What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director of Gardens and Grounds position at City of Oklahoma City?
Love nature and leadership? Join our team to oversee stunning botanical gardens, pristine zoo grounds, and immersive animal habitats! Lead a dedicated crew, manage budgets, and ensure a top-tier guest experience. Ready to grow with us? Apply today!
Employment Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Starting Annual Pay: $70,557.00 - $88,196.00
Minimum Experience & Education Requirements : Three (3) years of progressive experience in horticulture, landscaping, botanical gardens operations, or grounds maintenance and a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
Department: Buildings and Gardens.
Direct Supervisor: Director of Building and Gardens.
Supervisory Responsibility: Direct (2); Indirect (20 ).
Primary Work Location: Zoo setting both indoors and outdoors.
Certification: Valid Oklahoma Class A driver’s license.
Other: This position is safety sensitive. It is subject to pre-employment and/or periodic background checks and drug testing.
Job Summary: The Assistant Director of Gardens and Grounds provides leadership and direct oversight of staff to ensure the Zoo’s public grounds and designated botanical gardens are developed and maintained to the highest standards. Reporting to the Director of Buildings and Gardens, the Assistant Director coordinates teams to prepare specific animal habitats for presentation to guests, to ensure the grounds are clean and manicured for the public, and to expertly maintain the botanical gardens. In coordination with the Director, the Assistant Director develops protocols, budgets, manages team member and volunteer performance while ensuring safety and focus on the guest experience.
Essential Job Functions
An employee in this position may be called upon to perform the following essential duties:
- Oversee functions and responsibilities of assigned assistant managers
- Coordinate team members, contractors, and volunteers
- Recruit, lead, evaluate, and mentor staff
- Manage garden design, planning, and execution
- Manage plant cultivation, propagation, and records
- Support animal care teams by overseeing plant materials for exhibits and animal enrichment as well as ensuring the upkeep of specific animal habitats
- Ensure safety compliance with Zoo and department safety protocols and training
- Ensure Zoo cleanliness, lawncare, landscaping, and irrigation systems function
- Support leadership in developing and reviewing department planning and financial budgets
- Augment staffing support with targeted planned volunteer programs
- Coordinate and implement conservation programs and efforts as part of Zoo’s mission
- Respond to emergencies and participate in Zoo Emergency Response Plan functions
- Coordinate department functions with other key stakeholders throughout Zoo
- Obtain and maintain certifications and professional training that support current industry standards
- Leads with patience, empathy, flexibility, reliability, and positivity
- Takes ownership of assigned team’s engagement, motivation, morale, and participation in meeting the OKC Zoo’s organizational goals and objectives
Non-Essential Job Functions
Perform other duties as assigned.
Oklahoma City is one of the fastest-growing metros in the United States and is the 20th largest city in the nation. For nearly two decades our residents have continually invested in our community to make it a place people can find belonging, visit and call home. Our employees are at the heart of those investments–delivering essential services our residents expect and creating a strong and thriving city for all people.
The Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden connects people with our world’s vanishing wildlife and wild places to inspire conservation action. We’re seeking candidates who are passionate about the planet and all that inhabit it. Join our team of hardworking experts and get ready for a career that you’re wild about! To learn more about the Oklahoma City Zoo and our conservation efforts, please visit www.okczoo.org.
Salary : $70,557 - $88,196
