Director of Events and Entertainment

Salary Range: $72,000.00 To $72,000.00 Annually

Collaborate with a passionate Zoo Crew in San Antonio

Choosing where to grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the place you choose to work at will support and guide you. With a diversity of passionate people, San Antonio Zoo is a place where you can collaborate with others securing a future for wildlife.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

The Director of Entertainment and Events is responsible for the creative vision, strategic development, and operational execution of immersive guest experiences and signature events at San Antonio Zoo. This role leads the creation of unforgettable, story-driven experiences that deepen guest engagement, inspire conservation action, and elevate the Zoo as a premier destination for entertainment and education. The position oversees the planning and execution of large-scale seasonal attractions, interactive activations, live entertainment, themed environments, and experiential programming that blend conservation, storytelling, hospitality, and innovation.

The Director of Consumer Events leads a multidisciplinary team of performers, educators, creatives, vendors, and operational partners to deliver exceptional experiences with extraordinary attention to detail. The ideal candidate is equal parts creative producer, operational leader, experiential designer, and team builder—someone passionate about transforming spaces into immersive worlds that create emotional connections and lasting memories for guests of all ages.

As a Director of Events and Entertainment, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative and diverse people in San Antonio. Here, you will make an impact by:

• Conceptualize, design, and execute innovative consumer events and immersive experiences that align with the Zoo’s mission, brand, and strategic goals.
• Develop compelling event narratives, themed environments, interactive moments, entertainment programming, and guest engagement opportunities.
• Lead the creative direction for seasonal festivals, nighttime experiences, holiday events, educational activations, and specialty programs.
• Ensure every guest touchpoint reflects a high standard of creativity, quality, storytelling, and operational excellence.
• Continuously identify emerging trends in experiential entertainment, themed attractions, live events, and hospitality to evolve the Zoo’s event offerings.
• Collaborate with marketing, animal care, education, culinary, operations, and facilities teams to create cohesive and memorable guest experiences.
• Champion a culture of attention to detail in all aspects of event execution.

• Oversee the planning, production, logistics, and execution of all consumer-facing events and entertainment programs.
• Develop and maintain production timelines, operational plans, staffing schedules, and event run-of-show documentation.
• Manage vendor relationships, entertainment contracts, production partners, and third-party service providers.
• Ensure all events are executed safely, efficiently, on budget, and in compliance with organizational standards and regulatory requirements.
• Lead onsite event operations and provide hands‑on leadership during event installation, execution, and strike.
• Establish and maintain event standards, operational procedures, and quality assurance processes.

• Deliver exceptional guest experiences that inspire repeat visitation, emotional connection, and community engagement.
• Create experiences that are immersive, inclusive, interactive, and memorable for diverse audiences.
• Maintain a strong presence during events to ensure high‑quality guest interactions and operational excellence.
• Foster a service‑driven culture rooted in hospitality, professionalism, and enthusiasm.
• Respond proactively to guest feedback and continuously improve the guest journey.

• Recruit, develop, mentor, and inspire a high‑performing events and entertainment team.
• Provide leadership to performers,…