Director of Capital Projects

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Flexible spending accounts

Disability & life insurance

Paid time off

Park discounts

Free passes

Job summary

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden seeks a Director of Capital Projects to lead the full lifecycle of the Zoo's capital program, from planning to turnover. You will act as the owner’s representative for major external CM projects and directly manage smaller CapEx initiatives, ensuring safety, budgets, and schedules are met.

Responsibilities include coordinating with architects and contractors, leading a small team, ensuring sustainable design practices, and delivering projects that align with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent significant experience in construction-related field.
• Progressive experience delivering complex construction and capital projects from planning through turnover.
• Hands-on knowledge of estimating, scheduling, procurement, contracts, change management, and closeout.
• Strong financial acumen for budgets, forecasts, bids, contingencies, and payments.
• LEED experience or accreditation is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the full lifecycle of the Zoo's capital portfolio from concept to turnover.
• Establish budgets, schedules, scopes, decision points, and accountability; identify risks early.
• Maintain field presence, coordinate construction within an active Zoo environment to protect animals, guests, staff, and operations.
• Provide concise reporting on project status, cost, schedule, risk, and issues.
• Serve as primary owner representative for major capital projects (> $1 million) delivered by external CM.
• Hold CM accountable for safety, quality, budget, schedule, and sustainability.
• Review estimates, schedules, procurement plans, and change orders; surface and resolve issues.
• Coordinate among CM, architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, vendors, and Zoo stakeholders.
• Communicate and decide across internal groups to align design with operational milestones.
• Translate operational needs into design direction for partners.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Budgeting

Communication

Sustainability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Facilities Management, or related discipline

Equivalent significant experience

Job description

The Director of Capital Projects is responsible for the successful delivery of all Zoo capital projects - from early planning and design through construction, commissioning, closeout, and turnover. The role has two distinct delivery responsibilities: (1) serving as the Zoo's senior owner representative for major projects delivered by an external Construction Manager (CM), generally projects over $1 million, and (2) directly leading smaller CapEx projects, generally $20,000 to $1 million, for which the Zoo acts as its own general contractor.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the full lifecycle of the Zoo's capital portfolio, ensuring projects move efficiently from concept through design, permitting, procurement, construction, commissioning, closeout, and final handoff to the operating team.
• Establish clear project budgets, schedules, scopes, decision points, and accountability; identify risks early and drive issues to resolution before they become surprises.
• Maintain a strong field presence and ensure construction activity is coordinated with an active Zoo environment, protecting animals, guests, staff, contractors, facilities, and daily operations.
• Provide leadership with concise, accurate reporting on project status, cost, schedule, risk, and emerging issues.
• Serve as the Zoo's primary owner representative for major capital projects, generally those exceeding $1 million, delivered by the Zoo's external Construction Manager.
• Hold the CM accountable for safety, quality, budget, schedule, sustainability, documentation, communication, and overall execution to the Zoo's standards.
• Review and challenge estimates, schedules, procurement plans, logistics, contingency use, change orders, payment applications, and other project controls; ensure issues are surfaced and resolved promptly.
• Act as the central point of coordination among the CM, architects, engineers, specialty consultants, contractors, vendors, and Zoo stakeholders.
• Create efficient communication and decision-making across internal groups including Animal Care, Horticulture, IT, Graphics, Facilities, Operations, Visitor Experience, Security, and other departments as required by each project.
• Translate internal operational and technical needs into clear direction for design and construction partners, while ensuring Zoo teams understand schedule impacts, decision deadlines, responsibilities, and upcoming milestones.

CAPEX / IN-HOUSE PROJECT DELIVERY

• Lead the Zoo's smaller capital projects, generally $10,000 to $1 million, where the Zoo functions as its own general contractor.
• Perform or oversee the core duties of a GC, including scoping, estimating, bidding, procurement, contracting, scheduling, trade coordination, site logistics, safety, quality control, change management, punch-list completion, and closeout.
• Coordinate contractors and trades in a highly active operating environment while minimizing disruption to guests, animals, staff, events, utilities, and Zoo operations.
• Maintain disciplined cost and schedule control while preserving the speed, practicality, and hands-on problem solving required for smaller projects.

TEAM LEADERSHIP

• Lead, coach, and develop a junior capital projects staff member who will support day-to-day field coordination, documentation, follow-up, and boots-on-the-ground project execution.
• Build a culture of ownership, responsiveness, collaboration, safety, sustainability, and follow-through across the capital program.
• Serve as a visible advocate for the Zoo's leadership in sustainable design and construction. LEED Platinum-level performance is the standard for major projects, not an optional enhancement.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Facilities Management, or a related discipline; equivalent significant experience may be considered.
• Significant progressive experience delivering complex construction and capital projects from planning through turnover, including direct experience managing Construction Managers and/or general contractors as an owner's representative.
• Hands-on construction knowledge and strong understanding of estimating, scheduling, procurement, contracts, change management, construction means and methods, commissioning, and closeout.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and coordinate architects, engineers, contractors, specialty consultants, and diverse internal stakeholders.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to scrutinize budgets, forecasts, bids, change requests, contingencies, and payment applications.
• Demonstrated experience and passion for sustainable design and construction. LEED experience and/or LEED professional accreditation is a strong plus.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, judgment, and leadership skills, with the ability to adapt and adjust as the situation dictates.

SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE

Success means the Zoo's capital projects are delivered safely, on time, on budget, and to a consistently high standard; the external CM is effectively managed and held accountable; in-house CapEx projects are executed efficiently; communication among all parties is clear and timely; completed projects are ready for operations at turnover; and the Zoo continues to advance its leadership in sustainable design and construction.

Key Position Details & Benefits: This position is full-time, salaried-exempt, and eligible for the Zoo's benefit programs for non-union employees at the first of the month following date of hire. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports employee “Total-Well-Being,”

• affordable medical dental & vision coverage
• 401(k) plan with company match
• flexible spending accounts
• company-paid disability & life insurance
• generous paid time off (PTO)
• park discounts
• free passes