Berrien Springs Public Schools Facilities Director Berrien Springs, MI We Inspire Berrien Springs Public Schools (BSPS) is a premier school district that seeks to inspire students to become self-directed learners in an environment that promotes collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking skills. We strive to provide students with real-world problem solving and experiential learning with individualized options. We believe students are inspired to learn when they have opportunities to be involved in their learning process. That experience depends on more than what happens in the classroom. Our Facilities Department plays an essential role in ensuring every student, employee, and visitor learns and works in buildings and grounds that are safe, clean, healthy, and ready for learning. Who We Are BSPS serves a diverse student population that enriches our District through a wide range of cultures, talents, interests, abilities, and experiences. We believe serving students well requires the involvement of our entire school community and a commitment to helping every student reach their full potential. A District of choice, BSPS is unique in serving more than 6,800 students through our traditional campus schools, virtual programs, and off-site learning locations across Michigan. Approximately 2,300 students attend in person, creating a vibrant campus community supported by our Facilities Department. Together, inspiring each student to think, learn, achieve, and care in a global community. Berrien Springs Public Schools, which strives to serve the needs of all student learners while seeking ways for students to reach their full potential. Our mission is to involve all stakeholders in the educational process. We have a strong focus on what we call “The Shamrock Way”. The Shamrock Way is offering personalized learning opportunities for students can learn and grow in a caring environment. The Role As the Facilities Director, reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead the daily operations, people, contractors, and systems of the BSPS Facilities Department, ensuring that District buildings, grounds, athletic facilities, and off-site learning locations are safe, compliant, well-maintained, and ready to support teaching and learning. You will oversee the District’s campus school buildings, athletic and stadium facilities, central office and support buildings, bus lot, and provide facility support to off-site learning centers located across Michigan. The department includes in-District maintenance and grounds staff, supported by contracted custodial, snow removal, pest management, waste hauling, and life safety service providers. This is a visible, hands-on leadership position with responsibility for developing and supporting facilities employees, establishing clear expectations and accountability for staff and contractors, maintaining building systems and grounds, managing work orders and preventive maintenance, strengthening safety and regulatory compliance, managing the department budget and purchasing, and coordinating summer work, capital improvements, and facility moves. The Facilities Director provides direct leadership for maintenance and grounds personnel and oversight of contracted custodial and service vendors. You will ensure that work orders, life safety inspections, integrated pest management, AHERA asbestos records, drinking water compliance, keying and access control, utility accounts, and other regulatory and operational requirements are completed accurately and on schedule. You will also operate alongside the District’s Director of Operations on capital and construction projects, working alongside the construction managers, architects, and other key personnel on scope, scheduling, building readiness, and punch lists. Just as importantly, you’ll serve as a crucial communication link between Facilities and our schools. You’ll work closely with District leadership, building administrators, athletics, food service, transportation, teachers, and community partners to plan around the school calendar, support events, respond to urgent needs, and ensure buildings are ready when students arrive. Competencies for this Position
A successful Facilities Director will demonstrate strength in:
· Leadership & Accountability: Sets clear expectations, develops employees, addresses performance concerns, and creates a culture of responsibility, professionalism, and teamwork among staff and contractors. · Facilities & Building Operations: Understands building systems (HVAC, boilers, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and controls), grounds, custodial operations, and the complexities of keeping occupied school buildings running reliably. · Maintenance Planning & Work Orders: Assigns, tracks, and closes work through the District’s work order system, and plans preventive maintenance, summer painting, flooring replacement, and other work around the school calendar. · Safety & Compliance: Maintains a strong safety culture and ensures compliance with fire and life safety inspections, AHERA, integrated pest management, drinking water (EGLE), OSHA, and District policies, with complete and accurate records. · Vendor & Contract Management: Develops scopes of work, solicits quotes and bids, manages contracts and renewals, and holds contractors accountable for quality, schedule, and cost. · Project Coordination: Plans and coordinates, renovations, furniture purchases, and building moves, including long-lead materials, abatement, staff relocations, and punch lists, as well as assisting with capital projects. · Communication & Relationships: Communicates clearly and professionally with staff, contractors, administrators, teachers, families, and community partners while building productive working relationships. · Problem-Solving & Judgment: Remains calm under pressure, evaluates information quickly, makes sound decisions, and responds effectively to building failures, weather events, and safety-related challenges. · Financial & Resource Management: Effectively manages the department budget, purchase orders, utility costs and tariffs, energy rebates, staffing, and other resources while balancing safety, service, and fiscal responsibility. · Collaborative Leadership: Operates effectively as a department leader while working collaboratively with District leadership, building administrators, athletics, transportation, and other departments to support District-wide priorities. Why You Will Love This Role As the Facilities Director, you will have a direct impact on the safety, comfort, and success of students and staff throughout BSPS. Every classroom, hallway, playing field, and parking lot reflects the work of the Facilities Department, making your leadership an important part of creating a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment. You’ll have the opportunity to lead and develop a dedicated team, strengthen preventive maintenance and work order systems, shape the District’s approach to contracted services, play a meaningful role in capital improvements and building refreshes, and build strong relationships with administrators, staff, contractors, and the community. You’ll have the support and opportunity to make meaningful improvements while helping shape the future of facilities at BSPS. And you’ll do