MEGAN JOHNSTON

Gesu at a glance:

Founded in 1926, the Church of the Gesu in University Heights, Ohio, is one of the largest parishes and schools in the Diocese of Cleveland. Gesu Church is home to nearly 7,000 parishioners, and the Pre K-8 Catholic School is home to nearly 700 students.

In 2024, Gesu launched a capital campaign with a goal of $12M raised by 2026. Funds raised will go to support the Gesu Endowment fund, Church and school infrastructure & preservation, and outdoor improvements.

As Chief Operating Officer, I direct the daily operations of multiple departments across the organization, including facilities management, human resources, and finance.

Facilities Management

• Coordinate the activities of subcontractors in relation to facility maintenance projects
• Facilitate walkthroughs and review bids received from contractors before awarding contracts for large-scale projects
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, surveyors, inspectors and other professionals involved in construction processes
• Work closely with city officials regarding permits required for various types of construction projects
• Manage scheduling of personnel, equipment and supplies throughout the duration of a project

Human Resources

• Hire, train, evaluate and retain high-performing, effective and diverse team embodying the Gesu culture
• Coordinate various benefits programs such as medical insurance, retirement plans and vacation policies
• Create job postings, track applicants and maintain applicant database
• Conduct background checks and reference checks of prospective employees
• Hold exit interviews and documented information discussed with employees

Finance

• Analyze financial data and identify areas of improvement for cost savings.
• Implement process improvements to reduce waste and optimize workflow
• Ensure compliance with Diocesan requirements

• Draft RFPs for schools looking to secure service providers
• Provide start of school readiness plans
• Support clients with the development of compliance / risk mitigation strategies

• Executive team member that oversaw all operations for a group of 5 public schools (3,000 K-8 students / 450 employees)
• Leader responsible for the outcomes achieved by the following teams: child nutrition, health services, transportation, facilities / real estate, state/Federal compliance, and school safety

• Hired, trained, coached and managed school-based Directors of Ops
• Negotiated seven-figure contracts and established accountability standards for providers on behalf of the network
• Established Covid-19 protocols and served as point of contact with health partners and officials

• Project managed major organizational initiatives, school replications and facilities acquisitions / renovations, including the relocation of the central office for 60+ staff
• Facilitated annual capital budget process; gathered school and central office input and collaborated on decision making for the highest priority facilities projects and investments

• Established key performance indicators and created external facing dashboard of operational excellence metrics
• Created playbooks and standard operating procedures for operational staff