Building Operations Director, ACRC

National Aquarium; Baltimore (MD); Hybrid; USD 71,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Aquarium in Baltimore seeks a Building Operations Director for the Animal Care and Rescue Center (ACRC). You will lead facility infrastructure, maintenance, and life support operations, directing contractors and vendors, managing budgets, and ensuring emergency readiness.

This on-site role requires strong leadership across departments to safeguard animals, staff, and assets. You will monitor 24/7 alarms, plan capital projects, and develop policies for access, storage, and safety.

Qualifications

• Eight years of facilities maintenance or life support management experience preferred; supervisory or personnel management experience required.
• Experience managing budgets and capital projects for facilities.
• Ability to manage building operations protocols and asset tracking systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee facility infrastructure operations and planning, including maintenance and quality of life for the ACRC.
• Administer asset inventory, lifecycle tracking, work orders, and spare parts inventory.
• Lead and supervise staff and contractors; manage budgets and contracts.
• Coordinate life support system operations and 24/7 alarm responses with cross-functional teams.
• Ensure safety compliance, OSHA/EPA standards, and incident response readiness.

Skills

Facility operations

Team leadership

Contractor management

Budget management

Safety procedures

Job description

Description

Job Title: Building Operations Director, ACRC

Posting Date: August 2026

Job Department: Facilities

Schedule: Full Time

Job Type: On-site

JOB SUMMARY:

The National Aquarium is seeking a Building Operations Director, Animal Care and Rescue Center (ACRC). This position is accountable for the facility infrastructure and grounds, maintenance, and operations policies such as waste management, pest control, access and parking, chemical storage, Aquarium fleet management, and shipping/receiving. The Building Operations Director, ACRC has authority to prioritize and perform facility work, direct contractors and vendors, make immediate operational decisions necessary to protect people, animals, infrastructure, and continuity of operations, and escape or initiate emergency response when conditions warrant. The role is also accountable for budgets; capital projects; and operational planning associated with the facility, system functionality, and life support operations.

The National Aquarium Animal Care and Rescue Center building houses facilities to include quarantine, food prep, veterinary care, exhibit fabrication, aquatic animal holding, bird holding, warehouse storage, public tour and education spaces, staff offices, and life support systems. This is an on-site, 5 day a week position.

This position monitors and responds to 24/7 off-hour alarms and emergencies, in collaboration with Animal Care, Conservation, Rescue, Life Support, Planning and Design, Safety & Security and Facilities staff.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

Operations and Maintenance

• Accountable for facility infrastructure operations and planning, project completion, preventative maintenance procedures, ACRC warehouse, and overall operational decisions for the facility.
• Own and administer the ACRC Asset Essentials program, including asset inventory, equipment lifecycle tracking, work order management, preventative and deferred maintenance tracking, long-term planning, reporting, and spare parts inventory.
• Perform and document building rounds to include mechanical, electrical, plumbing, life support, and structural assessments.
• Perform and plan for mechanical, life support, and plumbing repairs and maintenance; contract and oversee vendors for repairs and maintenance, as needed.
• Manage assigned ACRC capital, repair, and facility improvement projects, including scope development, budgeting, procurement, contractor coordination, scheduling, commissioning, and project closeout.
• Coordinate ACRC life support system operations and maintenance in partnership with Environmental Quality & Facilities and Animal Care & Welfare leadership. This position is responsible for day-to-day ACRC life support system equipment operation, maintenance, and emergency response within the institutional standards and protocols that are established by Aquarium Animal Care and Life Support teams.
• Monitor and assess 24/7 remote alarms on life support and mechanical systems for critical animal and building equipment.
• Respond to alarms on life support equipment, working with ACRC animal care staff to coordinate responses. Coordination may include main aquarium life support and animal care staff.

Budget Management

• Accountable for budget tracking and oversight, acting as ACRC budget manager.
• Work with Vice President, Environmental Quality & Facilities to establish annual and capital budgets for ACRC facilities.
• Responsible for invoice tracking and signing.
• Work with Vice President, Environmental Quality & Facilities to execute contracts with contractors and vendors.

Regulatory, Safety, and Policy Compliance

• Accountable for safety protocols and compliance for ACRC staff and operations, to include, but not limited to, OSHA, EPA, lockout/tagout, HAZMAT, chemical hygiene, and necessary inspections.
• Responsible for institutional fleet management of Aquarium vehicles; accountable for, but not limited to, emissions testing, registration, and other transportation regulatory requirements.
• Create, implement, and manage building contracts and policies, to include access, pest control, safety, parking, emergency response and public tour protocols.

