Vice President of Facilities

Position Summary
The Vice President of Facilities is responsible for providing the overall leadership and strategic management of the Facilities & Engineering Department. This position oversees light construction and maintenance of the main aquarium facilities and property in Tampa, Florida, the sea turtle rehabilitation and coral conservation facility at the aquarium’s Florida Conservation and Technology Center in Apollo Beach, Florida, and ancillary offsite exhibits.

This role oversees and manages operations of the Facilities team, which includes maintenance, electrical, HVAC, and life support systems to accomplish day-to-day tasks and projects. The position is instrumental in leading the department to support the needs of other departments throughout the aquarium with special projects and events. The Vice President of Facilities fosters positive collaboration and coordination interdepartmentally as well as externally with vendors, contractors and partners.

With guidance from the leadership team, this person plays an integral role in envisioning and planning for infrastructure needed to support the aquarium’s mission and short and long-term goals.
The Vice President of Facilities plays a key role in facility and master planning and is actively involved in overseeing facility renovation and new construction.

Essential Position Functions
• Direct the workflow of all Facilities & Engineering staff, internal and contracted, and lead the organizational strategy around departmental services.
• Oversee the Aquarium’s Safety program, directly supervising the Manager of Occupational Health & Safety to ensure organizational compliance with all safety protocols and procedures.
• Create a work environment that promotes teamwork, efficiency and productivity, recognition and respect, employee satisfaction, high caliber staffing, training, and an exemplary role model standard for the department.
• Provide effective direction, supervision, and evaluation to Facilities team, and Manager of Occupational Health & Safety.
• Oversee maintenance of the Aquarium’s property, on and off site locations.
• Develop and manage departmental expense budgets and capital investment projects; works closely with SVP of Animal Care & Health on yearly budget and monthly status updates regarding expenses.
• Create and maintain a preventative maintenance program to ensure that the aquarium’s facilities are maintained and meeting federal and state guidelines.
• Build accurate special-project budget estimates and timelines to be communicated at an executive level and maintained by close management of the Facilities team.
• Analyze and recommend a best-in-class quality and cost-effective approach to support operations (labor, maintenance, renovation, repair, and supplies) including developing and executing policies, procedures, programs and budgets to assure effective maintenance of all facilities and equipment.
• Leverage the maintenance management software (Dude Solutions) to drive continuous improvement within the Engineering department by using data to improve processes and efficiency.
• Ensure the building infrastructure needs are being monitored, tracked, and maintained to ensure optimum efficiency and reliability including, but not limited to HVAC, refrigeration, building automation systems, plumbing, electrical masonry, carpentry, water systems, life support systems, and roofing.
• Develop exceptional interdepartmental collaboration, communication, and support; work closely with all departments to help ensure at that animal health and welfare as well as human safety comfort requirements and standards are met at all times.
• Conduct staff meetings on a regular basis to review department projects, safety programs, and maintain a high level of communication.
• Must ensure full compliance with code enforced work and the integration of permit and inspection processes affecting the field of work including but not limited to Fire Department, Building Department, Health Department, OSHA, and AZA.
• Manage outside contractors on outsourced projects to ensure compliance and safety.
• Deliver extraordinary customer service to all aquarium guests and internal customers.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by SVP of Animal Care & Health.

Qualifications and Technical Skills
• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, or closely related field preferred
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience managing all phases of a major capital project and facilities management responsibilities
• Experience working in an aquarium or zoo preferred; must have a thorough knowledge of marine pumping systems and filtration units
• Working knowledge of AZA accreditation standards and expectations
• Proven ability to manage multi-million dollar exhibit installations or other high impact projects that support an institutional brand
• Must have a thorough general understanding of building maintenance procedures and systems
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software.

Competencies:
• Customer Service Orientation — Listening and understanding the customer (both internal and external) and anticipating and evaluating the customer’s needs; making the customer’s satisfaction a high priority in all areas of responsibility.
• Teamwork — Support, facilitate, and participate in activities that promote team effectiveness; demonstrating sensitivity for the feelings and needs of team members and supporting team goals.
• Communication (oral and written) — Effectively expressing ideas verbally and non-verbally and actively listening to individuals and groups; preparing and focusing presentations to the characteristics and needs of the audience; expressing ideas clearly and concisely in written form, through memoranda, letters, reports, and other documents.
• Leadership — Effective and appropriate use of interpersonal skills to motivate individuals toward the accomplishment of goals; co-creating and communicating a clear vision through emphasis on the organization’s mission, individual and team goals, systems and rewards.
• Professional/Technical Knowledge and Competency — Remains current on developments in the field within and outside the organization; maintains proficiencies
• Analysis — Obtaining relevant information and identifying key issues and relationships from a base of information; comparing data from different sources (both interactive and written); defining underlying problems or opportunities and recognizing trends; defining and structuring functions and teams based on key strategies and goals.
• Planning and Organization — Establishing a course of action with specific long-range goals for the aquarium; setting priorities among competing requirements and allocating resources in the most efficient and effective way; developing contingency plans that anticipate changes in the work environment.

Physical Requirements:
• Ability to work in weather conditions typical to west central Florida.
• Lifting (up to 50 lbs.) — Occasionally
• Bending/Stooping /Squatting— Frequently
• Climbing stairs —Frequently
• Reaching above shoulders — Occasionally
• Crouching / Kneeling — Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling — Occasionally
• Sitting (2-4 hours per day)
• Standing / Walking (2-4 hours per day)
• Excellent vision for proofing and detail work
• Ability to travel (car/air) as needed — locally and/or nationally
• Working near moving machinery — Occasionally
• Exposure to marked changes in temperature and humidity
• Exposure to dust, fumes and gases
• Coping with demands (stresses that are associated with the job and/or the work environment) so that acceptable levels of performance and overall contribution are maintained
• Flexibility in working weekends, evenings and holidays as needed
• Available for on-call emergencies