Summary:
The Facilities Maintenance Manager plays a central role in ensuring the zoo’s-built environment is safe, reliable, and well maintained for animals, staff, and guests. This position oversees a multidisciplinary team—including general craftsmen, HVAC technicians, mechanics, and waste management staff—to support daily operations and long term infrastructure needs across the zoo’s grounds, exhibits, and support facilities.
The ideal candidate is a hands on leader who thrives in a dynamic environment, understands the unique challenges of maintaining animal habitats and public spaces, and can balance preventive maintenance with rapid response to operational issues.
Essential Job Functions:
- Supervise and develop a diverse maintenance team (craftsmen, HVAC, mechanics, waste personnel), including scheduling, training, and performance management.
- Coordinate daily operations by assigning work, prioritizing work orders, and ensuring timely completion across all maintenance functions.
- Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Manage contractor relationships and maintain strong partnerships with city stakeholders, including follow-up on city work orders.
- Oversee maintenance and repair of buildings, animal habitats, mechanical systems, and public areas.
- Ensure efficient operation of HVAC systems to support animal welfare and guest comfort.
- Direct mechanical shop operations and skilled trades work, including vehicle/equipment maintenance and carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and general repairs.
- Manage zoo-wide waste, recycling, and sanitation operations, ensuring environmental compliance, sustainability practices, and waste-stream efficiency.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and local regulations through routine inspections and life safety system oversight.
- Support emergency response planning, including weather events and infrastructure failures.
- Develop and manage the departmental budget, including procurement, service contracts, and participation in long-term capital planning and infrastructure projects.
Minimum Education and Experience:
- 5+ years of experience in facilities maintenance, preferably in a zoo, theme park, campus, or similar multi building environment.
- 2+ years of supervisory or management experience.
- Strong knowledge of HVAC systems, mechanical equipment, and general trades.
- Familiarity with waste management operations and environmental compliance.
- Ability to read blueprints, technical manuals, and construction documents.
Competencies:
- Critical Thinking.
- Leadership & Team Management.
- Organization and Planning.
- Problem Solving/Analysis.
- Safety Awareness.
- Self-Motivation and Initiative.
- Technical and Mechanical Acumen.
- Written/Verbal/Oral Communication.
Supervisory Responsibility: This position has approximately 15 direct reports.
Reporting Structure: Reports to Director of Operations.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
Full-time salary positions are defined as positions scheduled to work approximately 40 hours a week. Scheduling is at the discretion of the manager.
This position is considered exempt under the federal and state wage and hour laws.
Scheduling Availability Requirements:
Position regularly requires flexible hours including weekdays, holidays, and weekends including early morning, daytime, and evening hours.
Work Environment:
Zoo Grounds: while performing the duties of the job, this position primarily works in an outdoor setting and will frequently be exposed to outdoor weather conditions, including low and high temperatures.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
This position requires frequent standing/walking/bending/kneeling and will often move or lift objects up to 50 pounds. The employee is constantly required to use hands and fingers to feel, handle or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Other Requirements:
- 21 years or older.
- Clear background check.
- Clear drug screening.
- Valid driver’s license.
- Clear MVR screening.
- Proof of current automobile insurance.
Benefits & Perks
The Memphis Zoo has a comprehensive benefits and employee perks package. Please see our Memphis Zoo Careers page for details.
EEOC and Inclusion Statement:
The Memphis Zoo believes that human diversity is as important as the biodiversity we seek to conserve. World-class zoos are comprised of world-class team members representing a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We value a diverse workplace and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, and veterans to apply.
The Memphis Zoo is an equal-opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws. If you need to request any accommodations for the interview or hiring process, please let the Human Resources team (HR) know. HR can be contacted at hrteam@memphiszoo.org.
The Memphis Zoo participates in E-Verify and is an EEO/ADA/Veteran employer.
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of pre-employment screening. Memphis Zoo is a drug-free workplace.
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
How to Apply:
Applications should be submitted via the Memphis Zoo Careers page. Please note that any other application submissions will not be considered. www.memphiszoo.org/careers.
