Position is open until filled. Portland Public Schools has the right to make a hiring decision during any time of the hiring process.
BASIC FUNCTION
The Executive Director of Capital Planning & Modernization provides enterprise-level leadership, strategic direction, and owner governance for Portland Public Schools’ capital improvement and school modernization portfolio and executive oversight of the District’s real estate, planning and design, and non-capital construction functions.
The Executive Director, reporting to the Senior Chief of Operations, serves as the District’s senior owner representative for voter-approved capital programs, ensuring that significant public investments advance District priorities, educational and operational needs, long-range facility strategy, and commitments made to voters and the community. The position establishes the strategic, financial, governance, and performance framework within which the District’s external Owner’s Representative/Program Manager delivers the capital program. Rather than providing day-to-day construction or project management for bond-funded projects, the Executive Director holds the external program manager and other major partners accountable for performance and ensures appropriate District oversight of portfolio scope, budget, schedule, quality, risk, compliance, and outcomes.
The Executive Director also provides executive oversight of the District’s real estate portfolio, planning and design activities, and non-capital construction program. Through the leader responsible for these functions, the Executive Director ensures effective stewardship and strategic use of District property and delivery of planning, design, and construction activities that fall outside or intersect with major bond-funded capital programs.
The Executive Director advises executive leadership and the Board of Education on complex capital and real estate decisions, emerging risks, competing priorities, and long-term investment strategies. The position ensures PPS maintains the institutional knowledge, governance systems, owner capabilities, and planning discipline necessary to successfully deliver current voter-approved commitments, manage its physical asset portfolio, and prepare for future capital needs.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
The classification specification does not describe all duties performed by all incumbents within the class. This summary provides examples of typical tasks performed in this classification.
Capital Strategy & Portfolio Governance
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Provide executive leadership for the District’s capital improvement and school modernization portfolio, establishing strategic priorities, governance frameworks, performance expectations, and decision-making structures aligned with District goals, long-range facility needs, and commitments to voters and the community. “E”
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Translate District strategy and facility needs into an integrated capital investment strategy; advise executive leadership and the Board on priorities, sequencing, affordability, tradeoffs, and long-term implications of major capital decisions. “E”
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Govern portfolio performance and risk across projects, establishing measures and escalation thresholds for scope, schedule, budget, contingency, quality, compliance, and other key outcomes; direct corrective strategies when performance deviates from expectations. “E”
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Evaluate significant changes to project scope, budgets, sequencing, delivery strategies, and capital priorities; make or recommend decisions within delegated authority and elevate consequential matters to executive leadership or the Board. “E”
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Ensure capital strategy and investments are integrated with educational, operational, financial, technology, safety, sustainability, accessibility, and long-term facility considerations through collaboration across District functions. “E”
Owner Representation & External Program Manager Accountability
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Serve as the District’s executive owner representative and primary executive accountable for oversight and performance of the external Owner’s Representative/Program Manager portfolio of work . “E”
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Establish clear roles, decision rights, deliverables, performance expectations, and accountability among the District, Owner’s Representative/Program Manager, architects, engineers, contractors, and other capital program partners. “E”
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Evaluate the Owner’s Representative/Program Manager against contractual obligations and District expectations for cost, schedule, forecasting, risk, project controls, quality, reporting, and overall program performance. “E”
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Maintain sufficient independent District oversight to critically evaluate external recommendations, assumptions, forecasts, and risks; establish escalation protocols and require corrective or recovery actions when significant performance concerns arise. “E”
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Oversee major program-management agreements and ensure external partners operate in the District’s best interests and in accordance with applicable law, Board policy, public contracting requirements, District standards, equity commitments, and voter-approved requirements. “E”
Bond Governance, Financial Stewardship & Board Accountability
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Provide executive governance and stewardship of voter-approved capital programs, ensuring bond resources are administered transparently and consistent with voter authorization, Board direction, applicable law, District policy, and public commitments. “E”
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Oversee capital program financial performance, including master budgets, forecasts, expenditures, contingencies, cost trends, and emerging financial exposure; ensure appropriate District review, reconciliation, and internal controls.“E”
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Advise executive leadership and the Board on significant capital financial and program decisions, including scope changes, budget reallocations, use of contingency, emerging funding gaps, and strategies necessary to maintain portfolio integrity. “E”
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Identify and communicate significant financial, contractual, operational, schedule, compliance, and reputational risks; direct mitigation strategies that protect public resources and District interests. “E”
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Provide accurate and transparent capital reporting and present complex recommendations and decision items to the Superintendent, executive leadership, Board of Education, Bond Accountability Committee, auditors, and other oversight bodies. “E”
Real Estate, Planning & Design, and Non-Capital Construction Oversight (25%)
Provide executive oversight of the District’s real estate portfolio, planning and design, and non-capital construction functions, ensuring these programs align with District priorities, facility needs, financial stewardship, and long-term asset strategy. “E”
Direct, through assigned leadership, District real estate activities including acquisition, disposition, leasing, licensing, easements, property agreements, due diligence, and property evaluation; advise executive leadership and the Board on significant property strategies and transactions. “E”
