Director of Operations & Sustainability

Summary: This is a senior leadership role that directs the organization’s operations, grounds, and facilities, including, leading of management team to ensure all parks and facilities are consistently safe and clean. Provides leadership and oversight to operations staff to ensure a positive experience, with a focus on conservation, sustainability, and safety.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities – Essential Functions:

• Responsible for general supervision, coordination and implementation of regular maintenance, repairs, and miscellaneous care of assigned park locations, buildings, grounds, and equipment to ensure efficient and safe park operations in accordance with established organizational standards.
• Allocates materials, labor, and equipment resources according to organizational priorities and budget to provide the most efficient use of people and equipment.
• Responsible for leading organizational sustainability initiatives, including developing and managing the Sustainability Taskforce and deliverables.
• Responsible for the creation and implementation of MetroParks’ facility and maintenance plans and standards, which includes the documentation of standards, accurate and up-to-date inventory of all facilities and amenities, and the creation and management of the repair and replacement plan.
• Leads MetroParks’ fleet management program, including an accurate inventory of all fleet assets, creation and management of the rotation and replacement plan, coordination of all fleet purchasing, and ensuring all fleet assets are properly tagged and insured.
• Leads MetroParks’ safety program, including the creation and coordination of organizational safety and equipment training, regular attendance at BWC safety council meetings, and PPE and risk evaluation.
• Maintain operational efficiencies and consistent SOPs across all locations.
• Provides oversight and implementation of MetroParks’ Legacy Program, including external communication, coordination, and installation of memorial benches and trees.
• Manages or delegates management of contracted operational services and usage agreements.
• Responds to public inquiries, complaints, and conflicts.
• Principal project manager for all facilities related projects, prioritizing future preventative maintenance plans, coordinating with planning department on internal projects.
• Coordinates the use of ODOT paving allocations for park road and parking improvements.
• Prepares annual departmental budgets and assists staff in preparing and working within current budget.  Ensures MetroParks budget and purchasing procedures are followed, including by staff. Makes financial recommendations and decisions based on cost recovery ideology and financial forecasting.

• Manages organizational casualty and liability insurance. Manages all casualty claims and completes regular request-for-proposals for renewal as required.

• Assists with capital improvement projects as assigned.
• Maintain and enforce MetroParks horticultural standards and practices.
• Coordinates agreements with partner organizations.
• Works with Planning department on execution of capital projects and collaboration on grants to advance the mission of the MetroParks of Butler County.
• Operates MetroParks licensed motor vehicles, tractors, mowers, and other common grounds maintenance equipment as assigned.
• Attends meetings as a representative of MetroParks, conducts meetings, and makes presentations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Provides positive interactions, creates connections and values teamwork with staff at all levels.
• Understands the importance of community collaboration and actively supports the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
• Strives to seek opportunities and has a willingness to bring ideas forward.
• Ability to consistently provide positive and unique experiences for guests.
• Understands and provides good customer service and is welcoming to all members of the public and staff.
• Understands financial responsibility and has a commitment to being personally accountable for how work is performed.
• Ability to work unsupervised, to organize and coordinate, to prioritize and self-initiate, and to manage tasks.
• Ability to effectively and appropriately deal with confidential information.
• Proactive approach to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability. Forward thinker who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.

• Leadership skills (individual and team): coaching, team building, providing direction, goal setting, decision-making, problem solving and analytical skills.
• In-depth interpersonal skills: demonstrated emotional intelligence; proven track record of establishing and maintaining critical relationships internally and externally; demonstrated trust and integrity.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and basic mathematical competency with strong knowledge of proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Computer proficiency: understanding and proficiency in operation of business information systems, timekeeping software, asset management, and Microsoft Office products.

Required Education and Experience:

• A minimum of four (4) year degree from an accredited college or technical school in Natural Resources, Wildlife Management, Horticulture, Conservation, or a related field.
• A minimum of seven (7) years maintenance and/or stewardship experience with a park, natural resource or conservation agency or closely related employer.

• A minimum of five (5) years in a managerial role.

• Experience in and working knowledge of common practices of general park maintenance, minor building and equipment repair, grounds keeping, landscaping, conservation land management and stewardship activities and equipment.
• Ability to efficiently operate and teach others to safely and properly operate various types of grounds maintenance and/or construction equipment.

• Proficient using the latest versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or similar non-proprietary software. Basic computer and software competency, which includes use of email, spreadsheets, and word processing is required.

• A valid driver’s license with an acceptable motor vehicle record allowing insurability by the park district’s current vehicle insurance carrier under existing coverage provisions. Candidates for employment may not have more than 4 total points (or equivalent penalty) issued by a recognized licensing authority for driving-related violations on their driving record at the time of employment.

• Possession of a valid Ohio Department of Agriculture Public Operator License as a Certified Pesticide Applicator allowing utilization of restricted-use pesticides/herbicides for ornamental plant and shade tree pest control and/or turf pest control required at the time of employment, or before completion of the initial probationary period and thereafter is required.
• No history of felony convictions.

Work Environment & Schedule:

This position is a full-time, exempt position. Employment in this position requires availability for a flexible schedule which may include work on evenings, holidays and weekends and is prepared for on-call maintenance during emergencies. Ability to work in all outside weather conditions; wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold (below 32 F degrees) and extreme heat (above 90 F degrees).  Ability to work around various outdoor contaminants, such as pesticides, herbicides, and airborne and plant allergens.  Some work assignments and tasks will require exposure to and work in inclement weather conditions.

 Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to remain in a stationary position for several hours, move about consistently during shift, position self to operate or maintain equipment, or inspect sites to detect safety concerns.  The employee may occasionally move up to 50 pounds.

Reasonable accommodation will be made for known physical limitations of qualified employees and applicants with disabilities.

The position functions and responsibilities are illustrative only and do not represent all the duties or tasks to be assigned or performed by an employee with this position title.

Alternates to the above qualifications may be acceptable as approved by the Executive Director.