Executive Director of Capital Planning & Construction

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third largest school district in the United States, serving over 360,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission we make three commitments to our students, their families and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership and continuous learning.

The Executive Director of Capital Planning & Construction provides oversight, planning, and management for CPS' capital plan. This person will oversee a team of 25 employees, 65 FTE consultants, over 200 design and construction projects, several major supplier relationships, and an annual budget of $500M+.

The Executive Director of Capital Planning & Construction is expected to successfully oversee and/or perform the following core responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a vision for the department, including outside partnerships (e.g., with the Public Building Commission and other City agencies), use of contractors, innovative construction and financing approaches, and new facility-management models.
  
  
• Manage the District's annual and long-range capital plans in accordance with the District's policies and procedures.
  
  
• Develop departmental budget; reviews requests for bid proposals, assists in the preparation of bid documents opening of bids, evaluation of bids, and making recommendations.
  
  
• Determine scope of projects and budgets, obtains approvals from various review agencies, administers contracts, approve pay requests and monitor construction schedules.
  
  
• Collaborate with other CPS departments (e.g., Safety & Security, Food Service, Transportation, IT, etc.) regarding all facilities-related management and initiatives.
  
  
• Determine items that require Board direction, acceptance, approval, authorization or presentation for information purposes and presents reports to the Board as required.
  
  
• Maintain the District's compliance with all regulatory programs; assures the District's compliance with all local, state and federal laws related to facility management, operations and associated activities.
  
  
• Evaluate the performance of the Capital Department management and supervisory staff for attainment of goals and objectives.
  
  
• Engage elected officials and other community parties re facilities initiatives and plans.
  
  

Type of Education Required :

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, General Construction, Architecture, or a related discipline, or a combination of education and 10+ years of related experience
  
  

Type of Experience and Number of Years :

• Ten years of facilities and engineering experience, including experience at senior management level.
  
  
• Experience managing multiple, large-scale capital projects and facilities operations.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

• Knowledge of Construction practices: building codes, fire and safety codes and maintenance management systems.
  
  
• Fiscal and budgetary experience in the hundreds of millions, and as well as planning expertise;
  
  
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and proven ability to engage fully with peers, team members, community partners, city and government agencies;
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks concurrently;
  
  
• Excellent organizational and delegation skills;
  
  
• Knowledge of local, state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and collective bargaining agreements.
  
  

Residency Requirement:

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and must maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.