Director of Operations

Chadwick School • Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Chadwick School is accepting applications for a newly created position entitled Director of Operations (DOO). The DOO is an administrative leader responsible for the strategic oversight, coordination, and continuous improvement of essential non-academic operational functions that support the mission, safety, and daily life of the school community. Serving approximately 850 students and 200 employees across a 45-acre campus, including 21 faculty/staff residential housing units, the Director helps ensure that operational services are safe, efficient, compliant, responsive, and aligned with the school's educational priorities and institutional values. The Director of Operations reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer (CFO/COO) and serves as a member of the school's senior administrative leadership team. The DOO will collaborate with the Business Office, facilities department, department directors, staff, academic leaders, families, consultants, regulatory agencies, vendors, and community stakeholders to maintain a safe and thriving learning environment and to support the school's strategic priorities. This position is designed as a strategic operational leadership role with increasing responsibility over time. Working in close partnership with the CFO/COO, the Director of Operations will assume progressively broader leadership responsibilities across the school's operational functions as part of the school's long-term leadership succession strategy.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management, public administration, risk management, education administration, or a related field
• Minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible operational leadership experience
• Demonstrated experience managing complex operational systems and multiple service functions simultaneously
• Experience in risk management, emergency preparedness, environmental health and safety, and regulatory compliance
• Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship management abilities
• Participation in the school's emergency response and incident management program is required
• Collaborative Team Player
• Sense of Humor

Nice To Haves

• Proven leader with experience in an independent school, higher education institution, municipality, healthcare organization, or similarly complex organization
• Experience with enterprise risk management and business continuity planning programs
• Leadership role in campus safety and security
• Familiarity with Conditional Use Permit requirements and community relations in educational settings
• Professional certifications in emergency management, risk management, security management, business continuity, environmental health and safety, or operations leadership
• Master's degree in a related field

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of all campus safety and security operations
• Review, implement, and regularly evaluate comprehensive safety, emergency preparedness, and crisis response plans, and will revise as needed
• Coordinate emergency drills, tabletop exercises, and incident response procedures.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations related to campus safety and emergency management
• Serve as a member of the school's emergency response and crisis management teams.
• Oversee security personnel, visitor management systems, access control systems, and campus surveillance technologies
• Oversee emergency communications systems and protocols, including mass notification platforms and emergency messaging procedures
• Partner with school leadership to promote a culture of safety, preparedness, and situational awareness throughout the community.
• Provide support for the school's environmental health and safety programs and regulatory compliance efforts
• Coordinate compliance activities related to workplace safety requirements and applicable environmental regulations
• Partner with Facilities, Human Resources, Health and Academic Departments to identify, assess, and mitigate environmental and occupational risks
• Support safety training initiatives and maintain appropriate documentation and reporting processes
• Monitor evolving regulatory requirements and recommend operational improvements to maintain compliance and reduce risk exposure
• Direct Liaison with representatives from USPS, FedEx, Amazon, and other services
• Oversee campus mail operations, package management, and distribution systems, revising as needed in conjunction with Facilities and other departments
• Ensure efficient processing and delivery of internal and external mail, parcels, and special deliveries
• Develop procedures to support increasing package volumes associated with residential housing and campus operations
• Direct Liaison with onsite school dining service representatives
• Partner with CFO/COO to oversee school dining services and relationships with food service providers
• Monitor operational performance, food quality, customer service, and regulatory compliance in close partnership with dining service representative, facilities department and school leadership
• Partner with dining provider to support student wellness initiatives, dietary accommodations, sustainability goals, and community events.
• Review and manage service contracts, budgets, and operational metrics in partnership with the CFO/COO
• Collaborate with the Facilities Director to help coordinate major operational logistics for school events, ceremonies, summer and community programs, and special initiatives
• Develop systems and procedures that improve operational efficiency and service delivery
• Collaborate with facilities, advancement and academic departments to support evolving campus needs
• Partner with the CFO/COO in leading the school's enterprise risk management program
• Support the identification, assessment, and monitoring of strategic, operational, financial, reputational, and compliance risks across the institution
• Support the development and implementation of mitigation strategies and risk reporting processes for the senior leadership team and the Board of Trustees
• Support the CFO/COO in the administration of the school's property, casualty, and commercial insurance programs, including policy renewals, broker relationships, claims management, and annual applications and regulatory filings
• Completes all new and renewal applications, licensing, reports and filings to meet California and Federal guidelines
• Coordinate with Human Resources to determine and manage all required employee safety and training programs
• Support and coordinate the school's business continuity and disaster recovery planning program in partnership with the Head of School, CFO/COO and senior leadership
• Coordinate continuity planning among operational departments and ensure preparedness for disruptions affecting campus operations or educational programs
• Support resilience initiatives that strengthen the school's ability to respond to and recover from emergencies and significant operational disruptions
• Work closely with Head of School, CFO/COO and school leadership to support CUP efforts
• Coordinate operational compliance activities associated with the school's Conditional Use Permit and related LA County and municipal agreements including car counting/reporting and resolving violations
• Review and track permit requirements, operational restrictions, reporting obligations, and renewal timelines
• Collaborate with school leadership, consultants, legal counsel, and local agencies regarding permit-related matters
• Support documentation, community communication, and reporting requirements associated with entitlement obligations
• Serve as the school's primary operational liaison to the adjacent Homeowners Association and neighborhood stakeholders
• Foster collaborative relationships with neighboring residents and community organizations
• Address concerns related to traffic, parking, events, campus activities, and operational impacts
• Participate in community meetings and represent the school's interests in a professional and collaborative manner
• Support positive long-term relationships between the school and surrounding community
• Develop and manage departmental operating budgets
• Establish key performance indicators and service standards for operational programs
• Ensure fiscal responsibility while maintaining high-quality service delivery
• Review service agreements and vendor contracts and inform CFO/COO of recommendations
• Supervise 3-4 operational staff and contracted service providers as assigned
• Build strong partnerships across all academic and administrative departments
• Provide regular operational reports, analysis and recommendations to the CFO/COO, HOS and other senior leaders, as needed
• Participate in strategic planning, institutional initiatives, and long-range campus projects
• Contribute to leadership discussions regarding operational strategy, risk management, and community engagement
• Complete other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Occasional evening/weekend work required in support of school events, emergencies, and operational needs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director