Facilities Director

Sunshine Academy • Laurel, MT

6d • $30 - $35 • Onsite

About The Position

The Facilities Director is responsible for the physical operations of Sunshine Academy’s three licensed childcare centers: Highway 312 in Billings and Ramshorn and 1st Street in Laurel. This hands-on, self-directed role oversees buildings, building systems, grounds, playgrounds, outbuildings, vehicles, vendors, and contractors. The goal is to keep every center safe, well-maintained, presentable, functional, and ready for inspection. The Director plans their own schedule around preventive maintenance needs and routine walkthrough findings, taking ownership of issues and focusing on results.

The role reports directly to the Director of Operations and includes a weekly one-on-one meeting. The owner provides technical guidance and approves expenditures above authorized limits; ownership retains responsibility for cameras, networking, phones, and heavy equipment. Center directors collaborate with the Facilities Director but do not supervise the position. The role works approximately 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with earlier starts as needed, on-call responsibilities for building emergencies, and occasional evening or weekend hours for events and projects during center closures. A personal vehicle is required, with mileage reimbursement provided. Sunshine Academy provides shirts and outerwear, company tools, and consumable supplies; the primary workshop and tool storage are at the Ramshorn center in Laurel.

Starting pay is $30–$35 per hour, depending on experience. Health insurance benefits are not currently offered. The Director receives a written training plan during the first week and weekly supervisor check-ins. Reviews take place at 30, 60, and 90 days and again at 12 months; the first year is a probationary period. As the Academy expands to a fourth center, the position is expected to grow into a leadership role overseeing a facilities team.

Requirements

• At least five years of experience in facilities management, building maintenance, construction trades, or property management.
• Hands-on experience with drywall, painting, doors, hardware, plumbing, fixtures, drains, light electrical, flooring, basic carpentry, and playground equipment.
• Ability to safely use hand tools, power tools, and facility equipment, including mowers, weed eaters, floor machines, pressure washers, and snowblowers.
• Experience obtaining quotes, managing vendors, and working within a budget.
• Comfort using a smartphone and computer for photos, maintenance tracking, reporting, and researching parts or vendors.
• Working knowledge of basic commercial building fire codes and life-safety requirements.
• Valid Montana driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Ability to pass childcare background checks and fingerprinting requirements.
• Comfort working around young children while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work, including lifting up to 75 pounds, climbing ladders, accessing roofs and crawl spaces, kneeling, and working outdoors in Montana weather.
• Must live within reasonable proximity to Laurel and Billings and be available to respond to building emergencies such as frozen pipes, heating failures, power outages, or break-ins.
• Ability to work approximately 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with earlier starts when needed, on-call emergency responsibilities, and occasional evening or weekend hours for events and projects during center closures.
• Use of a personal vehicle is required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with HVAC, boilers, or irrigation systems.
• Military veterans are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Manage weekly, monthly, quarterly, seasonal, and annual preventive maintenance schedules across all three centers, updating schedules as buildings and equipment change.
• Document completed work using photos and maintenance logs.
• Perform general repairs involving drywall, painting, doors, hardware, plumbing, fixtures, light electrical, flooring, carpentry, playground equipment, and minor vehicle repairs.
• Address safety-related repairs the same day, licensing-related issues within one week, and other repairs within two weeks or schedule them with an appropriate vendor.
• Maintain and monitor heating and cooling, water and septic, electrical and lighting, fire alarms and extinguishers, emergency lighting, doors, locks, roofs, gutters, and flooring; learn and maintain specialized geothermal heating and pressurized septic systems.
• Identify potential building system problems proactively.
• Oversee lawn care, irrigation, trees, fencing, playground surfaces, fall zones, shade structures, parking lots, and walkways; ensure timely snow and ice removal and consistent upkeep across centers.
• Maintain an organized list of approved vendors and contractors; obtain quotes, schedule work, coordinate onsite access, inspect completed projects, and verify invoices against approved quotes.
• Coordinate vendor services for snow removal, landscaping, HVAC, septic, plumbing, electrical, roofing, flooring, glass, fire systems, and pest control.
• Keep facilities prepared for childcare licensing, health, and fire inspections; conduct walkthroughs with center directors before inspections, attend inspections as needed, and ensure facility findings are addressed by deadlines.
• Maintain center vans for safety and legal compliance, conduct quarterly checks, schedule oil changes and other maintenance and repairs with the designated mechanic, and keep registrations and insurance current.
• Plan, estimate, schedule, and complete small to medium-sized facility improvement projects; coordinate onsite activities for larger capital improvement projects led by ownership.
• Work within the established monthly facilities budget, track expenses by center, make purchases within authorized limits, obtain two quotes for expenses exceeding approval limits, and recommend future capital improvements.
• Identify maintenance issues and communicate solutions; keep center directors informed about work affecting daily operations and communicate significant concerns and a recommended plan to ownership early.
• Submit a monthly one-page facilities report covering completed work, overdue items, upcoming projects, expenses, and potential risks.
• Participate in staff events and professional development in-services, wear the Sunshine Academy uniform, assist with setup and teardown for Academy-hosted events, and contribute as an active, collaborative team member.

Benefits

• Company-provided Sunshine Academy shirts and outerwear.
• Company tools and consumable supplies.
• Mileage reimbursement for use of a personal vehicle.
• Written training plan, weekly supervisor check-ins, and scheduled performance reviews.
• Health insurance benefits are not currently offered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed