Director Of Facilities

Bard Graduate Center (BGC) invites applications for Facilities Director. This is a full-time, on-site position at our campus on West 86th Street in New York City.

The Bard Graduate Center is a graduate research institute in New York City dedicated to the study of the cultural history of the material world and committed to the encyclopedic study of things, drawing on methodologies and approaches from art and design history, history of technology, philosophy, anthropology, and archaeology and cultural history. Our students gravitate to careers in museums, academia, the art world, and publishing. Our MA and PhD degree programs, gallery exhibitions, research initiatives, and public programs explore new ways of thinking about decorative arts, design history, and material culture.

Reporting to the Director and Chief Operating Officer, the Facilities Director will be a crucial part of our organization’s day-to-day operations, overseeing the maintenance, repair and general upkeep of all BGC buildings, including an onsite gallery.

The Facilities Director plays a vital role in ensuring a safe, clean and efficient environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. He/she will supervise maintenance staff, manage vendor and contractor relationships, maintain compliance with all safety and workplace standards, support events, and be a hands-on leader. In addition, they will oversee all scheduled construction activities from inception to completion.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Responsible for overseeing the maintenance, repair and general upkeep of all BGC buildings, including its W. 86th Street campus and a residential dormitory located on W. 58th Street.
• Oversees the management of capital projects in all phases of construction.
• Supports department heads with the set up and execution of onsite events.
• Establishes and monitors a written property maintenance and preventative maintenance program and oversees implementation.
• Conducts routine preventative maintenance and inspection on plumbing, electrical, pest control, and other systems, to identify, fix and maintain issues early.
• Oversee the HVAC and BMS systems.
• Ensures regular inspections of BGC’s elevator systems, boilers, and fire systems.
• Ensures compliance with workplace safety standards and manage inspections by NYC agencies, FDNY, DOB, etc.
• Ensures compliance with all government policies, procedures, regulations, and codes where applicable.
• Develops tracking tools and systems to monitor facility related compliance.
• Responds to unexpected issues or emergencies to ensure the safety of the buildings.
• Manages vendor and contract relationships.
• Serves as liaison for facilities related issues with the city of New York, neighboring properties, and their tenants.
• Creates, manages and tracks a facilities budget of one million dollars to ensure efficient spending.
• Ensures internal and external reports are accurate, timely and meet required standards.
• Supervises and trains a maintenance staff of 9.
• Facilitates, attends staff meetings, training, and supervisory sessions as required.
• Ensures a safe and clean environment.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field. Certificate in construction management or other trades management is a plus.
• Prior experience in a museum or art gallery setting.
• Extensive knowledge in HVAC, BMS, electrical plumbing, carpentry, life safety and other systems required for building operations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, time management, and supervisory skills, with attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong budget and fiscal management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office to support reporting, budgeting and tracking tasks.
• Ability to read blueprints.
• Ability to respond efficiently in all situations.
• Strong commitment to developing team members

We expect the successful candidate to be stronger in some qualifications listed above than others; we are committed to helping our future colleagues expand their skills and hope to learn from their areas of strength.