Chief Operating Officer

Ramaz School

New York, NY   10021

In the heart of New York City is Ramaz - a Jewish Day School with a rich history of Jewish education, academic distinction, and nurturing of individual abilities and aspirations. To be a student at Ramaz is to be encouraged, supported, and taught how to discover the best in oneself and in others, and to gain a profound, spirited sense of responsibility to the world.

Located on four campuses on the upper East side of Manhattan, Ramaz serves over a thousand students from Nursery-12th grade in a vibrant and supportive community. The school is over 80 years old and has a reputation for excellence both locally and internationally. We invite you to visit the website: www.ramaz.org.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a BA or BS; MS or MBA preferred.
• Strong operations management experience with 10+ years in similar work capacity, preferably in a nonprofit or school setting.
• Track record of leading, motivating and developing high performance teams.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to establish trust.
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills with all levels.
• Ability to think ahead and plan over a one-to-five-year time span.
• Strong technology and information infrastructure skills.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities – organizing people and processes.
• Consistently exercises discretion and good judgment.
• High ethical standards.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Collaborating with fellow Leadership Team members to support operations that align with Ramaz’s mission and meet the school’s strategic objectives.
• Managing the school’s transportation operations, security, food service and health services.
• Conducting regular meetings with department heads to ensure that priorities are clear, and coordination is sound.
• Managing high-level operations on a large scale, multi-building campus with state-of-the- art systems and facilities.
• Partnering with the Chief Financial Officer on all budgetary matters and specifically; to identify, prioritize, and manage major capital and operational projects.
• Overseeing the renovation and construction of new facilities consistent with budgetary projections and goals.
• Developing and implementing Ramaz’s annual facilities budget and supporting the team in making appropriate short- and long-term spending decisions.
• Communicating, monitoring, and ensuring compliance with all codes and regulations governing the acquisition, use, construction, maintenance, and improvement of school sites and facilities.
• Managing an on-call service related to facilities and security issues so that there is fast and effective response to an emergency.
• Overseeing the process in collaboration with the head of school of weather related or other closures.
• Facilitating resolution of issues between departments.
• Fostering, maintaining, and managing relationships with city and state officials and numerous outside vendors.
• Collaborating with various department directors to execute campus-wide events.
• Abiding by Ramaz’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.
• Working with relevant parties to secure grants from governmental and other sources relating to security, facilities, and technology.

Leadership:

• One who can move easily between broad, strategic thinking and the day-to-day management of a large and diverse department and whose management approach encourages the development and execution of new ideas, promotes transparency, and supports prudent change.
• A proactive self-starter who projects team spirit and has the ability to organize, motivate, coach, and focus others in pursuit of a well-developed strategic plan.
• An adept manager who respects differences of opinion, seeks consensus when appropriate, and is comfortable making difficult decisions.
• A supervisor who balances effective delegation to staff members while retaining ultimate accountability for results.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in senior-level facilities management or operations positions within an educational institution, another nonprofit organization, or a for-profit corporation.
• A track record of working effectively with multiple constituencies, such as faculty, administrators, volunteers, parents, students, board members, and contract workers.
• Demonstrated success in motivating, mentoring, managing, and evaluating a large and diverse staff.
• A history of establishing, implementing, and maintaining operational policies, procedures, controls, and standards.

Skills and Knowledge:

• A broad and deep knowledge of facilities management, safety and security, and, ideally, food services, transportation, health services, and event management.
• Familiarity with technology infrastructure and utilization.
• An ability to devise, prioritize, execute, and achieve results in a complex institutional environment with multiple demands on time and attention.
• Excellent communication skills in writing, one-on-one, and in small and large groups.
• An advanced understanding of and the ability to use computers and technology, including Microsoft Windows and Office products, basic office equipment, and mechanical equipment.

Personal Attributes:

• A self-directed, goal-oriented, and well-organized manager who is also flexible, resilient, nimble, and able to react appropriately in response to unexpected changes and challenges in a high-stress environment.
• An inquisitive and analytical person who asks the right questions and continually searches for opportunities for improvement and operational efficiencies.
• A responsive and diligent professional with a sense of urgency who appropriately balances timeliness and high-quality results.
• A team-player who thrives in an environment with a strong sense of community and who values authentic relationships.
• An individual who exhibits high emotional intelligence, integrity, self-awareness, and a sense of humor.

Other Considerations:

Compensation - Highly competitive with comparable schools and other nonprofit organizations in the region.

Education -  Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, facility management, business administration, construction management, or a related field strongly preferred, Master’s degree a plus.

Website - www.ramaz.org

TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
• A current résumé;
• A one-page statement of educational or leadership philosophy and practice;
• A list of five professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted until a serious mutual interest is established, and not without the candidate’s permission) to:

Gregory Britton

CFO/Business Manager Placement

gbritton@carneysandoe.com