Director, Environmental Services

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 122,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Texas Austin seeks a Director of Environmental Services to lead enterprise custodial, environmental hygiene, waste and textile programs across inpatient, ambulatory, and procedural settings. The role reports to the Chief Facilities Officer and develops strategy, budgets, staffing models, and performance systems to ensure regulatory readiness and high patient experience.

Responsibilities include establishing dashboards for executives, leading regulatory readiness for CMS/TJC, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Hospitality, Environmental Health, or related field.
• 5 years in healthcare EVS leadership with responsibility for multi-site or large tertiary operations (housekeeping/EVS, waste, textiles).
• Experience in leading an EVS Department/Division through Joint Commission Accreditation.
• Ability to obtain CHESP (Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional) within 12 months of hire (AHA/AHE).
• Master’s in Business, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, or related discipline (preferred).
• 10 years in healthcare EVS with 5 years leading a 300+ bed hospital or multi-facility system (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Leads EVS Strategy & Governance: Develops annual EVS strategic plan, scope of services, policies, and KPIs (e.g., ATP audits, HCAHPS cleanliness).
• Leads EVS operational readiness activities for new facilities, including pre-opening staffing plans, workflow mapping, training programs, policy/SOP development, equipment selection, and regulatory activation support.
• Chairs/participates in Environment of Care and interdisciplinary quality forums.
• Establishes dashboards and reporting cadence for executives and site leaders.
• Directs Daily EVS Operations: Manages service delivery for patient care units, ORs/procedural areas, clinics, public/administrative spaces, and support areas.
• Oversees dispatch/bed control for cleaning requests and patient throughput.
• Ensures Infection Prevention & Regulatory Compliance: Implements CDC environmental cleaning principles; ensures product selection per EPA lists and label contact times.
• Maintains readiness for Joint Commission/CMS surveys; leads corrective actions.
• Partners with Infection Prevention on evidence-based protocols, isolation practices, and surveillance feedback.
• Partners with Facilities, Construction, and Infection Prevention to design and monitor ICRA plans during construction, commissioning, and activation of new hospital spaces.
• Manages People, Staffing, & Training: Designs EVS staffing models/productivity standards; deploys AHE methodologies/tools.
• Hires, develops, and evaluates leaders, supervisors, technicians; promotes safety and recognition.
• Implements onboarding and ongoing competency validation.
• Leads cross-functional change management to align stakeholders throughout build and go-live.
• Drives Patient Experience & Service Excellence: Executes scripting/rounding to improve cleanliness perceptions and courtesy.
• Monitors HCAHPS domain performance; implements targeted improvement plans.
• Collaborates with Nursing and Patient Experience to address feedback in real time.
• Oversees Budget, Contracts, & Supply Management: Builds and manages budgets; optimizes labor, supplies, and equipment lifecycle.
• Manages vendor contracts (chemicals, equipment, waste, textiles); ensures value and compliance.
• Benchmarks cost and performance; conducts cost reports and surveys.
• Evaluates EVS delivery models and provides system recommendations.
• Implements Technology, Quality, & Analytics: Uses QA tools, CMMS/bed management systems; real-time data.
• Conducts audits, trend analyses, and corrective actions.
• Coordinates Construction/ICRA & Environmental Programs: Leads EVS scope for construction and pre-opening readiness; oversees waste and sustainability.
• Ensures OSHA Safety & Exposure Control and training with Safety/Employee Health.
• Leads Emergency Preparedness & Surge Response; integrates with Incident Command.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Hospitality, Environmental Health, or related field

Job description

Purpose

The Director, Environmental Services (EVS) leads the enterprise custodial/environmental hygiene, waste and textile programs across inpatient, ambulatory, and procedural settings to ensure a clean, safe, regulatory‑compliant environment that supports high-quality care and patient experience (e.g., HCAHPS cleanliness). Reporting to the Chief Facilities Officer, the EVS Director develops strategy, budgets, staffing models, and performance systems and is accountable for EVS operations, disinfection standards, regulatory/accreditation readiness (CMS/TJC), training, technology/analytics (bed turnover, QA audits), vendor/contract management, construction/ICRA support, and emergency preparedness.

Responsibilities

Leads EVS Strategy & Governance Develops annual EVS strategic plan, scope of services, policies, and KPIs (e.g., ATP audits, HCAHPS cleanliness).

Leads EVS operational readiness activities for new facilities, including pre‑opening staffing plans, workflow mapping, training programs, policy/SOP development, equipment selection, and regulatory activation support.

Chairs/participates in Environment of Care and interdisciplinary quality forums.

Establishes dashboards and reporting cadence for executives and site leaders.

Directs Daily EVS Operations Manages service delivery for patient care units, ORs/procedural areas, clinics, public/administrative spaces, and support areas.

Standardizes cleaning/disinfection methods and room turnover workflows (e.g., terminal cleans).

