Director De Operaciones

Kipling School is a private bilingual school in Mexico, founded in 1963, offering high‑quality education from preschool through high school. The school emphasizes academic excellence, global awareness, and multilingual education (English and French). It is certified as an IB World School, offering the PEP, PAI, and Diploma Programme, and is recognized among the top schools in the metropolitan area. Kipling provides a comprehensive, student‑centered model that includes extracurricular activities in sports, arts, culture, and technology.

Job Purpose:

Responsible for overseeing all administrative and operational activities of the school, focusing on facilities, purchasing, maintenance, and resource optimization. Ensures regulatory compliance, leads health and safety and facilities management, supervises contracts and projects, and manages support services such as transportation, catering, uniforms, and events to maintain efficient, safe, and high‑quality non‑academic operations.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee all administrative and operational functions, ensuring efficient, safe, and high‑quality non‑academic services across the school.
• Manage purchasing and budgeting, ensuring transparent processes and cost‑effective use of resources.
• Coordinate preventive and corrective maintenance to keep all facilities safe, functional, and well maintained.
• Lead contract management, ensuring vendors meet service, safety, and quality standards.
• Ensure full compliance with building codes, health and safety regulations, inspections, certifications, and NAE/OSHA requirements.
• Develop and implement Health & Safety programs, including risk assessments, drills, training, incident response, and documentation.
• Supervise support teams (maintenance, janitorial, security, purchasing, operations, reprographics, assistants) and foster continuous improvement.
• Oversee third‑party contractors, including security, cleaning, buses, catering, and maintenance, ensuring reliable and compliant service delivery.
• Manage school bus operations, including oversight of Bus Support Assistants and route coordination.
• Maintain and update compliance systems (Sphera, Evisort, SharePoint), inspections records, safety documentation, and emergency plans.
• Lead space planning and facilities management, including relocations, renovations, event setup, and annual campus planning.
• Coordinate emergency preparedness, evacuation drills, and readiness activities.
• Act as project manager for building improvements, ensuring cost-effectiveness and timely execution.
• Collaborate with leadership and finance on budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation.
• Promote best practices and cost‑saving initiatives by collaborating with other schools and NAE partners.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Accounting, or related field.
• Strong leadership, communication, and decision‑making skills.
• Excellent organization, time management, and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong negotiation, problem‑solving, and conflict‑management abilities.
• Experience with risk assessments, safety audits, and emergency planning.
• Proactive, adaptable, and committed to continuous improvement.
• Knowledge in Preventive/corrective maintenance and budgeting.
• A minimum of 6 years of successful professional experience in school operations, facilities, or health & safety management.
• Experience in Procurement, vendor negotiation, and facilities oversight.
• Knowledge of local/state/federal regulations and OSHA standards.
• English B2.