Water Country - Director of Maintenance

Herschend • Portsmouth, NH

8d • Onsite

About The Position

Our story began 75 years ago when the Herschend family discovered wonder deep in an Ozark Mountain cave—and chose to share it with the world. Today, Herschend is the largest family-held themed attractions company, with 49 leading attractions and immersive experiences that reach audiences worldwide. While each brand offers something unique, all are united by a shared purpose: Bringing Families Closer Together by Creating Memories Worth Repeating®. Our passionate hosts make this purpose possible through everyday acts of love and service—what we call Heartspitality®—the intersection of heart and hospitality. As an equal-opportunity employer, we strive to provide environments where every host, guest, and partner feel welcome, valued, and loved. We firmly believe that words and actions matter, which is why all individuals are to be treated equally and with respect. The Director of Maintenance is a senior operations leader responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of all park attractions, facilities, and infrastructure. This role oversees preventive maintenance programs, capital improvement projects, and day-to-day maintenance operations to maximize attraction uptime and guest satisfaction. The Director of Maintenance leads and develops a diverse maintenance workforce, manages budgets and assets, ensures full regulatory compliance, and serves as a key partner across park leadership while participating in the Manager on Duty program. We are currently looking for a: Water Country - Director of Maintenance

Requirements

• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive maintenance leadership experience, preferably in amusement parks, water parks, resorts, hospitality, manufacturing, or large-scale facilities
• Proven experience managing preventative maintenance programs, asset management systems, and attraction or mechanical uptime
• Strong working knowledge of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, construction, and facilities maintenance
• Demonstrated experience leading, training, and developing large teams, including seasonal and hourly staff
• Experience managing operating budgets, labor budgets, purchasing, and inventory control
• Solid understanding of safety regulations, OSHA standards, environmental compliance, and chemical handling
• Strong project management skills with experience overseeing both routine maintenance and capital improvement projects
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including weekends, holidays, and on-call responsibilities during the operating season
• Ability to stand, walk, stoop, twist, kneel, bend, climb, or squat for long periods of time
• Ability to remain sedentary for extended periods of time, while using a computer
• Ability to remain on feet for majority of the workday
• Ability to carry, push, pull, lift, and hold objects weighing 75 pounds or more
• Ability to work in all non-conventional areas of the property, including in confined spaces or above ground-level, on scaffolds, ladders, and manlifts
• Ability to consistently use hands to grasp, control, move objects/tools
• Ability to see differences between colors and brightness
• Ability to see details of objects that are more than a few feet away

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in a water park, amusement park, theme park, or aquatic facility
• Familiarity with water treatment systems, pumps, filtration, slide systems, and aquatic attractions
• Experience with CMMS or asset management software
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Facilities Management, Business, or a related field
• Experience working with regulatory agencies, inspectors, and third-party auditors
• Vendor negotiation and long-term supplier relationship management experience

Responsibilities

• Ensure maximum attraction and facility uptime through proactive preventative maintenance, inspections, and rapid response to repairs
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve preventative maintenance programs, SOPs, and documentation for all assets
• Lead project management efforts for routine maintenance, seasonal start-up/shut-down, winterization, and large-scale capital improvement projects
• Ensure compliance with all local, state, federal, and industry safety, environmental, and operational standards, including chemical handling and water quality
• Hire, train, schedule, and manage performance for full-time, hourly, and seasonal maintenance team members
• Direct daily workflows, work orders, and labor allocation for maintenance, facilities, and grounds teams
• Oversee daily, weekly, and seasonal inspections of attractions, facilities, and grounds with accurate documentation and follow-up
• Manage asset lifecycle planning, inventory control, purchasing, and vendor relationships to optimize cost and reliability
• Develop and manage annual operating and labor budgets for the maintenance department
• Coordinate with contractors, engineers, slide manufacturers, inspectors, and regulatory agencies as needed
• Oversee facilities and building maintenance, including plumbing, electrical, carpentry, construction, and general repairs
• Manage groundskeeping and landscaping to ensure safe, clean, and guest-ready environments
• Participate in the Manager on Duty program, providing operational leadership and decision-making support
• Deliver exceptional guest service to external guests and internal team members while supporting park-wide operational goals

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Management Incentive Plan
• Comprehensive health and wellness package
• 401k Savings and Investment plan
• Enjoy free entry to Water Country and select Herschend parks at no cost on your days off
• Generous vacation and sick time

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director