Oversees dispatch/bed control for cleaning requests and patient throughput.

Ensures Infection Prevention & Regulatory Compliance Implements CDC environmental cleaning principles; ensures product selection per EPA registered lists and label contact times.

Maintains readiness for Joint Commission/CMS surveys; leads corrective actions.

Partners with Infection Prevention on evidence‑based protocols, isolation practices, and surveillance feedback.

Partners with Facilities, Construction, and Infection Prevention to design and monitor ICRA plans during construction, commissioning, and activation of new hospital spaces.

Manages People, Staffing, & Training Designs EVS staffing models/productivity standards; deploys AHE methodologies/tools.

Hires, develops, and evaluates leaders, supervisors, technicians; promotes an environment of safety and recognition.

Implements onboarding, CHEST/CSCT tracks, and ongoing competency validation.

Leads cross‑functional change management to align clinical, perioperative, ambulatory, and support stakeholders throughout build and go‑live.

Drives Patient Experience & Service Excellence Executes scripting/rounding to improve cleanliness perceptions and courtesy.

Monitors HCAHPS domain performance; implements targeted improvement plans.

Collaborates with Nursing and Patient Experience to address feedback in real time.

Oversees Budget, Contracts, & Supply Management Builds and manages operating/capital budgets; optimizes labor (largest EVS cost), supplies, and equipment lifecycle.

Manages vendor contracts (chemicals, equipment, waste, textiles); ensures value and compliance.

Benchmarks cost and performance (e.g., cost reports, industry surveys).

Conducts formal evaluation of EVS delivery models (in‑house, outsourced, hybrid or technology‑enabled) using cost, quality, risk, and regulatory criteria; prepares system recommendations.

Implements Technology, Quality, & Analytics Uses QA tools (fluorescent marking/ATP), CMMS/bed management systems, and real‑time location/services data.

Conducts audits, trend analyses, and corrective action tracking.

Evaluates advanced cleaning technologies (e.g., electrostatic application, UV/adjunct disinfection platforms, robotics/AI‑enabled tasking) for integration when evidence‑based and compliant with label instructions.

Coordinates Construction/ICRA & Environmental Programs Leads EVS scope for construction and pre‑opening operational readiness (SOPs, routings, equipment selection, training, mock drills).

Oversees regulated medical waste, recycling, and sustainability practices.

Ensures OSHA Safety & Exposure Control Enforces BBP standard, exposure control plan, PPE, sharps/linen handling, and incident response.

Partners with Safety/Employee Health on training and recordkeeping.

Leads Emergency Preparedness & Surge Response Maintains EVS surge plans for infectious outbreaks, mass casualty, and utility disruptions.

Integrates with the hospital Incident Command and emergency operations plans.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Hospitality, Environmental Health, or related field.

5 years in healthcare EVS leadership with responsibility for multi‑site or large tertiary operations (housekeeping/EVS, waste, textiles).

Experience in leading an EVS Department/Division through Joint Commission Accreditation.

Ability to obtain CHESP (Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Professional) within 12 months of hire (AHA/AHE).

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s in Business, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, or related discipline.

10 years in healthcare EVS with 5 years leading a 300+ bed hospital or multi‑facility system, including perioperative and ambulatory environments.

Experience standing up EVS operations for a new hospital, ambulatory center, or major facility expansion, including planning, activation, and opening support.

CHEST/CSCT Train‑the‑Trainer (AHE); CMIP/APIC coursework; Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt; OSHA 30‑Hour for General Industry.

Salary Range

$135,458 + depending on qualifications

Working Environment/EQUIPMENT

Standard office equipment. Repetitive use of a keyboard. Frequent walking/standing. Lifting up to 35 lbs. Exposure to cleaning chemicals and odors; use of PPE; and work in patient care, procedural, and isolation environments per OSHA BBP standard.

Required Materials

Resume/CV 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following: E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP‑3031. The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street,UTA2.206, Austin, Texas78701.

Start Here, Change the World At The University of Texas at Austin, tradition meets innovation in the heart of a city that frequents lists of the best places to live and work. Named by Forbes as one of America's Best Large Employers for the sixth year in a row in 2025, UT offers both a dynamic work environment and a gateway to vibrant local culture. Whether you're at the forefront of the student experience, conducting world‑changing research or supporting the engine that drives Texas’ flagship university, working at UT means making a lasting impact on our city, our state and our world. Our more than 20,000 faculty and staff empower 55,000+ students to challenge ideas, pursue passions and shape their futures. Joining UT, you’ll become part of a community dedicated to making a meaningful impact on campus and throughout the world.

Comments and Inquiries

Email comments to [e-mail]. For questions or concerns regarding equal opportunity only, contact Equal Opportunity Services. Additional information for applicants can be found on the Human Resources web page: Applying for Employment. For more job information, call the Human Resource Service Center at [phone], or toll‑free at [phone]. UT Austin is a Tobacco‑free Campus