Chief Operating Officer

Company: Association Of Zoos & Aquariums
Location: Melbourne
Posted on: November 1, 2024

Job Description:

AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, Certified Related Facilities, Commercial Members, Conservation Partners and Society Partners may post free unlimited online job listings as a member benefit. Non-members can purchase job listings.Interested in a career in AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums? Learn more about types of zoo and aquarium jobs and relevant education programs in our career center.Brevard ZooChief Operating OfficerAbout East Coast Zoological FoundationEstablished in 1986, the East Coast Zoological Society, d.b.a East Coast Zoological Foundation (ECZF), is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Melbourne, Florida. It includes Brevard Zoo, Restore Our Shores, and the future Aquarium and Conservation Center campuses that will work collaboratively to ensure our mission to share our joy of nature to help wildlife and people thrive is realized.Since its inception, the community has been an integral part of the Zoo, with the Brevard Zoo recognized as the largest community-built Zoo worldwide, supported by nearly 16,000 volunteers who collectively contributed 84,808 hours of labor. Located 55 miles outside central Orlando, the Brevard Zoo has become the largest zoo in East Central Florida, caring for nearly 900 animals and welcoming more than 500,000 guests a year, with 44% of guests from outside the county.With the help of its surrounding community, the Zoo has continually been recognized as a leading institution in top zoo lists and awards from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Brevard Zoo has continuously been voted as a top zoo in the nation by USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice awards.Position SummaryEast Coast Zoological Foundation seeks a transformative, mission-driven, strategic, engaged leader to become its first Chief Operating Officer. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the COO is responsible for the organization's business operations, facilities management, earned revenue, and safety, and in the future, will oversee animal and veterinary services as well. The COO will provide the forward-thinking operational strategy and leadership for achieving the organization's goals, supervise the multi-departmental directors, and oversee and manage business and operational protocols and standards. This experienced leader will have the exciting opportunity to establish the operations leadership function in a new capacity.The ideal COO is a dynamic and trusted leader who can build and execute thoughtful and ambitious strategies while ensuring operational excellence across the enterprise and its multiple campuses. They will have exceptional interpersonal and people management skills, with the ability to build and manage high-performing, cohesive teams. The COO will be a results-oriented motivator with high standards for excellence. They will be a clear, consistent, and empathetic communicator, someone who excels at relationship building, is constantly innovating and is dependably pragmatic, has entrepreneurial instincts, and naturally absorbs new information. The COO is someone who thrives in a collaborative and fast-paced environment, a problem-solver and innovator who is driven by excellence and accountability. The COO is responsible for establishing credibility throughout the organization and, in conjunction with the CEO and board, is an effective developer of solutions for business challenges and opportunities.The COO must be committed to animal well-being and environmental conservation, passionate about this mission, and dedicated to working with the diversity of staff, stakeholders, and communities we serve.This is an incredible opportunity for an experienced operations leader to join the organization's Executive Team, leading the transformation of Brevard Zoo's organizational and operational efficiency and the continued development of a new world-class Aquarium campus. The COO is responsible for the organization's master plans and future development. This includes an acute and consistent focus on driving revenue through attendance and admission, other customer-facing revenue streams, and optimizing guest operations at the Brevard Zoo to ensure an exceptional guest experience. The COO is charged with increasing profitability through traditional and entrepreneurial initiatives.The COO will play an integral role in the ongoing development of the new Aquarium campus and lead operations across the two facilities: the Brevard Zoo campus and the in-process aquarium at Port Canaveral. They will provide broad oversight and overall supervision of the Zoo and Aquarium campuses and marketing efforts. The COO will also work collaboratively with other members of the Executive Leadership Team to evaluate and facilitate improvements in operational functions to ensure efficient and effective support of ECZF's strategic plan and efficient use of financial resources.Additionally, the COO oversees and administers requests for proposals or qualifications, processes, and contracts as needed. In addition to the existing responsibilities, this role requires expertise in project management, conflict resolution, data analysis, and executing changes based on data insights with an entrepreneurial focus. Familiarity with the Zoo master plan is integral to aligning operations with long-term goals. As a member of Executive Leadership, the COO is expected to participate with all other team members in a collegial and collaborative manner, considering issues and making decisions from the view of ECZF as a whole, without partiality to one's own area(s) of responsibility. Members of the Executive Leadership Team must be able to employ systems thinking and embrace all areas of ECZF as interrelated and interdependent.Essential Job FunctionsThe COO position requires demonstrable operational leadership success, an entrepreneurial mindset, and an ability to develop alliances and coordinate the shared interests of all aspects of the East Coast Zoological Foundation and its multiple campuses. It requires excellent strategic, communications, and problem-solving skills to meet the challenges of a growing cultural institution focused both on its existing Zoo campus in Melbourne, FL, and the development of an emerging world-class Aquarium campus located nearby at Port Canaveral. This leadership role necessitates the ability to operate strategically and methodically in a fast-paced environment where everything from the structural, operational, cultural, and experiential dimensions of the organization continue to evolve. A successful enterprise-wide change management, process improvement, and operational excellence track record is essential for success in this role.The successful candidate must have comprehensive experience in and advanced knowledge of the following:

• Complex institutional and operational leadership
• Infrastructure, technology, and facilities management; multiple-campus management and oversight
• Organizational and project budget development, monitoring, and reporting
• Contract development, management, and negotiations
• Staffing and supporting Board committees
• Strategic planning design and execution
• Organizational development, change management, and culture buildingPrimary direct responsibilities include:Leadership
  • Collaborate with the Chief Executive Officer in setting and driving organizational vision, operations strategy, and long-term plans for corporate growth and evolution.
