The Director of Capital Projects, Planning & Analysis provides strategic leadership for the planning, design, development, and execution of major capital projects, campus infrastructure improvements, exhibit initiatives, and organizational planning efforts across the New England Aquarium's campuses. This role oversees a portfolio of projects that advance the Aquarium's mission, guest experience, operational effectiveness, animal habitats, and resiliency goals.
The Director serves as a key partner to senior leadership in advancing the Aquarium's master campus plan capital investments and resiliency strategies, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on budget, and in alignment with institutional priorities. The position leads cross-functional teams and external partners through all phases of project delivery, from concept development through implementation and post-occupancy evaluation.
This is a full-time regular position offering a comprehensive benefits package. The schedule will be Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., with the option for a hybrid schedule, working some days on-site and some days remotely. On-site presence is required during the planning, coordination, and execution of major renovation, construction, and capital improvement projects. Remote days are only available for residents of MA, RI, NH, ME, NY and VT.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Capital Program Leadership
- Lead planning, design, development, and execution of a portfolio of capital projects, including exhibits, facility renovations, infrastructure upgrades, site improvements, and resiliency initiatives.
- Direct all phases of project delivery: planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, occupancy, and post-occupancy evaluation.
- Partner with leadership to set project priorities, define scope, assess risk, develop budgets, and align capital investments with master planning and long-term operational needs.
- Lead projects that strengthen infrastructure, mitigate climate-related risk, improve business continuity, and advance the Aquarium's resiliency strategy.
Portfolio Oversight & Accountability
- Maintain accountability for scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, and stakeholder satisfaction across the portfolio.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, permitting, grant obligations, environmental standards, and organizational policies.
- Oversee project documentation, including feasibility studies, business cases, design packages, schedules, budgets, risk assessments, procurement documents, and post-project evaluations.
Team, Consultant & Contractor Management
- Lead multidisciplinary teams of staff, consultants, architects, engineers, contractors, and specialty vendors.
- Oversee procurement, bidding, contract negotiation, and vendor performance management for quality, safety, schedule, and budget.
- Review design concepts, construction documents, technical specifications, and project deliverables for alignment with institutional standards.
- Collaborate with Campus Operations, Animal Care, Guest Experience, and other departments to identify and prioritize investments.
Resiliency, Infrastructure & Campus Planning
- Support short and long-term capital plans addressing deferred maintenance, climate resilience, energy efficiency, campus modernization, and operational reliability.
- Participate in institutional master planning and long-range planning, assessing emerging needs, opportunities, and risks to inform capital investment decisions.
Exhibit Planning & Design
- Lead planning, design, and implementation of new exhibits and major exhibit renovations.
- Translate programmatic and operational needs from internal stakeholders into exhibit concepts and design solutions, balancing animal, guest, staff, infrastructure, accessibility, sustainability, and maintenance considerations.
- Manage external exhibit designers, fabricators, and specialty consultants from concept through installation and opening, integrating exhibits with building systems, life support systems, and campus infrastructure.
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Training & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in related field with a minimum of 8 years of progressive job-related experience required.
- Advanced project management skills, with demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-year capital projects with budgets ranging from several hundred thousand to millions of dollars.
- Experience in aquarium, zoo, museum setting preferred.
- Architecture/design background desirable.
- Project Management certification preferred
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Advanced strategic planning skills, including developing capital plans and prioritizing investments across multiple competing needs.
- Advanced project management proficiency to include project governance, risk management, procurement practices, contract administration, and construction project delivery methods.
- Advanced financial analysis skills, including budget development, capital expenditure monitoring, and cost/benefit evaluation.
- Presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership, boards, public agencies, consultants, and contractors.
- Advanced technical writing skills to produce and review feasibility studies, business cases, specifications, and project documentation.
- Performance management and coaching skills to direct, develop, and evaluate staff and multidisciplinary project teams.
- Advanced specialized knowledge of infrastructure modernization, climate resilience, and sustainability initiatives, and business continuity planning is highly desirable.
- Proficiency with project tracking and collaboration tools (e.g., Smartsheet) to manage schedules, budgets, and reporting.
- Knowledge of AutoCAD and REVIT preferred.
- Exceptional stakeholder management, facilitation, and consensus-building skills, with the ability to balance strategic vision and operational execution in a dynamic environment.
For more information and to apply online please visit: http://neaq.applicantpro.com/jobs/
The New England Aquarium is committed to an inclusive workplace culture and is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, as defined by the EEOC. Here, we foster a culture of respect and inclusion. We strive to engage and inspire a broad audience with our efforts to protect the blue planet. We believe that an inclusive workforce provides diverse experiences, skills, and perspectives that enrich our programs, strengthen problem-solving, add creativity, and enhance our workplace culture.