Assistant Director: Agriculture, Grounds, and Facilities
Our Organization:
The Uplands Center (www.uplandscenter.org) is a nonprofit retreat center located on 290 acres of sweeping meadows and woodlands in Walton, NY. We host retreats for organizations of caregivers (those who provide direct care of others) and changemakers (those working to advance positive change in the world), as well as a number of community-centered programs. A permaculture-inspired, organically-grown garden provides fresh produce for our kitchen while offering hands-on experiences for retreat guests. Several miles of trails are available for nature immersion and exploration. The charming retreat building itself offers comfortable accommodations and amenities conducive to restoration, team building, and group work. Our small but mighty team represents a wide array of backgrounds and expertise.
The Position:
The Uplands Center seeks an on-site “Assistant Director: Agriculture, Grounds, and Facilities” to support the maintenance and smooth operation of our organically-grown gardens, buildings, and property. This team member would be working independently a large portion of the time, reporting to the Director of Agriculture, Grounds, and Facilities. This is a full-time position from March-November, with reduced work (half-time) in Dec-Feb. The start date is flexible, no later than March 1. The responsibility of this position is to assist the Director in carrying out the following duties:
Agriculture
- Garden maintenance: seed starting, planting, weeding, mulching, harvest, observing, mowing, weed eating, pest and disease management etc
- Prepare produce (harvest and clean) in accordance with kitchen needs
- Support and/or lead garden-based programming and tours for retreats, community events, and school field trips
- Foraging wild plants as requested by kitchen staff
- Creative projects such as (if desired): Bed and guild design, program creation
- Care and maintenance of a small flock of chickens, when applicable
Grounds
- Upkeep of select sections of lawn and fields (mowing, weed whacking, bush hogging)
- Snow removal and leaf removal at center
- Care of driveway, paths, patios, general surroundings of center, outbuildings and trails
- Care and maintenance of uplands vehicles and machines including: tractors, side by side, lawn mowers, weed eaters, snow blower, leaf blower, etc.
- Trail maintenance: weed eating, mowing, leaf removal, lopping, trail projects
Facilities
- General Upkeep of Facilities
- Develop working knowledge of all facilities in order to be capable of responding to issues (electric, plumbing, heating/cooling systems, etc)
- Preventative maintenance of appliances
- Maintenance of the retreat center building (painting, spackling, masonry repair, etc.)
- Pool and hot tub care
- Respond to maintenance requests during and between retreats
- Care of Tweedie house and yard (house of residence for this position)
- Weekly trash and recycling removal
- Record keeping for regulatory purposes: fire extinguisher inspections, UV system records, pool and hot tub test records
- Coordinate with Director to assure on-site responsibilities are covered as needed
Retreat support
- On occasion, assist retreat leaders with miscellaneous tasks (moving furniture, building fires, receive and unbox deliveries, etc)
- When needed, and if interested, lead group hikes around the property
Qualifications and Requirements
Our ideal candidate would
- Have a working knowledge and at least a year’s experience gardening or other agricultural endeavors. Interest in or knowledge of permaculture is a plus.
- Be comfortable working with hand tools, weed whackers, and lawn mowers. Experience operating a tractor or other larger power equipment is a plus.
- Experience or aptitude with maintenance and upkeep of buildings and appliances
- Ability to manage one’s own schedule based on weekly tasks and objectives
- Be comfortable working independently and as part of a team
- Commit to working with Uplands for at least 2 years, ideally longer
Compensation & Lifestyle
The assistant will live on-site in a lovely 5-bedroom, 2-bathroom farmhouse, with all utilities (including WiFi) covered. There is a full-sized kitchen, washer, dryer, and one of the best front porches in Delaware County. On occasion, some rooms of the house may be used by Uplands staff or visitors. Applicants in partnership and/or with children are welcome to apply, and there may be opportunities for partners to become involved occasionally on site as well.
In addition to housing and comprehensive health insurance, a supplementary salary of $15k-19k per year will be offered commensurate with experience. With the value of housing included, the salary is valued at $51-55k per year or $31-$34 per hour. Two weeks of vacation time is a baseline, with time off being coordinated to ensure all on-site duties are covered. However, there is flexibility in schedule for those who want to structure their time in a specific way. Hours are largely self-directed and task-based.
Uplands staff have access to retreat amenities, such as the pool, sauna, hot tub, yoga room, art room, and exercise area. Several miles of hiking trails are available, and the land at Uplands is rich with exploration opportunities.
The chosen applicant will live nearby two on-site directors (Director of Agriculture, Grounds and Facilities, and Director of Retreat Operations & Environmental Programming) who are married with two young children. A sense of community is strong at Uplands, with plenty of opportunities for shared meals, bonfires, game nights, and “summer fun” outings.
APPLYING
This is a unique opportunity in a beautiful setting, and we expect to receive a large number of applications. Please, in addition to addressing why your skills and experience are aligned with the position, explain what draws you to the opportunity and why you would be a good fit for The Uplands.
Please send your resume and cover letter to renee@uplandscenter.org.
If selected for an interview, the applicant will be asked to undergo a background check and provide professional references.
