Vice President, Operations

Milton Hershey School; Hershey (PA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Milton Hershey School is seeking a dynamic executive to serve as Vice President of Operations. This role oversees a vast residential campus, managing facilities, safety, capital projects, and shared services. The VP will align operations with the school's mission and long-term goals while leading high-performing teams.

The successful candidate will drive strategic planning, ensure regulatory readiness, and foster partnerships with campus and external stakeholders to support student success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• Ten or more years of progressive leadership experience in complex operations.
• Proven success leading facilities, construction, campus services, safety, budgeting, and large teams.
• Strong communication, analytical, and financial management skills.
• Commitment to mission, integrity, and servant leadership.
• Strategic thinking aligned with institutional goals.
• Ability to lead through change and drive results.

Responsibilities

• Partner with executive leadership to translate strategy into actionable operational plans.
• Lead enterprise operations with performance measures, fiscal stewardship, and continuous improvement.
• Direct campus master planning, facilities strategy, capital projects, renovations.
• Ensure safety, compliance, risk management, and regulatory readiness across operations.
• Oversee facilities, maintenance, grounds, construction, food/clothing services, safety, and shared services.
• Drive innovation, technology adoption, process improvement, and modernization.
• Lead multi-year capital planning and investment prioritization.
• Develop leaders through coaching, accountability, and succession planning.
• Strengthen resilience via crisis management and business continuity planning.
• Foster partnerships across the school community and external stakeholders.

Skills

Exceptional communication

Financial/analytical skills

People leadership

Strategic thinking

Courageous communication

Coaching & developing others

Servant leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred

Degrees in business administration, finance, accounting, engineering, facilities management

Job description

Job Description - Vice President, Operations (26000126)

Vice President, Operations - ( 26000126 )

Description

Milton Hershey School (MHS) is one of the world’s premier private Pre-K–12 schools, providing approximately 2,200 students from disadvantaged backgrounds with a life-changing career-focused education, a nurturing home, and comprehensive support—all at no cost to families. Founded in 1909 by Milton and Catherine Hershey, MHS is fully endowed and has empowered more than 12,000 graduates to lead meaningful, productive lives. Today, our school continues to grow its impact and expand opportunities for future generations.

MHS is seeking an exceptional executive leader to serve as Vice President of Operations, overseeing one of the nation’s largest residential educational campuses with more than 7,200 acres and 6.5 million square feet of facilities. This is a unique opportunity to lead the services, infrastructure, and operational strategy that supports a thriving student community and advances a mission that transforms lives every day. Reporting directly to the President and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the Vice President of Operations will provide strategic leadership for campus operations, facilities, construction, safety, and shared services. This leader will balance long-range vision with operational excellence, ensuring the school’s resources, people, and infrastructure continue to support an extraordinary student experience and future growth.

The successful candidate will be a collaborative, mission-driven executive who inspires high-performing teams, drives organizational effectiveness, and delivers exceptional service in support of MHS’s mission and is aligned with MHS’s values – commitment to mission, integrity, positive spirit, and mutual respect.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with executive leadership to translate institutional strategy into actionable operational plans.


• Lead enterprise operations through clear performance measures, fiscal stewardship, and continuous improvement.


• Direct campus master planning, long-range facilities strategy, capital projects, renovations, and campus enhancements.


• Ensure exceptional safety, compliance, risk management, and regulatory readiness across operational functions.


• Oversee facilities, maintenance, grounds, construction, food and clothing services, campus safety, and other shared services.


• Drive innovation, technology adoption, process improvement, and operational modernization.


• Lead multi-year capital planning and investment prioritization aligned with institutional goals.


• Build and develop high-performing leaders through coaching, accountability, and succession planning.


• Strengthen organizational resilience through crisis management, business continuity planning, and risk mitigation.


• Foster trusted partnerships across the school community and with external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred. Degrees in business administration, finance, accounting, engineering, facilities management, or related fields are desirable.


• Ten or more years of progressive leadership experience, including senior-level operational leadership with comparable scope and complexity.


• Proven success leading complex operational organizations with responsibility for facilities, construction, campus services, safety, capital planning, budgeting, and large multidisciplinary teams.


• Demonstrated expertise in facilities management, construction, campus services, safety, budgeting, and organizational leadership.


• Exceptional communication, financial, analytical, conflict resolution, and people leadership skills.


• High integrity, a commitment to servant leadership, and a passion for engaging with students and the school community.


• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates future needs and aligns operational priorities with long-term institutional goals.


• Driving for Results: Delivers measurable outcomes while effectively managing complexity and accountability.


• Courageous Communication: Builds trust through transparent, thoughtful, and decisive leadership.


• Coaching & Developing Others: Creates opportunities for growth, mentorship, and leadership development.

Why Join Milton Hershey School?

This is more than an operations leadership role—it is an opportunity to shape the future of one of the nation’s most distinctive educational institutions. Every decision made by the Vice President of Operations directly supports the well-being, safety, and success of students while preserving and strengthening Milton Hershey School’s mission for generations to come. If you are a seasoned, strategic, mission-driven executive who’s built high-performing teams, led complex operations, and created lasting impact through innovation, we invite you to explore this extraordinary opportunity.

Schedule

Full-time

Job Type

Standard

Job Posting

Jul 24, 2026

If you are having trouble viewing any job descriptions and/or webpages on mhskids.org please call [phone] or email [e-mail]

Milton Hershey School does not discriminate in admissions or other programs and services on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religious creed or disability. Read on equal opportunity and diversity, equal employment opportunity, and more.important MHS policies

Milton Hershey School does not discriminate in admissions or other programs and services on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religious creed or disability. .Equal Opportunity Policy