Provide executive direction for planning and design functions, ensuring consistent application of District facility, educational, accessibility, sustainability, safety, and operational standards across capital and non-capital projects. “E”
Oversee the non-capital construction program through assigned leadership, establishing priorities and ensuring projects are appropriately scoped, funded, procured, delivered, and coordinated with schools, Facilities, and other District stakeholders. “E”
Establish priorities, performance expectations, and accountability for assigned leadership and ensure effective integration between internally managed real estate, planning, design, and construction activities and bond-funded work managed through the external Owner’s Representative/Program Manager. “E”
Executive Leadership & Future Capital Readiness
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Serve as the District’s senior strategic advisor on capital planning, modernization, real estate, and major facility investment, providing executive leadership that extends beyond any individual bond program or construction project.“E”
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Lead planning for future capital investment and bond programs, assessing long-term facility needs, funding requirements, market conditions, delivery capacity, organizational readiness, and lessons learned from current programs. “E”
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Anticipate emerging capital, real estate, regulatory, market, and delivery risks and opportunities; advise District leadership regarding long-term implications and strategies and lead through significant transitions in the capital and facility portfolio. “E”
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Lead, develop, and evaluate assigned professional and management staff; establish clear accountability, maintain productive external relationships, and ensure retained District functions complement rather than duplicate externally contracted program-management capacity. “E”
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Advance the District’s Racial Educational Equity Initiative and related Board policies, ensuring capital, modernization, real estate, and facility investment decisions consider impacts on historically underserved students, schools, and communities. “E”
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Represent the District in meetings, hearings, conferences, professional organizations, and other forums concerning school modernization, real estate, public capital investment, and related matters. “E”
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Perform related duties as assigned.
Note: At the end of some of the duty statements, there is an italicized “E”, which identifies essential duties required of the classification. This is strictly for use in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLASS
The Executive Director – Capital Planning & Modernization is an enterprise-level leadership classification responsible for the strategic governance and stewardship of the District’s significant capital investment and school modernization portfolio and executive oversight of the District’s real estate, planning and design, and non-capital construction programs. The position operates with substantial independence and advises executive leadership and the Board on decisions involving significant public resources, long-term District assets, voter commitments, complex contractual and real estate matters, and high levels of financial, operational, and reputational risk.
The Executive Director is distinguished from Senior Director and other capital project leadership classifications by its emphasis on portfolio governance, executive owner accountability, external program-manager oversight, Board-level decision support, long-term capital and real estate strategy, and executive oversight of multiple related facility programs, rather than day-to-day management of individual bond-funded construction projects.
For voter-approved capital programs, the Executive Director establishes the governance framework, performance expectations, decision rights, and accountability mechanisms within which an external Owner’s Representative/Program Manager and other professional service providers execute the District’s capital program. The position maintains sufficient independent District capability to evaluate external recommendations, challenge assumptions, identify systemic risks, make or recommend consequential portfolio decisions, and hold external partners accountable for results.
The position additionally provides executive oversight of internally led real estate, planning and design, and non-capital construction functions. Through subordinate leadership, the Executive Director establishes strategy and priorities, allocates resources, evaluates program performance, and ensures these functions integrate effectively with the District’s broader facilities, capital, educational, financial, and operational strategies.
The position further distinguishes itself through responsibility for maintaining the District’s long-term institutional capacity as a sophisticated public owner and steward of a significant real property portfolio. Its responsibilities extend beyond the current bond program to future capital strategy, long-range facility strategy, organizational readiness, property strategy, lessons learned, governance systems, and preservation of the knowledge necessary for responsible stewardship of District facilities and public investments over time.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Knowledge of:
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Executive leadership, organizational governance, strategic planning, and performance management in large, complex organizations.
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Capital portfolio strategy, long-range facility planning, bond governance, and stewardship of significant public investments.
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Owner governance and oversight of large capital programs delivered through external owner’s representatives, program managers, architects, engineers, construction managers, contractors, and other professional partners.
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Public-sector capital budgeting, forecasting, program controls, risk management, internal controls, contracting, procurement, financial reporting, and audit practices.
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K–12 facility planning, modernization, design and construction, lifecycle asset management, and non-capital facility improvement programs.
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Public-sector real estate portfolio management, including acquisition, disposition, leasing, property agreements, due diligence, and related legal and financial considerations.
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Laws, regulations, codes, Board policies, and public accountability requirements applicable to public capital programs, construction, and real estate.
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Board governance and effective communication of complex capital, financial, contractual, and risk information to executive leaders, elected officials, oversight bodies, and the public.
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Political, community, educational, financial, and operational considerations associated with major capital and real estate decisions in a diverse urban school district.
