the school year and meals for summer camps as appropriate.
• Work within a compressed summer window (primarily 2 weeks) that allows for little time for school year facilities preparation because athletics, camps, and special programs continue throughout most of the summer
• Coordinate maintenance around overlapping sports seasons on natural grass fields with winter growing cycles
• Plan proactively for major infrastructure replacements
• Oversee daily operation of all physical plant components, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and infrastructure systems.
• Develop and execute a preventive maintenance plan and maintenance request system.
• Maintain campus equipment, vehicles, and shop tools in working and safe condition.
• Participate in regular training sessions to stay current on best practices and partner with the Director of Safety on emergency preparedness.
• Collaborate with school leadership and departments to ensure facilities support school programming and events.
• Participate joyfully in student support, evening and weekend duties, as do all faculty and administrators.
Safety, Risk Management & Compliance
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, fire safety, building codes, and all regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate required inspections and documentation for building safety, fire protection systems, elevators, HVAC, and other life-safety systems, working with the Buncombe County Fire Marshal’s Office for periodic fire and life-safety inspections of non-public schools, and with state agencies as required.
• Maintain relationships with the North Carolina Department of Labor (elevator inspections) and other relevant authorities to ensure continuous compliance and timely certifications.'
Capital Projects & Construction
• Oversee intermittent construction and renovation projects, serving as project manager and liaison to architects, engineers, contractors, and regulatory agencies from concept through completion.
• Coordinate feasibility studies, design development, budgeting, permitting, and contractor management.
• Liaise with Buncombe County Permits & Inspections and Planning & Development for plan review, permits, and inspections; coordinate life-safety reviews with the Buncombe County Fire Marshal’s Office; and engage with local fire/EMS authorities serving campus (e.g., Skyland Fire & Rescue) as appropriate.
• Manage project schedules, budgets, quality standards, and safety protocols.
• Oversee bidding, contracting, budgeting, and execution of capital projects from concept through completion.
• Approve invoices and monitor progress reporting; provide timely updates to the CFO and Board of Trustees as required.
• Ensure project timelines, quality standards, and budgets are met.
• Lead long-range campus planning, including capital improvements and space-use assessments.
Budgeting, Purchasing & Vendor Management
• Develop and manage the annual facilities operations budget and facilities-related capital budgets in collaboration with the CFO.
• Prioritize projects based on facility needs assessments, risk mitigation, and strategic plan alignment.
• Identify and implement cost-saving measures and sustainable operational practices.
• Oversee procurement of furniture, fixtures, equipment, and service contracts.
• Maintain productive relationships with outside vendors and contractors, including especially but not limited to our IT, Food Services, and cleaning services contractors.
Transportation, Technology & Auxiliary Support
• Oversee the school’s transportation program, including vehicle maintenance and contractor coordination.
• Support campuswide information technology infrastructure planning and budgeting.
• Responsible for IT infrastructure and subscriptions on campus (Internet servers, firewalls, switches, wireless access points, faculty devices, Microsoft licenses, etc.). Work closely with trusted vendors (ie Electronic Office, Verkada, Charter) to ensure that hardware and software licenses are cost-effective and updated appropriately.
• Coordinate facilities support for summer programs, community rentals, and afterschool activities.
Events, Calendar & Campus Logistics
• Coordinate event setup, breakdown, and facilities support for school functions.
• Oversee the master calendar to ensure efficient scheduling and space utilization.
Sustainability & Stewardship
• Identify and implement energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.
• Promote environmentally responsible practices consistent with the School’s values.
Housing & Space Allocation
Under the direction of the Head of School, and in collaboration with the Assistant Head and Dean of Academics, assist in managing faculty housing assignments and allocations for offices, classrooms, and community spaces.
Desired Qualifications
Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, facilities management, construction management, or related field—or significant comparable experience.
• 5+ years of relevant facilities leadership experience; school or residential campus experience preferred.
• Proficiency with HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and general building systems.
Leadership & Skills
• Strong supervisory, communication, and organizational skills with the ability to lead diverse teams.
• Experience with budgeting, vendor management, and large-scale project oversight.
• Knowledge of OSHA standards and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Cultural competency and the ability to work effectively with all members of a diverse boarding school community.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, especially:
o Outlook email and calendar
o Excel
• Proficiency with digitally signing documents using DocuSign, Adobe Acrobat, or other similar secure services.
Personal Attributes
Christ School values individuals who are:
• Mission-driven and student-focused.
• Ethical, reliable, and professional.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and committed to excellence.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to walk campus grounds and access mechanical spaces.
About Christ School:
Christ School was founded in 1900 and is affiliated with the Episcopal Church. Located nine miles south of Asheville, North Carolina, Christ School is an all-boys boarding and day school for grades 8-12. Students come from 16 states and ten different countries. All world faiths are represented and welcomed at Christ School. www.christschool.org
Christ School is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any other legally protected status.