Grounds and Horticulture Supervisor

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Facilities Director, this position supervises full-time and seasonal crews responsible for grounds maintenance, sanitation, and horticulture at Utah’s Hogle Zoo.

Responsibilities

• Organizes and schedules work tasks, assigns duties to skilled and unskilled staff, and inspects work for quality and completion.
• Hires, trains, supervises, and evaluates seasonal employees during high workload periods.
• Develops spring and fall landscape and planting plans, including tree/shrub replacements and enhancements.
• Manages supplies, materials, and equipment; recommends purchases; and ensures safe, proper maintenance of tools and equipment.
• Oversees sanitation and grounds maintenance, operating equipment such as loaders, sweepers, mowers, trucks, and carts as needed.
• Prepares payroll, reviews attendance, and manages work orders within the maintenance management system.
• Completes logs, inspection reports, and safety/vandalism documentation.
• Establishes preventive maintenance schedules.
• Reads and interprets blueprints and landscape plans; inspects construction projects for compliance with zoo standards.
• Identifies and resolves staff performance issues in line with established guidelines.
• Ensures grounds safety by addressing hazards, implementing barricades, and training staff in safe practices.
• Collaborates with zoo departments, external partners, and event planners to support zoo operations and events, including setup and cleanup.
• Participates in after-hours callouts as needed.
• Conducts regular staff meetings to communicate priorities and foster motivation.
• Oversees asset tracking of benches, tables, fences, and other infrastructure to ensure accountability and USDA compliance.
• Develops and supervises annual snow and ice removal plans to maintain safe guest access throughout the zoo.
• Maintains shop areas in an organized, safe, and efficient condition.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Demonstrates commitment to the zoo’s mission and maintains confidentiality at all times.

Qualifications

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