Emergency Management

• Accountable for incident and emergency response for the ACRC facility, to include power outages, flooding, weather events, and other emergencies.
• Act as primary 24/7 point of contact for emergency incidents related to the facility and as point of contact for ACRC to the Incident Commander and/or Safety & Security in broader institutional emergencies.
• Participate in institutional incident response as part of the incident management team, acting as liaison for ACRC staff, which includes animal care, conservation, rescue, and planning and design, as required.

Cross Departmental Coordination

• Coordinate closely with animal care, conservation, fabrication, security, and rescue staff, and other building occupants and guests, to provide an optimal facility for housing of animals and public tours. Establish and run ongoing meetings with these ACRC teams to discuss this coordination.
• Coordinate with ACRC staff and main building Life Support, Animal Care, and Facilities staff for implementation and prioritization of maintenance needs and requests.
• Plan and execute training for ACRC staff in plumbing, life support, and other operational tasks related to systems and to safety (to include forklift, lift, and other equipment).
• Coordinate intra-campus mail deliveries and package deliveries; communicate with delivery companies.
• Adhere to all organizational and departmental policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned or required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Eight years of facilities maintenance or life support management experience preferred; supervisory or personnel management experience required.
• Strong communication and organization skills, with demonstrated experience and comfortability working across various types of work groups required.
• Demonstrated experience in leading complex facility operations.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and contractors.
• Demonstrated ability to manage asset tracking systems, budgets, and create effective building operations protocols.
• Demonstrated experience managing operations and capital budgets.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a 24/7 critical operating environment.
• Excellent working knowledge of building operations and mechanical, plumbing, and/or life support system equipment maintenance.
• Practical skills in instrumentation and electronics as it relates to aquarium systems.
• Proven understanding of mechanical and electrical best safety practices.
• Must be able to pass DOT physical requirements and drive National Aquarium vehicles according to the Insured Driver Policy. Valid driver’s license required.
• Ability to perform hands-on repairs, climb stairs and ladders, detect visual and audible alarms, detect odors, and work in both indoor and outdoor environments.
• Demonstrated ability to uphold workplace safety standards in industrial settings and in settings located around open water.

TOTAL COMPENSATION INFORMATION:

Salary range ($71,000-92,399 Annual). National Aquarium provides an excellent benefits package, including up to four weeks of paid family leave. Employees are eligible for health care (single and family) after 30 days of full-time work. Conservation day leave and 401(k) plan with employer match available.

About the National Aquarium

Established in 1981, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet. The Aquarium’s award-winning habitats are home to thousands of animals representing hundreds of species of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. We are proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and exceed industry standards in all aspects of animal care and welfare.

More than 1.2 million people visit the Aquarium each year to experience our immersive exhibits, and we reach far more through our science-based education programs and hands-on field conservation work. The National Aquarium is one of the top three aquariums in the United States and the largest paid cultural attraction in Maryland.

Our Mission and Goals

The Aquarium’s mission—to connect people with nature to inspire compassion and care for our ocean planet—begins within the walls of its buildings, but it does not end there. The Aquarium protects, enhances and restores natural resources through education and engagement, habitat restoration, animal rescue and sustainable business practices, with its conservation work guided by three overarching goals—to combat climate change, save wildlife and habitats, and stop plastic pollution.

Our Values

At the National Aquarium, our core values form the basis for our beliefs about our organization, our colleagues and ourselves, and serve as the framework to guide our behaviors and actions to achieve our mission.

Connection: We take the time to build lasting connections with each other, our guests, the animals in our care and the nature that surrounds us. We communicate clearly and collaborate readily within and across teams. We engage thoughtfully with our partners. We practice shared accountability.

Curiosity: We center learning and growth in all that we do. Our people are empowered to explore new approaches. We support taking risks. We value diverse perspectives and bold ideas. We embrace change.

Optimism: We celebrate the power of positive moments and shared experiences. We seek out opportunities to have fun. We reconnect with our purpose through sharing successes with our colleagues.

Service: We are in service to each other, our guests and our communities. We make intentional decisions and actions for the benefit of the people and animals within our organization.

Wellbeing: We ensure our people and animals have what they need mentally and physically to thrive. We are committed to improving the wellbeing of communities and sharing the healing power of natural for all.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

National Aquarium values an inclusive and diverse environment for all employees, volunteers, and interns. Our goal is to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a candidate pool representative of the variety of communities we serve. With a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, the Aquarium is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and promotes an environment free from all discrimination and harassment.

In the selection and retention of employees, volunteers, and interns, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, national, social, or ethnic origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical, mental, or sensory disability, sex (including pregnancy or childbirth), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, arrest record, family or caregiver status, HIV status, socioeconomic status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Our organization is dedicated to this policy with respect to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, training, promotions, performance management, and separation, and general treatment during time of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.