Programming Director Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

Brand summary

Join the Opening Team | Cedar Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center | July 2026 An extraordinary career opportunity is taking shape in Cedar Park, Texas - and we want you to be part of it from day one. The Cedar Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center is set to debut soon, and we are actively building the founding team that will launch one of the most anticipated hotel openings in the region. This landmark 297-room property will feature more than 30,000 square feet of premier meeting and event space, elevated dining experiences, and a culture of service excellence that reflects the very best of both PHG and Marriott.

Job description

About Prime Hospitality Group

Established in 2017, Prime Hospitality Group started with five Ruth's Chris Steak House restaurants and swiftly grew to become the largest franchise group of the global brand with twelve current locations, and multiple other food and beverage concepts. In recent years, we have expanded to additional food and beverage concepts as well as into hotel hospitality space, creating a thriving collection of exciting service-oriented brands. Our newest concept, Un Deux Trois, is a French inspired cafe serving the finest espresso drinks and French Pastries. Prime Hospitality Group is proud to welcome the AC Marriott Chesterfield as the first fully managed hotel in our portfolio.

PHG is also excited to open the Cedar Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, a 297-room full-service hotel and conference center in the greater Austin market that will employ approximately 200 team members and serve as a premier hospitality destination. This addition marks an exciting new chapter as we bring our signature commitment to exceptional guest experiences into hotel management. We look forward to elevating this property with the same dedication, heart, and service-driven culture that define who we are.

PHG's Core Values

Demand for Excellence ~ Passion for Hospitality ~ Desire to Win ~ Unwavering Commitment ~ Hunger to Grow

Your Impact

The Cedar Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center is seeking an experienced, hands-on Director of Engineering to join our opening team and serve as the property's strategic facilities leader and a member of the hotel's Executive Committee.

Reporting to the General Manager, this position directs pre-opening commissioning and turnover, daily engineering operations, preventive and corrective maintenance, life-safety readiness, utilities, capital planning, and the long-term preservation of the hotel and conference center.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strong leadership and financial acumen. This position leads the Engineering team and partners with ownership, the management company, Marriott representatives, project teams, contractors, and hotel leaders to ensure that guest rooms, event venues, food and beverage outlets, public areas, and all building systems are safe, reliable, efficient, and ready to support exceptional service. The role leads emergency response for facility-related issues and may provide oversight of Loss Prevention or Security functions as assigned.

Your Responsibilities

Pre-Opening, Commissioning, and Turnover Readiness

Serve as the hotel's operational engineering lead through construction completion, commissioning, turnover, and opening; coordinate with the General Manager, ownership and development teams, management company, Marriott representatives, architects, engineers, general contractor, trade partners, inspectors, vendors, and department leaders.

Participate in design reviews, site walks, system testing, punch inspections, and acceptance activities; validate the operability and maintainability of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, emergency power, building automation, fire and life-safety, elevators, kitchen and refrigeration, pool, lighting, and access-control systems.

Secure and organize required permits, inspections, certificates, as-built drawings, equipment schedules, operating and maintenance manuals, asset data, warranties, training records, spare parts, keys, and controls; establish a disciplined warranty log, closeout process, and owner-turnover archive.

Build the asset register, computerized maintenance management and work-order processes, preventive maintenance plans, service contracts, inventories, emergency procedures, staffing model, and on-call coverage; lead equipment training, mock operations, test stays and events, and emergency drills.

Engineering Operations and Asset Preservation

Direct the 24-hour operation, maintenance, repair, and appearance of the building, grounds, physical plant, 297 guest rooms and suites, conference and event venues, restaurants and bars, kitchens, pool deck, fitness center, public areas, and back-of-house spaces.

Maintain mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC-R, water-treatment, lighting, emergency-power, building-automation, vertical-transportation, fire and life-safety, kitchen, laundry, pool, door and lock, finish, and structural systems in accordance with approved procedures, codes, and operating standards.

Plan and execute preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance; monitor work-order response and completion, equipment downtime, repeat failures, out-of-order rooms, backlog, and contractor performance, and implement sustainable root-cause solutions.

Conduct routine inspections of guest rooms, meeting spaces, outlets, public areas, roofs, mechanical rooms, and exterior conditions, maintaining appropriate temperature, air and water quality, lighting, and physical appearance while minimizing guest disruption.

Life Safety, Compliance, and Emergency Response

Maintain year-round readiness for Marriott, management company, insurance, fire, health, environmental, accessibility, pool, elevator, and life-safety inspections; ensure required licenses, permits, tests, logs, and certifications are current and documented.

Lead the hotel's emergency response for facility-related events, including utility interruptions, fire or alarm conditions, flooding, severe weather, elevator entrapment, gas or water incidents, and critical equipment failures.