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Principles of effective organizational leadership, supervision, talent development, change leadership, equity, and stakeholder engagement.
Ability to:
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Provide enterprise-level strategic leadership and exercise sound executive judgment for a complex, high-value capital, modernization, and real estate portfolio.
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Translate District priorities and long-term facility needs into coherent capital, property, and investment strategies and recommendations.
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Govern major capital programs while directing, evaluating, and holding accountable an external Owner’s Representative/Program Manager and other professional service providers.
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Critically evaluate complex technical, financial, contractual, real estate, schedule, and risk information; challenge assumptions and determine when issues require intervention or escalation.
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Establish effective governance, performance expectations, decision rights, internal controls, and accountability while avoiding unnecessary duplication between District staff and external providers.
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Advise executive leadership and the Board on consequential capital, bond, and real estate decisions and communicate complex information clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
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Anticipate and manage significant financial, operational, contractual, compliance, and reputational risks affecting District resources and long-term interests.
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Provide executive direction to internally managed real estate, planning and design, and non-capital construction functions and ensure integration with externally managed bond work.
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Build collaborative relationships across District functions and with governmental agencies, oversight bodies, community stakeholders, consultants, contractors, and other external partners.
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Lead and develop professional and management staff, preserve institutional owner capability, and prepare the District for future capital programs and facility needs.
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Demonstrate integrity, transparency, sound judgment, and ethical conduct and advocate, model, and implement Portland Public Schools’ Racial Educational Equity Initiative and Board policies.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Required:
A Master’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, business administration, public administration, planning, finance, or a related field is required.
A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in capital planning, capital program management, facilities development, design and construction, or public infrastructure, including significant leadership responsibility for large, complex capital programs, portfolios, budgets (in the hundreds of millions), contracts, and professional teams is required.
Experience providing executive oversight of an external owner’s representative, program manager, construction manager, or comparable professional-services partner is required.
Preferred:
Experience leading capital programs in a school district, municipality, state or local government, higher education institution, or other complex public agency is strongly preferred.
Professional certification or licensure relevant to capital program leadership, architecture, engineering, construction management, project/program management, or public-sector facilities leadership is strongly preferred.
Special Requirements:
Positions in this classification require the use of a personal automobile and possession of a valid driver’s license.
Positions in this classification require variable work hours, including on-call, evenings, and weekends.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Persons with certain disabilities may be capable of performing the essential duties of this class with or without reasonable accommodation, depending on the nature of the disability.
Work Environment: Primarily performed at an office environment with regular visits to active construction sites, District facilities, schools, public meetings, and community settings; driving a vehicle to conduct work; occasional evening, weekend, and variable hours.
Hazards: Occasional exposure to hazardous conditions, equipment, substances, and materials associated with active construction sites; potential conflict situations associated with complex, high-profile public projects.
Physical Demands: Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard; hearing and speaking to exchange information and make presentations; sitting for extended periods; walking over rough or uneven construction-site surfaces; seeing to review complex documents, plans, financial information, and construction conditions; emotional stability and judgment necessary to work effectively under significant pressure and public scrutiny.
CLASSIFICATION AND SALARY:
This position is classified as an Senior Director - Salary Schedule FLSA Exempt.
For more details, view the complete Classification Specification.
Salary Range: $$174,070 - $186,621
Work Year: 260 days
Portland Public Schools (PPS) offers several competitive and comprehensive benefit packages to employees. Fringe benefits include medical, dental, vision, prescription, life and disability insurance, employee assistance program, 403(b) retirement savings plan and various leave and professional development programs. Depending on the insurance option selected by the employee, there may be an employee contribution toward insurance.
Portland Public Schools is a public employer and participates in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS/OPSRP). Eligible employees are required by statute to contribute 6% of salary on a pre-tax basis to OPSRP/IAP, after serving six months under a PERS employer.
For more information about additional benefits or compensation options by employee group, please visit our website at: https://www.pps.net/Page/1635
The District is focused on eliminating systemic racism and its impact on student learning. PPS is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all its educational and employment activities. The District prohibits discrimination based on race; national or ethnic origin; color; sex; religion; age; sexual orientation; gender expression or identity; pregnancy; marital status; familial status; economic status or source of income; mental or physical disability or perceived disability or perceived disability; or military service. Portland Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer.
Portland Public Schools (PPS) is seeking talented people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to lead change and inspire PPS students. At PPS, every employee, despite having different roles, is an educator. We hope to attract talented educators who model the core PPS Educator Essentials. With the District’s focus on eliminating systemic racism and its adverse impact on student learning, we seek to hire individuals who bring to our district a deep commitment to racial equity and social justice.
The District is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all its educational and employment activities. The District prohibits discrimination based on perceived or actual race; national or ethnic origin; color; sex; religion; age; sexual orientation; gender expression or identity; pregnancy; marital status; veteran’s status; familial status; economic status or source of income; mental or physical disability or perceived disability; or military service.
Accessibility Statement