it in Southwest Michigan, one of the region’s most distinctive places to live, work, and raise a family. Located in the heart of Michigan’s great Southwest, Berrien Springs offers the character and affordability of a smaller community while providing easy access to Lake Michigan beaches, vibrant downtown communities, outdoor recreation, golf, universities, orchards, and year-round festival and activities. The community is also home to Andrews University, bringing the educational, cultural, and international character of a university community to Berrien Springs. Nearby St. Joseph and Benton Harbor offer additional shopping, dining, entertainment, and Lake Michigan attractions, while South Bend and the University of Notre Dame are a short drive away. Chicago is approximately 90 miles from the area, providing access to major cultural, sporting, entertainment, and travel opportunities. Whether you're drawn to the Lake Michigan shoreline, outdoor recreation, college athletics, a university community, or simply the advantages of living in Southwest Michigan, Berrien Springs offers an exceptional place to build both a career and a life. Most importantly, you’ll lead a department whose work matters every day. Your leadership will help ensure our buildings are safe and ready for learning, our employees and contractors have the support and accountability they need to succeed, and our schools and families can depend on Facilities to deliver exceptional service. What We'll Love About You You are a visible, dependable, and engaged leader who understands that great school facilities begin with strong leadership, clear expectations, and a commitment to safety. You build trust with your team and contractors while creating a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, excellence, and service. You’re comfortable leading people with different trades, personalities, experiences, and responsibilities. You recognize and develop strong employees, address performance concerns when necessary, and don’t allow difficult conversations to become avoided conversations. You hold contractors to the same standard, and you lead with fairness, consistency, sound judgment, and respect. You’re an effective communicator who understands that Facilities doesn’t operate in isolation. You build strong working relationships with maintenance and grounds staff, contractors, District and building administrators, athletics, and community partners. When problems arise, you communicate early, provide accurate information, and work collaboratively toward solutions. You’re an organized problem solver who can manage the expected while responding calmly to the unexpected. Whether it’s a boiler failure, a roof leak, a snowstorm, a rained-out athletic event, a building move, or a project deadline, you’re able to assess the situation, make sound decisions, and keep buildings safe and operating. You embrace technology, data, and continuous improvement. You keep thorough records, use work order and tracking systems to manage the operation, and are willing to evaluate existing practices and challenge the status quo when there’s a safer, more efficient, or more cost-effective way to serve students. Most importantly, you’re a leader who is present, accessible, and invested in your team and the operation. You understand that facilities leadership means walking the buildings, knowing their condition, being there when issues arise, supporting your people, maintaining high standards, and taking ownership of the department’s performance. You bring strong character, compassion, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to serving students while embracing the values of Berrien Springs Public Schools and the Shamrock Way. Required Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Demonstrated leadership or supervisory experience in facilities management, building maintenance, construction, skilled trades, or a related environment.
- Demonstrated ability to lead employees, establish expectations, evaluate performance, address personnel concerns, and build an accountable and service-oriented team.
- Working knowledge of building systems, including HVAC, boilers, plumbing, electrical, roofing, controls, and grounds equipment, with the ability to diagnose problems and evaluate contractor recommendations.
- Knowledge of school facility regulatory requirements, including fire and life safety inspections, AHERA, integrated pest management, drinking water requirements, and OSHA, or the demonstrated ability to quickly develop expertise in these areas.
- Experience managing contractors and vendors, including developing scopes of work, soliciting quotes and bids, and overseeing contract performance.
- Experience developing, managing, and monitoring departmental or operational budgets, including purchase orders, invoices, and utility costs.
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, decision-making, and written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated proficiency in utilizing technology. Employing various computer systems for work orders, preventive maintenance, scheduling, purchasing, recordkeeping, and reporting. Capable of evaluating software programs to ensure the optimal technology is being utilized.
- Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with District leadership, building administrators, employees, contractors, students, families, and community members.
- Ability to be available outside normal working hours for emergencies, weather events, athletic and community events, and summer and break work periods, and to respond to urgent facility needs when necessary.
- Ability to perform all essential duties satisfactorily, with reasonable accommodations provided, as appropriate.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in facilities management, construction management, engineering, business, public administration, or a related field.
- School or public-sector facilities experience; experience in commercial or residential construction, the building trades, or property management, or an equivalent combination of education, leadership, and relevant experience, will be considered.
- Experience coordinating construction, renovation, or capital improvement projects, including reading plans and specifications and managing punch lists.
Certificates, Licenses & Registrations · Valid driver's license and driving record that meets District, State of Michigan, and insurance carrier requirements for operating District vehicles. · Must complete AHERA Designated Person training within 6 months of employment, if not already completed. · Professional facilities credentials such as Certified Educational Facilities Professional (CEFP), Facility Management Professional (FMP), or Certified Facility Manager (CFM), and/or a Michigan skilled trades or builder’s license, preferred. · Must obtain and maintain all required licenses, training, continuing education, and other credentials required by the State of Michigan, federal regulations, and Berrien Springs Public Schools for assigned facilities responsibilities.
The Berrien Springs Public Schools Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and transgender identity), disability, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic in its programs and activities, including employment opportunities.