Establish and enforce safe-work practices for lockout/tagout, hot work, chemical handling, fall protection, confined-space entry, contractor controls, and fire watch; investigate incidents and near misses and implement corrective action.

Partner with Loss Prevention, Information Technology, and hotel leadership to support physical security, access control, key systems, surveillance infrastructure, and protection of guests, associates, and property assets.

Conference Center, Guest Experience, and Cross-Functional Service

Review daily business levels, VIP arrivals, group resumes, banquet event orders, event schedules, and high-impact maintenance needs; align engineering coverage and priorities with peak periods, conferences, weddings, and other major events.

Ensure technical readiness of ballrooms, meeting rooms, pre-function areas, and outdoor event spaces, including HVAC, lighting, power, operable partitions, life-safety systems, and interfaces with audiovisual and event-production partners.

Coordinate work with Rooms, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage, Banquets, Event Management, Sales, IT, and Loss Prevention; schedule intrusive work during the least disruptive windows and communicate scope, impact, and reopening status clearly.

Respond promptly and professionally to guest, meeting planner, customer, and associate concerns, setting accurate expectations and supporting appropriate service recovery.

Financial, Energy, Capital, and Vendor Management

Develop and manage the Engineering operating budget, labor plan, forecasts, purchasing, inventories, utilities, service agreements, and controllable expenses; review financial statements, payroll, invoices, and variances.

Monitor and manage electricity, gas, water, sewer, waste, and other utility consumption; benchmark performance and implement practical energy, water, and sustainability initiatives without compromising guest comfort or event execution.

Develop and maintain a prioritized long-range asset-protection and capital plan based on equipment condition, lifecycle, warranty, compliance, business risk, and return on investment.

Scope projects, obtain and evaluate competitive bids, administer service contracts, supervise contractors, and manage capital improvements, repairs, and renovations for quality, safety, schedule, and budget.

Team Leadership and Stakeholder Management

Recruit, select, onboard, train, schedule, coach, evaluate, recognize, and retain a capable Engineering team; maintain appropriate 24-hour and on-call coverage, cross-training, and succession plans.

Set clear expectations for safety, technical quality, productivity, guest service, communication, and required training; recommend or initiate employment actions in accordance with policy and applicable law.

Conduct regular shift meetings and operational reviews; communicate business objectives, maintenance priorities, project status, hazards, and emergency information.

Serve as the property's senior technical advisor and build productive relationships with ownership, management company and Marriott engineering resources, regulators, utilities, vendors, and contractors.

Your Skills/Experience

Required Experience

Minimum of five years of progressive engineering, facilities, construction, or building-operations experience, including at least three years in a hotel Chief Engineer, Director of Engineering, Assistant Director of Engineering, Facilities Director, or comparable leadership role.

Demonstrated success in a full-service, upper-upscale, convention, resort, mixed-use, or similarly complex property.

Advanced working knowledge of commercial HVAC-R, electrical, plumbing, water treatment, building automation, fire and life-safety, emergency power, elevators, kitchen and refrigeration, pool systems, energy management, and computerized maintenance-management systems.

Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, submittals, commissioning reports, operating manuals, warranties, contracts, and financial statements; strong troubleshooting, project-management, and vendor-negotiation skills.

Professional fluency in spoken and written English required; ability to remain composed during emergencies is essential.

Preferred Experience

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Building Construction, or a related field; a two-year technical degree, advanced vocational training, or trade apprenticeship will also be considered.

Hotel pre-opening, new-build commissioning, major renovation, conversion, or complex capital-project experience; Marriott brand experience preferred.

Applicable certifications or licenses, such as EPA Section 608, Certified Pool Operator or Aquatic Facility Operator, OSHA training, or electrical, plumbing, and HVAC trade licenses.

Key Competencies

Facilities leadership and technical expertise.

Asset stewardship and project execution.

Financial acumen and capital planning.

Safety and emergency leadership.

Guest and customer focus.

Team development, collaboration, judgment, integrity, and accountability.

Work Authorization Requirements

Authorized to work in the United States of America.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Affirmative Action / EEO Statement

PHG is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. Our policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. PHG makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position.

Join the Opening Team | Cedar Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center | April 2027
An extraordinary career opportunity is taking shape in Cedar Park, Texas - and we want you to be part of it from day one.
The Cedar Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center is set to debut in April 2027, and we are actively building the founding team that will launch one of the most anticipated hotel openings in the region. This landmark 297-room property will feature more than 30,000 square feet of premier meeting and event space, elevated dining experiences, and a culture of service excellence that reflects the very best of both PHG and Marriott.