Director of Engineering

Sandestin Investments LLC•Miramar Beach, FL

10d•Onsite

About The Position

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a large, multi-facility destination resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast, spanning approximately 2,400 acres and encompassing hospitality, recreational, residential, and commercial operations. Its facilities include 72 neighborhoods, approximately 1,400 vacation rental properties, four championship golf courses, a full-service marina, tennis facilities, private club amenities, dining outlets, Hotel Effie, and approximately 90,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The Director of Engineering is responsible for the overall operation, maintenance, repair, and long-term reliability of the resort’s buildings, infrastructure, equipment, utilities, and physical assets. The role oversees engineering and maintenance across the resort’s diverse facilities, ensuring they are safe, functional, well-maintained, and efficiently operated. The leader develops and mentors the engineering team, establishes preventive maintenance programs, oversees capital improvement projects, manages departmental budgets, and protects resort assets while supporting the guest and owner experience. The position is suited to a leader with experience in a large resort, destination property, or similarly complex multi-building operation. Experience limited to a single stand-alone hotel may not provide the breadth required. The Director works with resort leadership and department heads to coordinate operational priorities, projects, safety, and maintenance needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Construction Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
Five to seven years of progressive engineering or facilities management experience, including leadership responsibility; additional experience may be required based on the operation’s scale and complexity.
Demonstrated experience overseeing engineering and maintenance for a large resort, destination property, multi-building hospitality operation, or comparable complex facility.
Experience managing operating budgets, capital expenditures, renovation projects, contractors, and preventive maintenance programs.
Strong working knowledge of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems, building infrastructure, and life-safety systems.
Experience leading and developing a diverse maintenance and engineering team.
Knowledge of applicable building codes, safety standards, regulatory requirements, and emergency preparedness procedures.
Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and financial management skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities, make sound decisions under pressure, and work effectively with multiple departments.
Proficiency with maintenance management systems, work-order platforms, budgeting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
Ability to walk extensive distances across resort grounds, buildings, recreational facilities, and outdoor areas.
Ability to climb stairs and ladders and access mechanical rooms, rooftops, equipment areas, and other maintenance locations when necessary.
Ability to work indoors and outdoors in Florida heat, humidity, rain, and changing weather conditions.
Ability to inspect facilities, equipment, and work sites involving uneven surfaces, confined areas, noise, dust, and varying temperatures.
Ability to respond to urgent maintenance issues, emergencies, and severe weather events, including occasional work outside normal business hours.
Ability to communicate effectively with employees, contractors, guests, owners, and leadership across a large resort environment.

Nice To Haves

Previous engineering leadership experience at a large destination resort with multiple buildings, extensive recreational amenities, and significant infrastructure requirements.
Experience supporting golf facilities, marinas, private clubs, vacation ownership properties, condominium communities, or other mixed-use resort operations.
Experience overseeing properties with a substantial number of guest accommodations or individually maintained residential units.
Experience managing major capital projects, renovations, utility systems, and multi-year asset replacement plans.
Experience in a coastal market, including hurricane preparedness, storm recovery, corrosion prevention, and maintenance challenges associated with salt air and a humid climate.

Responsibilities

Oversee day-to-day engineering, maintenance, and repair operations across guest accommodations, common areas, restaurants, meeting and event spaces, recreational amenities, and supporting infrastructure.
Establish and maintain preventive maintenance programs for buildings, mechanical and electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC, elevators, life-safety equipment, and other critical assets.
Ensure facilities meet standards for safety, cleanliness, functionality, appearance, and guest service.
Coordinate maintenance priorities across departments and properties while minimizing disruption to guests, owners, members, and operations.
Monitor the condition of buildings, equipment, roads, sidewalks, lighting, drainage, and other assets; identify and proactively address issues.
Respond to emergencies, equipment failures, severe weather, and other operational issues as needed.
Maintain appropriate records, inspections, permits, service agreements, and maintenance documentation.
Lead and develop the engineering and maintenance team, holding it accountable for performance, productivity, safety, and service standards.
Establish departmental goals, work schedules, staffing plans, and performance expectations; recruit, train, coach, and develop supervisors, technicians, and other engineering personnel.
Build working relationships with resort leadership and department heads to coordinate maintenance needs and operational priorities.
Promote accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement, and timely response to maintenance requests.
Develop and manage capital improvement plans, equipment replacement schedules, and long-term maintenance strategies.
Assess major systems and equipment condition and useful life, and recommend repairs, upgrades, and replacements.
Oversee renovations, equipment installations, contractor work, and facility upgrades from planning through completion.
Obtain and evaluate contractor proposals, monitor project budgets and schedules, and ensure work meets specifications and safety standards.
Coordinate projects around occupancy, events, seasonal demand, and other operational considerations.
Maintain accurate asset inventories and recommend investments that protect property value and improve operational efficiency.
Prepare and manage operating and capital budgets for the engineering department.
Monitor labor, repair, maintenance, utilities, equipment, supplies, and contractor expenses; identify cost-reduction opportunities without compromising safety, quality, or guest experience.
Review utility consumption and implement practical energy and water conservation initiatives.
Evaluate vendor contracts and service agreements for cost-effectiveness and appropriate service levels.
Report regularly on departmental performance, project progress, expenses, and capital needs.
Ensure compliance with building codes, fire and life-safety requirements, environmental regulations, OSHA standards, and other applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
Maintain inspection schedules and ensure deficiencies are corrected promptly.
Support emergency preparedness, hurricane readiness, severe-weather response, and recovery efforts.
Work with Security, Risk Management, Human Resources, and resort leadership to address hazards and reduce operational risks.
Ensure employees and contractors follow safety procedures and use equipment appropriately; maintain emergency response procedures for critical equipment and infrastructure failures.
Improve the reliability, efficiency, and useful life of facilities and equipment through preventive and predictive maintenance practices.
Monitor energy and water usage and recommend improvements to building systems and operating practices.
Evaluate technologies, maintenance systems, and equipment that may improve productivity and reduce long-term costs.
Establish measurable standards for work-order completion, preventive maintenance, equipment reliability, and departmental responsiveness.