ABOUT US
The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is one of the leading school systems in Maryland and the nation. To learn more about us and our 2024 -2029 Strategic Plan, please visit our website and our careers page Join our award-winning workforce and make a difference in the lives of our students!
ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Before you begin, please read the job posting below carefully including the Application Requirements specific to this position. Be sure your application reflects experience and education required to meet the minimum and any preferred qualifications listed. Our application guide includes detailed instructions to assist you. Once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes.
Please note that application submission will be available only through 11:59 PM on the date prior to the indicated end date. If no end date is indicated, the posting will remain open indefinitely
Job Posting End Date:
Reminder: Current permanent and temporary employees must apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday, not the external career site.
Under the direction of the Manager, Building Maintenance, the Assistant Manager, Building Maintenance supports the daily operations, maintenance, repair, and preventive maintenance activities for Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) facilities. This position provides operational leadership and oversight for multiple building maintenance trades including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, doors and hardware, and fire and safety services.
This role coordinates maintenance operations across assigned schools and facilities to ensure safe, reliable, efficient, and code-compliant building systems that support the instructional mission of HCPSS. Responsibilities include personnel supervision, emergency response coordination, work order management, contractor oversight, budget support, operational planning, customer service coordination, asset management, system administration, procurement support, and development of departmental procedures and standards.
This role ensures school facilitiesremainsafe, operational, sustainable, and conducive to student learning through effective maintenance, leadership, operational accountability, and continuous improvement initiatives.
This position is considered essentialpersonneland the incumbent must be available 24/7 for emergencies.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A combination of education and experience may be considered.
Education:
High school diploma or GED.
Experience:
Applicants must meet ONE of the following combinations:
1. High school diploma or GED and ten (10) years of progressive experience in facilities maintenance, operations, building systems management, or a closely related field.
2. Associate degree and eight (8) years of progressive experience in facilities maintenance, operations, building systems management, or a closely related field.
3. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and six (6) years of progressive experience in facilities maintenance, operations, building systems management, or a closely related field.
The years of experience should include a minimum of one year of experience in each of the following areas:
Experience supervising maintenance personnel and coordinating multi-trade operations
Experience managing building maintenance operations in commercial, institutional, municipal, or educational facilities.
Experience coordinating contractors, vendors, procurement activities, andoroperational projects.
Experience responding to facility emergencies and managing competing operational priorities.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate for this role will alsopossessa combination of theadditionalqualifications below. If youdon’tmeet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Construction Management, Engineering Technology, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
Experience
Experience in K-12 educational facilities maintenance operations.
Experience managing preventive maintenance programs.
Experience monitoring, navigating, and responding to alerts within a Building Automation System (BAS).
Experience with budget development and operational planning.
Experience with public sector procurement and contractor management.
Experience implementing operational procedures, training programs, or maintenance system improvements.
Experienceutilizingcomputerized maintenance management systems (CMMS)
Experience reading and interpreting construction blueprint drawings and specifications
ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
The below list is a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of allpossible jobresponsibilities, tasks, and duties.
Supervises and coordinates daily building maintenance operations, including oversight of Senior Leads, technicians, mechanics, apprentices, contracted service providers, work order management, preventive maintenance programs, workflow prioritization, asset management systems, operational documentation, and reporting processes across multiple maintenance trades
Coordinates emergency maintenance response activities, including HVAC failures, plumbing emergencies, utility outages, environmental concerns, weather events, and other facility-related incidents requiring immediate operational response
Conducts field inspections, quality assurance reviews, operational audits, and facility condition assessments to ensure maintenance work meets HCPSS standards, code requirements, and operational expectations.
Coordinates maintenance activities with school administrators, custodial services, contractors, engineers, vendors, procurement staff, and other HCPSS departments to minimize disruption to school operations while supporting the efficient delivery of maintenance services
Assistswith budget development, procurement planning, contractor management, materialpurchasing, and monitoring maintenance expenditures to ensure effective use of departmental resources.
Supports personnel management activities, including recruitment, employee training, scheduling, timekeeping review, performance management, disciplinary coordination, and staff development
Assistswith the development and implementation of departmental procedures, operational standards, safety initiatives, training programs, and continuous improvement efforts to enhance maintenance operations.
Employee Safety
Theemployeeis responsible forthe use of safety devices and protective equipmentin order tominimize the frequency and severity of work-related accidents. The employeeis responsible forusing safe practices and methods in the operation and supplies related to their job.
The employee is further responsible for correcting any conditions within the building or grounds that may be hazardous to employees, students, or staff assigned to the building and reporting same to theappropriate administrator
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilitiesrequiredfor success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.
Knowledge of building maintenance operations, facility systems, and preventive maintenance practices.
Knowledge of HVAC, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, BAS controls, and general building systems.
Knowledge of applicable safety regulations, code requirements, and maintenance standards.
