Director Purina Farms Operations

Nestle Operational Services Worldwide SA•Gray Summit, MO

3d•$172,162 - $198,645

About The Position

The Director of Purina Farms oversees all site operations at a 300-plus-acre family-friendly attraction located west of downtown St. Louis. Purina Farms includes a Visitor Center and Purina Event Center and hosts pet-centric events featuring dogs, cats, and barnyard animals. The role covers events and programming, visitor center and guest services, animal care and exhibits, and facilities. The Director establishes clear roles and accountability across functions and drives operational rigor in scheduling, staffing, procurement, vendor management, and seasonal readiness. The role champions a guest-first hospitality culture through service standards, visible leadership, guest feedback, and experience metrics. The Director leads and develops a high-performing team, fosters collaboration, accountability, inclusion, safety, and employee well-being, and strengthens capabilities that support engagement and retention.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive, results-driven leadership experience in hospitality event management or event marketing; experience in the theme park, hospitality, or a related high-volume entertainment industry is ideal.
5+ years in a senior management or director-level role leading and mentoring large, cross-functional teams in a dynamic, public-facing setting.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the theme park, hospitality, or a related high-volume entertainment industry.

Responsibilities

Lead daily operations, including staffing, scheduling, procurement, vendor management, and resource planning, to support consistent site execution.
Establish and maintain guest service standards that deliver memorable experiences and reinforce a guest-first hospitality culture.
Ensure operational readiness for events, seasonal attendance, and changing guest volumes; provide visible on-site leadership and address operational or guest experience needs as they arise.
Develop and execute short- and long-term plans to improve the guest experience, operational efficiency, site capabilities, and revenue opportunities.
Monitor guest feedback, attendance, operational performance, and other site metrics to identify continuous-improvement opportunities.
Deliver against business objectives related to guest attendance and engagement, revenue generation, and Purina brand reputation.
Partner with Marketing, Partnerships, Programming, Operations, Safety, Security, and Site Services to ensure alignment and maximize Purina Farms as a consumer and brand experience.
Translate Purina brand strategy into on-site experiences that strengthen consumer trust, engagement, and loyalty.
Lead and develop a high-performing team and promote a One Team culture focused on collaboration, accountability, inclusion, safety, and employee well-being.