Job Title: Sustainability and Operations Manager
Reports to: Director of Buildings and Grounds
Terms and Conditions: Full-time, 12 months, 8 hours per day.
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary: $80,000.00 - $100,000.00
Please click here for more information regarding salary
and benefits.

OPRF – WHO WE ARE…

Oak Park and River Forest High School, or OPRF, is a comprehensive public high school located in Oak Park, IL, a suburb eight miles due west of downtown Chicago. We are a one-school district, with the majority of our students coming from two sender districts, River Forest Public Schools District 90 and Oak Park Elementary School District 97. We offer more than 200 courses, a variety of programs for students with special needs, 103 clubs and activities, and 34 competitive sports. We prepare our students well for post-secondary success, with an average ACT composite score of 24 and a 96% graduation rate.

Oak Park and River Forest are communities that highly value diversity. OPRF is a founding member of the national Minority Student Achievement Network, and our school is racially and economically diverse, with about 48% of our 3,300 students identifying as African-American, Hispanic, multiracial, or Asian. Our villages have long embraced the LGBTQ community, and we have a significant mix of homeowners and renters.

We seek faculty and staff who have high expectations for all students, and who value student voice in education. As a school, we are particularly focused on closing opportunity gaps for our students of color and other under-represented groups. OPRF is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. OPRF’s goal is to increase the diversity of its workforce.

OPRF is a great place for those who are interested in an environment that supports creativity, leadership at all levels, innovation, a focus on professional and curriculum development, and the best practices of instruction. We are currently seeking individuals to join our team that all students are capable of high levels of academic and social success.

Position Summary:

The Sustainability & Operations Manager leads and coordinates the district’s sustainability initiatives across its physical plant and facilities. This role ensures that capital projects align with established environmental goals and that day-to-day operations and maintenance practices promote energy efficiency, resource conservation, and long-term sustainability. The Manager serves as a liaison among the Buildings and Grounds Department, Business Office, Sustainability Committee, and external contractors to integrate sustainable practices into all aspects of facilities planning and operations.

Qualifications

Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Business Administration, Environmental Studies, or a related field (or comparable work experience)

Experience:
3–5 years in project management, property management, or facilities coordination is required. Experience in sustainability efforts and green energy is preferred.

Key Skills:

- Ability to read and understand basic construction plans and project timelines.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to hold vendors/contractors accountable.
- Proficiency in software for tracking utility data and project costs.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Experience and knowledge of building custodial and maintenance operations.
- Understanding of operation of building and grounds equipment, including HVAC systems.
- Demonstrated ability to handle administrative responsibility.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with staff, students and community.
- Demonstrated ability in planning, organizing and directing.

Position Responsibilities:

1. Construction & Renovation Coordination

Contractor Liaison: Attend weekly construction meetings for major projects (like Project 2) to ensure "green" specifications (like recycled materials or high-efficiency windows) are actually being used by the trades.
Punch-List Management: During the final stages of a renovation, ensure all energy-saving features (motion-sensor lights, DDC systems, low-flow faucets) are installed and functioning before the district accepts the work.
Waste Tracking: Oversee the "Construction Waste Management Plan," ensuring the contractors provide documentation that debris is being diverted from landfills.
Pay Application Review: Review all pay applications sent by vendors to make sure they are accurate and within the district budget. This includes confirming all work completion is accurate, rates are as bid and requires coordination with our Accounts Payable Team.
Grant Management: Work with the Director of Finance to complete needed items for any grants related to projects. Research and find new and future grants to help off-set costs of future work.
Annual Capital Improvement Plan: Serve as a point of contact for summer capital improvement work during times that major construction renovation is on-going. Serve as a backup point of contact during times when no major capital projects are happening.

2. Facilities & Grounds Operations

Eco-Friendly Maintenance: Work with the custodial supervisor to standardize "green" cleaning supplies and ensure equipment (like floor scrubbers) is maintained for peak efficiency.
Grounds Oversight: Coordinate with the Building Manager and the Grounds crew to manage native plant beds and permeable pavers, ensuring they are maintained to handle heavy rainfall.
Energy Monitoring: Use the building’s DDC systems to look for “energy waste” like lights left on in the gym or heating running in empty wings—and coordinate with the Building Manager and maintenance team to correct it.
Emergency On-call: Provide 24 hour emergency on-call service when needed including nights and weekends.
Waste Management: Oversee vendor contracts for waste, recycling, composting and hazardous waste disposal.

3. Asset & Material Management

Inventory Control: Audit the district’s "stock" of lightbulbs, filters, and paints to ensure they meet modern environmental and health standards.
Furniture & Equipment Lifecycle: Manage the "surplus" process, ensuring that old desks, tech, or kitchen equipment are sold, donated, or recycled rather than thrown in a dumpster.
Fleet Support: Assist in the logistics of transitioning the district vehicles and grounds equipment to electric models, including tracking charging schedules, grant opportunities and changes.

4. Documentation & Compliance

Grant Coordination: Gather the data needed (utility bills, square footage, equipment specs) to apply for state and federal energy grants.
Sustainability Reporting and Record keeping: Keep a simple, visual record of the district's progress (e.g., "We recycled X tons this year").

5. Sustainability

Sustainability Committee: Serve as the leader of the district sustainability committee in partnership with the Director of Buildings and Grounds. Create all agendas, manage the sustainability scorecard updating and reporting and attend.
Community Collaboration: Attend collaborative meetings with sustainability groups in the local community.
Compost Management: Develop, build and track the district’s compost disposal initiatives
Budget management: Work with Director of Buildings and Grounds, Director of Finance and Assistant Superintendent for Business Services to develop budgeting for sustainability efforts, calculating savings both in energy emissions, payback times and operational efficiencies.

6. Other duties as assigned

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive listing of the duties performed in this position. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.

Please, no phone calls. The respective hiring manager will review candidates once the job posting closes. If selected to move forward, you will be contacted by phone or email. After reviewing the job posting, if you have any questions, please send an email to hr@oprfhs.org.

Oak Park & River Forest High School District 200 (OPRF) is an Equal Opportunity Employer