Director of Capital Projects

Orleans Parish School Board; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

NOLA Public Schools is seeking a Director of Capital Projects in New Orleans to lead district capital improvement initiatives, supervise project managers, and coordinate with city departments and utilities. The role emphasizes delivering on time, within budget, and in line with Educational Design Standards.

The ideal candidate has extensive construction project management experience, strong leadership, and a track record of managing complex public sector projects in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Four-year bachelor’s degree in architecture, construction management, or engineering.
• Ten years of progressively responsible experience in construction project management, with substantial experience involving large, complex, and highly visible public projects and supervising project teams.
• OSHA #10 Certificate preferred
• AutoCAD experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Directs and supervises internal project managers as well as external project management/construction management vendor which manages multiple district capital improvement projects, including the development, planning, design, implementation, and quality control of each project from inception to completion
• Reviews the work of contract consultants retained to provide expertise in project studies and investigations, programming development, and design
• Reviews and approves submitted project budgets and cost estimates, establishes cost and schedule controls to ensure that all projects are appropriately reviewed and approved by the district’s Board and within budget limitations
• Ensures all projects are aligned with the Educational Design Standards defined by NOLA Public Schools
• Meets with project managers to ensure that the critical path and milestones are on track as well as evaluates progress on project tasks
• Provides oversight of all School Facility Preservation Projects that are directly managed by school entities
• Serves as the primary point of contact for project inquiries with City of New Orleans departments, other local governmental agencies and public utilities, and stakeholders,
• Facilitates effective communication both internally and externally ensuring all stakeholders are kept abreast of the status of the project
• Reviews documents and secures approval for necessary changes in scope
• Assists the Executive Director of Capital Improvements in planning, directing, supervising, and controlling the execution of technical, fiscal, and administrative functions of the capital improvement projects
• Ensuring that end-user criteria and scope are met by all design disciplines
• Prepares technical reports and documentation of activities for project management;
• Performs other responsibilities associated with this position as may be appropriate

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Budgeting

Contract administration

Public works regulations

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in architecture, construction management, or engineering

Ten years of construction project management experience

OSHA 10 Certificate preferred

AutoCAD experience preferred

Tools

AutoCAD

Project management software

Job description

NOLA Public Schools Vision

The vision of the NOLA Public Schools is that every student receives a high-quality education that fosters their individual capabilities, while ensuring that they thrive, achieve physical and mental wellness, and are prepared for civic, social, and economic success.

Position Summary

The Director of Capital Projects is responsible for managing the successful completion of all capital improvement projects, by direct management of project management vendors and in-house project managers supporting the school district. This position requires excellent management and organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities to create an efficient work environment while remaining flexible where needed. Ultimately, this individual will be expected to supervise managers, monitor, and evaluate all capital project activities and project timelines, while interacting with members of the facilities, procurement, and finance teams.

Direct Reports

Capital Projects Manager (3)

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Directs and supervises internal project managers as well as external project management/construction management vendor which manages multiple district capital improvement projects, including the development, planning, design, implementation, and quality control of each project from inception to completion
• Reviews the work of contract consultants retained to provide expertise in project studies and investigations, programming development, and design
• Reviews and approves submitted project budgets and cost estimates, establishes cost and schedule controls to ensure that all projects are appropriately reviewed and approved by the district’s Board and within budget limitations
• Ensures all projects are aligned with the Educational Design Standards defined by NOLA Public Schools
• Meets with project managers to ensure that the critical path and milestones are on track as well as evaluates progress on project tasks
• Provides oversight of all School Facility Preservation Projects that are directly managed by school entities
• Serves as the primary point of contact for project inquiries with City of New Orleans departments, other local governmental agencies and public utilities, and stakeholders,
• Facilitates effective communication both internally and externally ensuring all stakeholders are kept abreast of the status of the project
• Reviews documents and secures approval for necessary changes in scope
• Assists the Executive Director of Capital Improvements in planning, directing, supervising, and controlling the execution of technical, fiscal, and administrative functions of the capital improvement projects
• Ensuring that end-user criteria and scope are met by all design disciplines
• Prepares technical reports and documentation of activities for project management;
• Performs other responsibilities associated with this position as may be appropriate

Educational Background

• Four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in architecture, construction management, or engineering, or a closely related field
• Ten years of progressively responsible experience in construction project management, with substantial experience involving large, complex, and highly visible public projects and supervising project teams
• OSHA #10 Certificate preferred
• AutoCAD experience preferred

Preferred Skills And Management Experience

• Principles and practices of project planning, design, construction, and management
• Principles of contract development and administration
• Principles of budget development, implementation, and monitoring
• Laws and regulations related to public works projects; contracts, agreements, plans, specifications, procedures, and forms associated with public works projects
• Principles of leadership, management, and supervision
• Computer applications related to capital project management
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions and implement recommendations in support of project goals
• Works with a variety of stakeholders to foster cooperation, cohesion, and problem resolution
• Utilizes all commonly used project management software, records systems, and commonly used business software
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices
• Thrives in a dynamic, fast paced environment, and who has strong project management skills and great execution
• Strong sense of urgency and excellent attention to detail
• Asbestos Designated Person Certificate preferred

Salary Offers

Our salary offers reflect a commitment to equity and transparency. Each offer is determined by education, years of experience, and alignment with compensation across similar roles within the district.

Work Environment

• Required to use motor coordination with finger dexterity (such as keyboarding, machine operation, etc.) part of the workday;
• Required to exert physical effort in handling objects more than 30 pounds rarely;
• Required to be exposed to physical occupational risks (such as cuts, burns, exposure to toxic chemicals) rarely;
• Required to be exposed to physical environment which involves dirt, odors, noise, weather extremes or similar elements rarely;
• Normal setting for this job is an office/school setting

Performance Evaluation

The employee will be evaluated based on the above position using either two methods: via COMPASS/LEADS or a NOLA-PS evaluating instrument. If the employee holds an Educational Leadership certification, he/she will be evaluated via COMPASS/LEADS to ensure renewal of certification.

EEOC Statement

NOLA Public Schools is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, genetic information, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, lawful alien status, national origin, age, marital status, and non-job related physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.