Director of Environmental Services

UT Health Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

UT Health Austin is seeking a strategic Director of Environmental Services to lead enterprise EVS strategy, operations, and readiness across inpatient and ambulatory settings. Reporting to the Chief Facilities Officer, you will shape the EVS program, drive safety, patient experience, and scalable growth as part of the growing academic medical center.

You will build and mentor high-performing teams, manage budgets, and partner with Infection Prevention and Facilities to ensure compliance and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of healthcare EVS leadership experience in multi-site or large operations.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field; master's preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute enterprise EVS strategies, budgets, and service delivery.
• Lead planning for new facilities and expansions including staffing and training.
• Partner on infection prevention, regulatory readiness (Joint Commission/CMS/OSHA).
• Build high-performing EVS teams and a culture of safety and service excellence.
• Drive patient experience improvements, analytics, and adoption of new EVS technologies.
• Manage operating and capital budgets, vendors, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

EVS leadership

Healthcare operations

Cross-functional leadership

Regulatory readiness

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's in Business/Healthcare Admin/Hospitality/Environmental Health

Job description

We're building a modern academic health system designed for the future of healthcare.

At UT Health Austin and Dell Medical School, we're bringing together clinical excellence, innovation, research, technology, and patient-centered operations to rethink how healthcare is delivered.

As we expand toward a comprehensive academic medical center model, we're looking for a strategic, forward-thinking Director of Environmental Services (EVS) to help shape the operational foundation of our growing health system.

This isn't just an opportunity to lead an EVS department. It's an opportunity to help build one for the future.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Chief Facilities Officer, you'll provide strategic and operational leadership for environmental hygiene, custodial services, waste management, and textile programs across inpatient, ambulatory, and procedural care settings.

You'll play a critical role in hospital activation, new facility readiness, and developing scalable EVS programs that support patient safety, infection prevention, regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and exceptional patient experiences.

What You'll Lead

• EVS Strategy & Operations: Develop and execute enterprise EVS strategies, staffing models, budgets, performance standards, and service delivery across clinical and support environments.
• Hospital Activation & Growth: Lead EVS planning for new facilities and expansions, including staffing, workflows, training, equipment, operational readiness, and opening support.
• Patient Safety & Regulatory Excellence: Partner with Infection Prevention and Facilities to maintain cleaning and disinfection standards, Joint Commission/CMS readiness, OSHA compliance, and construction-related infection control (ICRA).
• People & Culture: Build, develop, and lead high-performing EVS teams while establishing a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and service excellence.
• Patient Experience & Innovation: Drive improvements in cleanliness, HCAHPS performance, quality auditing, operational analytics, and emerging EVS technologies.
• Financial & Operational Stewardship: Manage operating and capital budgets, vendor relationships, contracts, supplies, equipment, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Who You Are

You're an experienced healthcare EVS leader who combines operational expertise with the vision and adaptability to help build a growing academic medical center.

You'll bring:

• Education: A bachelor's degree in Business, Healthcare Administration, Hospitality, Environmental Health, or a related field; a relevant master's degree is preferred.
• EVS Leadership: At least 5 years of healthcare EVS leadership experience in multi-site or large tertiary healthcare operations. Ideally, you bring 10+ years of EVS experience, including 5 years leading a 300+ bed hospital or multi-facility system.
• Accreditation Experience: Experience leading an EVS department or division through Joint Commission accreditation.
• Professional Certification: Ability to obtain CHESP certification through AHA/AHE within 12 months of hire. Additional AHE, infection prevention, Lean/Six Sigma, or OSHA credentials are a plus.
• Complex Healthcare Operations: Experience across inpatient, perioperative, and ambulatory environments is preferred.
• Hospital Activation: Experience establishing EVS operations for a new hospital, ambulatory center, or major facility expansion is highly desirable.
• Collaborative Leadership: The ability to build strong teams, influence cross-functional stakeholders, and lead operational change.

Join UT Health Austin — Our Time Is Now!

We're entering a period of significant growth and transformation, creating a unique opportunity for leaders who want to do more than maintain existing operations.

The people joining us now will help shape the systems, teams, and culture of our academic medical center for years to come.

If you're passionate about patient safety, operational excellence, developing people, and building something meaningful, we invite you to be part of what we're creating at UT Health Austin and Dell Medical School.