Director, Facilities

Houston Zoo•Houston, TX

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Facilities is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and reliability of all buildings, habitats, animal care facilities, infrastructure, utilities, and grounds at the Houston Zoo. This role ensures safe, compliant, efficient, and environmentally responsible environments that support animal care, guest experience, and organizational performance. The Director leads a multi-disciplinary team across facilities operations, including the MEP and Fabrication Shops, Facilities Services, Pest Control, and Grounds & Housekeeping, and is accountable for building a professional, data-driven facilities program. This includes establishing strong maintenance practices, implementing effective asset management systems, and delivering consistent, high-quality service across the campus. This role partners closely with Design & Engineering to support project delivery and long-term asset stewardship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) from a four-year college or university in related field, or one to two years of related experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum of ten (10) years of work experience including a minimum of five (5) years’ in management and leadership experience.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook); experience with SharePoint or similar document management systems preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead all maintenance and operations of buildings, infrastructure, utilities, and grounds
Ensure reliable, efficient performance of critical systems and minimize operational disruptions
Establish and enforce standards for the delivery of small projects and maintenance work, including clear expectations for scope, cost control, quality, and timely execution
Develop clear, consistent processes for work intake, prioritization, and communication across departments
Ensure facilities work is planned and executed in coordination with animal care and guest operations to minimize disruption and maintain safety and experience standards
Develop and enforce preventive and reactive maintenance programs
Ensure all work is initiated, tracked, and closed through the CMMS
Improve data quality, labor tracking, and system utilization across all teams
Maintain accurate asset inventories and facilities records
Develop visibility into asset condition and lifecycle needs
Support projection of capital reinvestment needs over a multi-year horizon
Partner with the Sustainability team to support energy, water, and waste reduction initiatives through facilities operations and infrastructure improvements
Lead, develop, and hold accountable a team of managers, supervisors, and technical staff
Establish clear expectations, performance standards, and accountability across all functions
Drive a culture of professionalism, ownership, and transparency
Manage the Facilities operating budget across all functions
Oversee procurement, contracting, and vendor performance
Ensure financial discipline and alignment with organizational priorities
Ensure all Facilities work is performed safely and in compliance with standards
Partner with the Safety team to address risks and improve practices
Provide input on constructability, maintainability, and lifecycle considerations
Support project execution, shutdown coordination, and turnover
Contributes to saving animals in the wild through reduction of waste, water and energy use and inspiring guests and staff to take wildlife protecting actions.
Performs other duties as assigned.