Environmental Project Manager-BCP Visitor Center Operations Manager

Environmental Project Manager-BCP Visitor Center Operations Manager; United States; Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Travis County Natural Resources seeks a Visitor Center Operations Manager to open and operate the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve Visitor Center, planned to debut in 2028 on 96 acres. The role oversees facilities, exhibits, gift shop and staff, as well as contracts and daily operations to deliver high-quality, interpretive experiences in support of the Habitat Conservation Plan.

The successful candidate will lead long‑term site planning, coordinate with county divisions and external partners,

Qualifications

• Experience operating a visitor center of similar scale.
• Experience scoping and managing contracts.
• Ability to develop SOPs and policies for a visitor center.
• Supervise staff handling facilities, reservations, gift shop, and events.
• Experience reporting on metrics and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Performs as project manager for countywide programs and improvements.
• Supervises support staff; trains and orients.
• Provides environmental expertise for design, construction and maintenance.
• Monitors grant projects for compliance with funding regulations.
• Drafts project bid specifications and reviews plans.
• Interfaces with officials, staff and partners on environmental matters.
• Develops long-range plans for natural resources programs.

Skills

Visitor Center ops

Contract management

SOPs for VC

Staff supervision

Metrics reporting

Job description

Travis County Natural Resources is seeking an innovative, self-motivated Visitor Center Operations Manager to open and operate the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve Visitor Center. Expected to open in 2028 the BCP Visitor Center is situated on 96-acres of juniper-oak woodlands adjacent to the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. The site includes 3 miles of trail, an outdoor amphitheater, nature play area, an ADA accessible constructed cave, exhibit hall with static and digital panels, a classroom, a meeting/event space, 3-story observation tower and more. The site is part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve; a regional collaborative preserve formed in 1996 to manage land in partnership with the City of Austin and other partners for endangered species conservation.

The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve Visitor Center will be a world-class destination for community engagement and connection to nature; it will serve as a “Gateway to the Preserve.” It will increase the capacity of our Community Outreach and Education team to provide services that align with our primary function: provide community engagement experiences that interpret the function of and values associated with the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and the Habitat Conservation Plan.

We currently do this through: BCP neighbor and community-wide outreach, volunteer programs, citizen science and ecological restoration, guided hikes, night sky programs, and open houses. The VC will add capacity for new functions including school field trips, self-guided tours of the VC grounds, public meetings & symposia, and fee-based event rentals. The Operations Manager will lead long-term planning for and direct daily operations of the site and its amenities including stewarding the site’s natural and cultural resources, maintaining facilities and exhibits, maintaining gift shop and vending services, maintaining the facility according to SITES accreditation standards, and managing staff and contracts.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in the following areas:

• operating a Visitor Center of comparable scale
• contract scoping and management
• developing standard operating procedures and policies for a Visitor Center
• supervising staff that support facility, site and grounds operations including but not limited to: a centralized reservations system, gift shop operations and sales, developing systems to manage special events, and facility and grounds maintenance contracts
• reporting on metrics and outcomes

The Visitor Center Operations Manager will coordinate with the Natural Resources Division Managers to ensure that the VC site operations are aligned with the biological monitoring, ecological restoration, fuels mitigation, and other land and habitat management activities that are necessary to achieve the mission of the BCP, the Habitat Conservation Plan, and TNR. They will communicate with internal and external partners and stakeholders to look for mutually beneficial program alignment. This includes but is not limited to County and City divisions, nonprofit organizations, K-12 schools, colleges and universities. This will be a hybrid position with some work required on nights and weekends.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Performs as project manager, develops, implements, oversees, manages or administers projects, budgets, codes, specifications, policies and procedures for countywide programs, projects and improvements.
• Supervises support staff, evaluates staff job performance, coordinates and prioritizes schedules and assignments, and authorizes staff productive and non-productive work hours. Orients and trains staff.
• Provides environmental expertise and support for development design, construction, improvements, and maintenance. Monitors grant projects for compliance with funding agency regulations.
• Acts as liaison on environmental matters. Performs County, interlocal and code enforcement coordination. Advises County staff, citizens and other agencies and consultants on environmental matters relevant to County programs and projects. Resolves problems.
• Performs tasks as assigned in annual work-plan. Works with staff to develop and implement. Prepares and conducts environmental compliance training; oversees annual reports.
• Conducts environmental assessments, investigates and analyzes problems and advises methods to mitigate adverse environmental impact of all County operations. Monitors existing and proposed federal, state and local laws and regulations relevant to environmental aspects of County programs and projects and ensures compliance with such laws and related County policies and procedures.
• Develops, reviews, and recommends annual fiscal year expenditures involving contracts for capital improvement projects, grants, construction design, construction, maintenance, compliance issues, and general items to complete projects within policies and procedures.
• Manages and oversees the preparation and submission of grant applications for new and continued funding of programs through Federal, State, Local and County sources. Develops and prepares contract documents.
• Drafts projects bid specifications and performs plan review. Reviews and identifies potential environmental compliance problems with engineering design, construction plan activities and site assessments. Conducts research, provides recommendations, resolves issues and conveys information. Provides environmental compliance oversight in grant projects. Makes recommendations to resolve issues and conflicts in coordination with consultants, staff and other agencies.
• Serves as subject expert by advising Elected and Appointed Officials, department heads, County staff, general public and other agencies, and consultants on environmental matters relevant to programs and projects.
• Assists in the development of long range County plan for natural resources/environmental related programs and