  • Contributes to the Executive leadership team's cultivation and maintenance of a highly inclusive culture that ensures team members can thrive and organizational goals are met.
  • Collaborates with executive leadership to develop and meet organizational goals while supplying expertise and guidance on operational strategies, projects, and systems.
  • Acts on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer as needed.Strategy, Marketing, Earned Revenue
    • Serves as a key advisor to the CEO.
    • Works across departments to ensure that the physical offerings of the organization meet the current and future needs of animals, guests, and employees.
    • Working with other C-suite leaders, ensures that departmental decisions and project plans, such as those for staffing, development, organization, material efficiency, hardware acquisitions, and facilities, align with the overall budget, business plan, mission, and vision.
    • Directs and oversees ECZF's activities, including onsite guest experiences and revenue, attendance marketing, capital planning, and business system planning.
    • Helps prioritize the management and use of funds to align with the organization's vision, mission, and strategic plan.
    • Directs and implements organizational goals, budgets, objectives, and all ECZF operations.
    • Translates strategy into actionable steps for ECZF's growth, implements performance management, and plans annual operations.People Management + Culture
      • Works with the other officers and Aquarium and Zoo Directors to play a key role in staffing the new campus and setting up an effective matrix reporting system.
      • Models organizational practices for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), workplace safety, and conflict resolution.
      • Works collaboratively with leadership team members to develop, implement, and communicate necessary institutional policies and procedures.Facilities
        • Establishes, implements, and communicates the strategic direction of the organization's physical plant(s), animals, safety, veterinary programs, and membership.
        • Ensures joint planning and ongoing collaboration between the two campuses through direct oversight of the Aquarium and Zoo Executive Directors and all other departments under their supervision.
        • Ensures that the maintenance and upkeep of both campuses, buildings, and amenities are sufficient to maintain operational excellence, aesthetics, ambiance, and cosmetic standards.
        • Leads the development, implementation, and execution of the Zoo and Aquarium Master Plans in partnership with their respective Executive Directors and the CEO.Operations
          • Directs and participates in the negotiation and administration of contracts for major services and capital construction.
          • Establishes, communicates, and implements operations-related policies, practices, standards, technologies, and security measures to ensure effective and consistent support and execution across the organization.
          • Presents periodic performance reports and metrics to the CEO, board of directors, and other leadership.
          • Establishes and administers the department's budget; supports financial planning, reporting, controls, and related systems for areas of responsibility and ensures that these processes coordinate with the overall organizational activities.
          • Reviews and approves cost-control reports, cost estimates, and staffing requirements for operations-related projects and initiatives.
          • Oversees enterprise-wide hardware systems management, including onsite IT infrastructure (currently outsourced), such as POS, security systems, employee workstations, laptops, phones, radios, etc.
          • Responsible for maintaining compliance with all AZA accreditation standards, USDA Standards for animals, and any state and regional standards.
          • Maintains knowledge of emerging technologies and trends in operations management.
          • Other duties as assigned.QualificationsPosition Requirements
            • Bachelor's degree in business administration or related field with ten (10) or more years of proven experience as Chief Operating Officer or in a comparable, relevant role.
            • An advanced degree in Business Administration, Organizational Management, or a related field is strongly preferred.
            • Project Management Institute (PMI) certification is a plus.
            • General management experience in a zoo, aquarium, or theme park is beneficial, not required.
            • Well-developed executive presence.
            • High emotional intelligence; able to understand the needs and concerns of colleagues.
            • Ability to communicate with all levels of internal and external management/leadership.
