Grounds and Horticulture Supervisor

Position Summary

Under the Direction of the Facilities Director, this role supervises full‑time and seasonal crews that perform grounds maintenance, sanitation, and horticultural tasks at Utah’s Hogle Zoo. Responsibilities include maintaining pathways, planting areas, trees/shrubs, irrigation, and associated facilities, as well as providing event logistics support. The position requires strong employee motivation skills and a passion for conservation, a can‑do attitude, resourcefulness, respectful communication, and a strong work ethic in support of the zoo’s mission.

Reports directly to the Director of Facilities. Directly supervises the grounds staff.

• Organizes and schedules work tasks and assigns duties to unskilled, skilled, or semi‑skilled work crews. Inspects work in progress and final work quality across multiple locations in the Zoo.
• Hires qualified seasonal employees during peak workload seasons.
• Recommends changes in resource allocation, priorities, or new ideas to improve appearance and efficiencies; ensures work meets performance quality standards.
• Creates biannual landscape and planting plans (spring and fall) for landscape needs and tree/shrub replacements.
• Tracks supplies, materials, and equipment; recommends necessary purchases and ensures proper maintenance and safe operation of all equipment.
• Supervises property sanitation and maintenance procedures, operating equipment such as backhoe, vehicles, carts, large trucks, loader, sweeper, aeration, and mower as needed.
• Prepares and submits payroll, daily time records, and attendance reviews; schedules work orders in a Maintenance Management system; completes safety and vandalism reports, material requisitions, maintenance logs, inspection lists, and USDA fence line inspection logs; establishes preventive maintenance schedules for all assets.
• Solves worker performance problems following established guidelines.
• Interprets blueprints, landscape plans, and construction inspections to ensure Hogle Zoo landscape specifications are followed.
• Collaborates with all Zoo employees and department heads, including external entities such as property owners, City Public Services, Public Utilities, and the State of Utah.
• Ensures safe operations and personal protective training; removes hazards and implements precautionary measures to protect visitors and employees.
• Coordinates with event organizers to prepare grounds and event spaces, performing necessary clean‑ups afterward.
• May perform after‑hours calls and call‑outs as required.
• Conducts regular informational and motivational meetings with staff.
• Monitors asset tracking to ensure all assets are accounted for, including tables, benches, fences, and USDA fence lines.
• Develops annual snow removal plans with the Maintenance Supervisor, trains personnel, and supervises execution of work to keep pathways, sidewalks, building entries, and parking lots free of snow and ice.
• Maintains a clean and organized shop area to enhance efficiency and safety.
• Submits other duties as assigned; keeps information confidential.

Education:

Two (2) years post‑high‑school training in Agriculture, Horticulture, Turf Management, Agronomy, Botany, or a related field, with four (4) years of job‑related experience. Must have current leading or supervisory experience. State of Utah, Department of Agriculture Non‑Commercial Pesticide Applicators License is required (or ability to obtain one within a few months). Possession of arborist, turf, and landscape certifications will be a plus.

This position requires a broad range of technical and interpersonal skills:

• Computer operations and technical software applications.
• Microsoft Office Suite proficiency.
• Experience with maintenance management software.

• Accounting, budgeting, and bookkeeping.
• Basic mathematical concepts and logic; ability to perform basic mathematical formulas and calculations.

• Knowledge of accepted floriculture, horticulture, and landscape design procedures and operations.
• Grounds maintenance and…