Manager Grounds & Housekeeping

6200 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030, USA

Posted Monday, December 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM

The Grounds and Housekeeping

Manageris responsible for overseeing the cleanliness, safety, and appearance of Houston Zoo’s 55-acre campus. This role leads both thehousekeepingand grounds maintenance teams to ensure a consistently clean and welcoming environment for guests, staff, and animals. The manager oversees day-to-day operations, develops strategic plans for seasonal androutineupkeep,drivesoperationalefficiencyand ensures compliance with safety, health, and environmental standards.

Thisrole provides direct leadership to supervisors and serves as a key partner to departments across the organization.

The Houston Zoo connects communities with animals, inspiring action to save wildlife.

To be a leader in the global movement to save wildlife.

• Manages cleaning and inspection of grounds, buildings, and structures to meet Zoo standards for safety, cleanliness, and guest experience.
• Develops and manages schedules for regular cleaning, trash and recycling, restroom sanitation, power-washing, and exterior landscape upkeep.
• Conducts regular inspections of zoo buildings, grounds, and facilities; identifies and resolves issues proactively.
• Oversees the maintenance of walkways, public spaces, restrooms, staff areas, and event venues across the Zoo.
• Develops, implements, and continuously improves standard operating procedures (SOPs) for housekeeping and grounds care, including for special events and weather emergencies.

• Supervises and leads groundskeeping and housekeeping staff, including supervisors and housekeepers with a focus on operational efficiency and mission-based values.
• Manages staffing needs including recruitment, selection, onboarding, scheduling, performance evaluations, ongoing training and development for department.
• Sets clear and measurable goals and expectations for the team; leads daily and weekly check‑ins to align priorities.
• Provides coaching, recognition, and corrective feedback to support performance, engagement, and retention.

• Ensures compliance with OSHA, EPA, local regulations, USDA and AZA standards, and Zoo safety and sustainability policies related to grounds and housekeeping activities.
• Ensures safe work practices and procedures are followed by all team members; maintains required safety documentation, inspection logs, and incident records.
• Participates in emergency response planning and response efforts (e.g., storm cleanup, biohazard incidents, special events), including supporting overnight ride‑out operations for storms and other weather‑related events.
• Collaborates with Pest Control, Animal Programs, Facilities, and Horticulture teams on an Integrated Pest Management program.
• Supports sustainability initiatives, including composting, recycling, waste reduction, and use of eco‑friendly cleaning practices.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for grounds and housekeeping concerns; responds to and resolves requests and complaints in a timely and professional manner.
• Collaborates with other departments to support events, renovations, and campus projects, including scheduling and logistics.
• Maintains effective working relationships with third‑party vendors and partners (e.g., food, beverage, and retail) to ensure clean, safe, and engaging guest environments, including waste and composting efforts.
• Communicates regularly with Facilities and Animal Care departments on priorities, conditions, risks, and upcoming needs.

• Develops and manages departmental operating budgets, including labor, equipment, and supply costs; identifies opportunities for cost savings and operational efficiencies.
• Maintains accurate records of cleaning, maintenance, inspections, and work orders.
• Prepares reports for leadership on departmental performance, staffing, safety, and resource needs.
• Identifies areas for operational improvement and implements process enhancements to support efficiency, safety, and guest satisfaction.

• Contributes…