            • Professional and well-organized with strong time management skills; detailed, with the ability to manage multiple priorities/projects concurrently.
            • Ability to handle high-pressure situations in a calm, productive manner.
            • Well-developed decision-making, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
            • Strictly confidential with the ability to handle and protect sensitive, personal, and confidential information/material.
            • Demonstrated ability to think and plan strategically in micro (localized/departmental-level) and macro (global/organizational-level) contexts.
            • Ability to document processes and procedures, ensuring seamless transitions of duties amidst planned or unplanned absences or personnel changes.
            • Ability to effectively manage employees.
            • Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
            • Possess the following personal attributes: mission-driven, trustworthy, strategic, organized, results-driven, self-starter, inclusive, transparent, and collaborative.
            • Strategic thinker and planner.
            • Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft applications.
            • Flexibility and resilience in the face of external threats to ECZF's development objectives.
            • Curiosity and motivation to maintain an up-to-date understanding of operational, executive, and leadership industry best practices.
            • Task- and outcome-oriented.While direct knowledge and experience in a Zoo, Aquarium, or environmentally focused mission area are not required, the ideal candidate will be passionate about animal welfare, education, conservation, and our environment and will understand the value proposition of our organization, our local communities, and the global community of conservationists.Reporting RelationshipsThe COO reports directly to the CEO and may ultimately have the following areas under their purview:
              • Executive Director, Zoo
              • Facilities
              • Animal Programs
              • Veterinary Programs
              • Guest Experience
              • Memberships
              • Marketing
              • EventsAn interim reporting structure has been implemented to ensure all functional areas and department leaders are sufficiently supported during this leadership transition. The ultimate reporting structure will be identified with the help of the COO once they are onboard.LocationThis position is based in Brevard County, FL. The successful candidate must reside in or relocate to the Brevard County region.The salary for this position is approximately $190,000-$210,000. New employees are eligible for company insurance benefits on the first day of the month following 60 days of continuous full-time employment. Benefits include:
                • Medical insurance
                • Dental and Vision insurance
                • Life and Short-term disability insurance
                • Voluntary long-term disability, accident, critical illness options
                • Voluntary term life and AD+D coverage
                • Health Savings Account (HSA) for eligible employees
                • 403(b) retirement plan with a discretionary match up to 3% of base salary
                • Paid time off accrues at 5.23 hours per pay period for a total of 136 hours or seventeen (17) days per year for employees in their first three years; in months 36-71, a total of 184 hours or twenty-three (23) days per year are accrued at 7.07 hours per pay period; beginning at 72 months, employees accrue a total of twenty-eight (28) days per year; maximum carryover is 160 hours.
                • Bereavement leave offered in the event of the loss of a family member, a companion pet, or a Zoo animal in an employee's direct care
                • Employee assistance program
                • Zoo membership and tickets
                • Admission to local attractions through AttractionShareAs a reflection of our firm's commitment to equity and equal pay for all, Cooper Coleman requires that salary ranges or salary starting points be published for every search we conduct. The practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender and racial wage gap and discriminates against women, people of color, and other historically excluded populations by causing individuals to negotiate from a disadvantaged starting point.Before sending your resume for this position, please read it over for accuracy. Cooper Coleman verifies its candidates' employment and academic credentials at the time of offer.Note: ECZF performs drug screening and background checks on all staff members as a condition of employment and must be completed before the start date.EEO + Diversity, Equity, and InclusionECZF provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Brevard Zoo complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.ECZF expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of ECZF's employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.This job description is a summary and is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required by the employee. This document is subject to change at any time.Brevard Zoo is committed to an inclusive environment where employees are encouraged to be their authentic selves. We value the diverse qualities, perspectives, and experiences of all individuals. Join us in sharing the joy of nature to help people and wildlife thrive.How to ApplyCooper Coleman is leading this search on behalf of ECZF. To apply, please visit this link (www.coopercoleman.com/current-searches). Inquiries and nominations of qualified candidates can be sent to:Kindly use the position title as the subject line of your email. All inquiries will be held in confidence.A cover letter is not required with your initial application but is welcomed to help us understand your fitness for this role during our initial evaluation. Candidates invited for interviews will be asked to provide a thoughtful letter of interest indicating their specific qualifications for the opportunity, desire to join ECZF, and connection to its mission.Cooper Coleman LLC is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or identity, age, ability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.Brevard Zoo8225 N Wickham RdMelbourne, FL 32940Phone: 3212549453
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Keywords: Association Of Zoos & Aquariums, South Beach , Chief Operating Officer, Executive , Melbourne, Florida