Ability to supervise and coordinate multiplemaintenancetrades and operational priorities simultaneously.
Ability to analyze operational issues and implement effective solutions.
Ability to communicate effectively with staff, school administrators, contractors, vendors, and the public.
Ability to develop procedures, operational documentation, and training materials.
Ability toutilizeCMMS systems, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and related software platforms.
Ability to respond effectively during emergency situations and operational disruptions.
Strong organizational, leadership, customer service, and decision-making skills.
ADDITIONALREQUIREMENTS
The person selected for this position must meet all requirements of the physical examination administered by a medical service selected by the Howard County Department of Education.
Licensure
Possession of a Maryland Class C driver’s license and satisfactory driving record.
Prior to any employment offer, the selected candidate will need to provide a copy of their license and consent to a review of their driving record.For positions requiring a CDL, a query of yourrecordwill also be run in the Federal Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse.
Working Hours
The duty day for this position is8hours including a one-hour duty-free lunch.
This position is classified as “essential” and requires the ability to be on call and respond to calls 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Individuals in this position areissuedan HCPSS mobile phone for these purposes. Accepting this position would require that you meet these requirements during your tenure with HCPSS.
This positionwill require occasional eveninghours.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Complete applications must besubmitted, and once your application has beensubmitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes. Incomplete applications will not beconsideredResumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
SupplementalApplication Questions
This position requiresapplicants to provide responses to the below supplemental application questionstodeterminewhether you meet the minimum and preferred qualificationsPlease upload your responses in a separate file to thesupplemental application questionssection of the application.
1. Do you have experience reading and interpreting constructionblueprintdrawingsandspecifications? If yes, briefly describe how you have applied this experience in your work.
2. Do you have professional experience using Microsoft OfficeExcelto manage data, prepare reports, and track projects? If yes, briefly explain how you applied this experience in your work.
3. Describe your experience developing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive preventive maintenance (PM) program for commercial or institutional facilities. What key metrics or indicators do you track to evaluate the success and efficiency of the PM program?
4. Describe your experience with public sector procurement compliance, developing scopes of work, and evaluating contractor performance to ensure projects stay on time and within scope?
5. Please share an example of a time youidentifiedan inefficiency in a building maintenance department and successfully implemented a new operational procedure, training program, or systemimprovement?What challenges did you face during adoption, and how did you overcome them?
SELECTIONCRITERIA
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be included in further evaluation.Interviews will be limited to those applicants who, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, have experience and education which most closely match thepositionqualifications and the needs of the school system.
Applicants maybe requiredto complete a skills assessment prior to or during the interview process.
EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
Compensation
This is a12-month per year position in the Howard County Association of Supervisors and Administrators-Administrators, Non-Certificated Supervisors (HCASA-NCS) employee unit. The current salary rangefor this position is in theGradeIIlaneon theNon-Certificated Supervisors salary scaleActual placement willbein accordance withthe salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCASA-NCSMaster Agreement which considers relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is exempt from overtime.
Retirement
Membership in the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) pension plan is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria defined in the State Personnel and Pensions Article and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). A qualifying employee cannot reject membership, nor can an ineligible employeeelectmembership.The annualcontribution to the pension plan will be 7% of an employee’s annual salary
Benefits
HCPSS offers a comprehensive benefits packagefor eligible employees.Information aboutadditionalbenefits such as paid time off can be found in the negotiated agreementfor employees in this bargaining unit.
Pre-EmploymentRequirements
Professional references will be contacted prior to any offerofemployment. Recommended candidates willbe requiredtoprovide references from current and recent supervisors.
All employees, regular and temporary, must be fingerprinted, have a criminal background investigation completed, and successfully complete the Maryland Employment History Review,pursuant toSection 6-113.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.In addition, some positions will requirecompletion of a physical examination and/or drug testing
Anyone offered employment isrequiredto provide proper identification and documentation of eligibility for employment in the United States. HCPSSparticipates in E-Verify anddoes not offer employee sponsorship.
For questionsregardingthisposting, please contactPhilip Wentt(philip_wentt@hcpss.org)ORhumanresources@hcpss.org
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
To request an accommodation during the application or interview process due to a documented disability, please email humanresources@hcpss.org
HCPSS celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind. HCPSS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees in providing them with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HCPSS are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, veteran status or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Howard County, Maryland is a suburban community of more than 330,000 situated midway along the Baltimore-Washington corridor. It is a county of contrasts — a blend of old and new, urban and rural, historical and progressive. The county’s borders encompass Ellicott City, one of the country’s oldest towns, and Columbia, a planned community conceived and designed more than 55 years ago by The Rouse Company.
A great community deserves great schools, and the Howard County Public School System is a recognized source of local pride. The school system consistently ranks among Maryland’s top school districts based on student performance on state assessments. Howard County students score above the national averages on standardized tests.
