Position: Director of Operations
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
Direct Reports: Facilities department, Director of Event Sales & Experiences
Vendor Relationship Lead for: Retail, Childcare, Landscape, Janitorial, Pest Control
Compensation: DOE
Why Utah?
Utah is home to five national parks, world-class skiing and snowboarding, hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, and stunning deserts, mountains, and lakes, all within easy driving distance. Outdoor adventure is part of everyday life. The Salt Lake Valley consistently ranks high for safety, clean communities, short commute times, and family-friendly amenities. Draper offers a balance of suburban comfort and urban access, with downtown Salt Lake City just 15 minutes away. Enjoy all four seasons without extremes—sunny summers, colorful falls, snowy winters, and mild springs, perfect for both outdoor recreation and city living. Utah’s communities are known for being engaged, supportive, and service-oriented, making it easy for newcomers to feel at home.
About Loveland Living Planet Aquarium:
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (LLPA) is a mission-driven institution dedicated to inspiring people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Founded in 1997, the Aquarium provides impactful educational experiences for guests of all ages and backgrounds.
Since opening its Draper, Utah facility in 2014, LLPA has welcomed more than 10 million visitors and delivered over 650,000 educational experiences to students. Home to over 4,000 animals representing 650 species, the Aquarium features immersive habitats from around the world, including coral reefs, kelp forests, the deep ocean, Antarctic waters, tropical rainforests, Asian cloud forests, and Utah’s freshwater ecosystems.
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2019, LLPA is in an exciting phase of growth. With the Sam and Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center currently under construction, the Aquarium will soon become the largest in the Mountain West and the fifth largest aquarium in the continental United States, offering expanded opportunities for education, research, and professional impact.
Position Summary:
The Director of Operations is a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for ensuring Loveland Living Planet Aquarium operates safely, efficiently, and in alignment with its mission and long-term strategic goals.
This role provides oversight of the Aquarium’s core operational functions, including facilities, infrastructure, vendor partnerships, campus services, and overall guest-facing operational readiness. The Director ensures that the Aquarium remains a premier destination through high standards of safety, reliability, and continuous improvement.
In addition, the Director provides executive oversight of the Aquarium’s events and venue operations through the Director of Event Sales & Experiences, ensuring event activities integrate smoothly into broader campus operations and support LLPA’s guest experience and revenue objectives.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Facilities Management, Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred)
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in operations, facilities, or campus-based environments
- Demonstrated experience managing large budgets and multiple vendor/service contracts
- Experience in nonprofit, hospitality, public-attraction, or mission-driven environments strongly preferred
- Familiarity with event or venue operations is beneficial but not required as a primary focus of the role
Critical Skills/Competencies:
- Proven success leading complex operations in a public-facing, mission-driven environment (aquarium, zoo, museum, theme park, or similar).
- Deep knowledge of facilities management, infrastructure systems, and vendor oversight.
- Strong financial acumen, project planning, and performance measurement skills.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
- Commitment to operational excellence, safety, sustainability, and exceptional guest experience.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide overall leadership, direction, and integration for all operational departments, ensuring alignment with LLPA’s mission, strategic plan, and guest experience standards.
- Ensure operational performance, safety, efficiency, and sustainability across Aquarium infrastructure and campus services.
- Develop and enforce operational policies, procedures, and performance standards promoting accountability and continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with senior leadership to support readiness for new exhibits, programs, construction, and strategic initiatives.
- Establish and monitor KPIs across operations and report progress to the Executive Team
Facilities & Infrastructure Oversight
- Provide leadership and direction to the Facilities Department, ensuring effective preventive maintenance and rapid response systems.
- Manage service contracts for landscaping, janitorial, pest control, and other vendors to ensure high quality and cost efficiency.
- Oversee maintenance prioritization and long-term capital renewal planning.
- Ensure compliance with safety regulations, AZA standards, and sustainability practices.
Events & Venue Integration (Secondary Oversight)
- Provide executive oversight of the Aquarium’s event operations through the Director of Event Sales & Experiences.
- Ensure events are operationally aligned with campus priorities, guest experience standards, and facility readiness.
- Support coordination with internal teams and partners to ensure smooth execution of major events.
- Monitor event-related performance goals and service standards as part of the Aquarium’s overall operational success.
Capital Projects & Construction
- Lead planning, budgeting, and execution of capital improvement, exhibit construction, and renovation projects.
- Partner with architects, engineers, designers, and contractors to ensure quality, cost efficiency, and brand alignment.
- Ensure adherence to project budgets, timelines, and reporting standards.
- Contribute to long-term facility master planning and capital prioritization.
Leadership & Administration
- Build and develop a high-performing operations leadership team.
- Establish department budgets, monitor financial performance, and ensure fiscal discipline.
- Promote cross-departmental collaboration to maintain seamless daily operations and guest satisfaction.
- Represent LLPA in interactions with contractors, vendors, and external stakeholders.
- Maintain visibility on campus to ensure operational excellence and team engagement.
Physical Demands of the Job:
This position requires regular movement between office, operational, and construction environments. Occasional lifting up to 40 pounds may be required. Exposure to varying weather and noise levels is expected. Periodic evening, weekend, or holiday work will be required to support operations and major events.
Benefits & Perks
- Comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus optional FSA/HSA accounts
- Paid time off & 12 paid holidays per year
- Paid bereavement leave and paid new child leave (birth, adoption, or placement)
- Employer-paid short-term disability; optional long-term disability coverage
- Convenient onsite childcare (employees pay approximately 20% of the cost)
- 401(k) with match up to 4% - fully vested from day 1 of contribution
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Free Aquarium membership
- Discounts on tickets, gift shop, and café purchases
- Free and discounted animal encounters
- Pet insurance and discounts
- Footwear discounts
- Entertainment, travel, and retail savings through Tickets at Work
While this job description attempts to describe the essential functions of the position, it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. It does not restrict management’s right to assign or reassign duties or responsibilities to this job at any time. The overall work environment while performing this job includes exposure to weather conditions and the noise level is usually moderate. The employee is expected to adhere to all policies and to act as a role model in the adherence to the policies.
The Living Planet Aquarium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or military status. The Living Planet Aquarium is committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application and interview process. Should you require accommodations, please contact accommodation@livingplanetaquarium.org.
