Job Description

About Edvocate: Edvocate provides consulting services to school districts seeking to improve their self-operated or outsourced food or facilities (custodial, maintenance, grounds and management) services/operations. Our position is to be advocates for the best interests of the districts we serve. Working Conditions: Schedule is divided between office and on-site visits. School district site visits require travel throughout New Jersey or where needed. Paid vehicle allowance is provided. Position requires flexibility as site visits may vary between day and evening depending on the task to be performed. General Responsibilities: (Depending on the need of the school district) • Advises school boards and administrators in the areas of facilities (custodial, maintenance, grounds) and management services/operations in how to improve operations, reduce costs and resolve issues. • Assess their needs and makes recommendations as to the most adequate and economical means of meeting the needs. • Interprets to school administrators the application of legislation relating to school district facilities operations. • Determines compliance with the laws, and regulations relating to school district facilities operations. • Performs school district facility (custodial, maintenance and grounds) inspections, analyzes results, recommends goals and changes to improve and streamline operations based on findings. Then formally report’s findings to administration. • Monitors and polices contractual obligations on the district’s behalf to ensure all outsourced contractual requirements are being fulfilled. This requires implementing Edvocate controls and procedures to ensure the contract is complied with. • Understands school district budgets, analyzes key metrics, proactively addresses areas of concern and reports them to administration. • Performs fact-based analysis of district self-operated program. Compares current costs, benefits, structure, and metrics vs. proposed operationally sound outsourced models then provides various operational models for improvement. • Assists in thorough assessments of school district facilities operations through data collection, interviews, site audits, recommendations then providing a formal report authored by the consultant. • Assists in authoring invitation for bids or request for proposals on the district’s behalf. Managing the bid/proposal process, analyzing the bids/proposal and negotiating the resulting contract. • Customizes proposals for our core services. • Participates in new contract start-up meetings and ensures operations are on schedule. Understands the intricacies of a startup, anticipates the operational inefficiencies that can occur from a transition and guides the management company towards success on behalf of the district. Knowledge Skills and Abilities: • Knowledge of the principles of school district facilities operations. • Knowledge of the problems associated with managing a facilities operation within a school district. • Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to school district facilities (custodial, maintenance and grounds) operations. • Knowledge of the relationship between school district facilities operations and the community. • Ability to assess the needs of a school district and make recommendations accordingly. • Ability to provide leadership to boards of education and school administrators with regards to school district facilities operations. • Ability to interpret legislation, and to determine compliance with the laws, regulations, and rules relating to school district facilities operations. • Ability to maintain records, analyze data, and prepare reports or correspondence related to the work. • Ability to communicate effectively with others, and maintain favorable public relations. • Flexible, self-starter possessing intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. • Excellent skills in MS Word and Excel. Education: • Bachelor’s degree is preferred, but not required, in a related field or equivalent in experience.