Operations Manager

Posted Date: 11/13/23
Position Closing Date: 12/8/23
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Job Type: Full-time, exempt
Salary Hiring Range: $55,000-$65,000

Organization Overview

Palmer Land Conservancy (Palmer) is one of the leading nonprofit land conservation organizations in Colorado. Its mission is to protect land and water for the wellbeing of nature and people. Since its founding in 1977, the organization has protected 138,000 acres including 20 public parks and open spaces, working farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, and scenic views. Palmer is one of the twenty largest land trusts in the country based upon conserved acreage holdings (there are approximately 1,700 land trusts in the United States), and it is one of the country’s first 100 nationally accredited land trusts. Its main office is in downtown Colorado Springs and has staff located throughout its service area. More info at palmerland.org.

The Opportunity

Palmer Land Conservancy seeks an Operations Manager to own a variety of projects and tasks in a fast-paced, mission-driven office environment.  Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, and working collaboratively with all Palmer staff, this position will be responsible for a variety of fundamental operational functions, while also assisting with, and at times taking the lead on, improvements to key business systems and processes. Palmer is looking for a detail-oriented individual with a big heart for providing support, assistance, and problem solving. The ideal candidate understands customer service and will bring a can-do attitude to all situations.  The ideal candidate will be tech savvy, comfortable learning and using a variety of information technology resources (software, hardware, software-as-a-service) that are customary in a modern, hybrid office environment.  This position presents an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to the inner workings of a leading land trust, given that the incumbent will support Palmer’s board, executive team and staff across all functions and departments.

Primary Responsibilities

Operations Management

  • Be a consistent, dependable and positive presence in the office, taking pride in the appearance, functionality and mood of the Palmer office.
  • Be a significant public-facing point of contact by greeting visitors, responding to general inquiry emails and phone calls.
  • Manage the office phone system, handle incoming and outgoing mail, and maintain office supplies and equipment by tracking and maintaining adequate inventories.
  • Supervise the upkeep, maintenance, and use of company vehicles.
  • Manage all building access cards and parking access cards.
  • Be the primary resource and point of contact for Palmer’s information technology needs, which will entail working cooperatively as part of a team with the COO, external IT consultants and vendors/service providers to assure that all Palmer staff have the necessary hardware and software systems on an ongoing basis, and that all systems remain available and functional.
  • Assist with online and hard-copy records retention and storage; help all staff maintain structure and best practices around the use of cloud-based folders and files.

Cross Functional Administrative Support

  • Enter donations into Palmer’s CRM database and prepare tax acknowledgement letters and prepare and mail new member welcome packages.
  • Assist with donor member mailings and other activities with the development team as needed.
  • Manage technology, logistics, refreshments, and occasional catering for board and board committee meetings, community events, donor meetings, and staff meetings, whether held in the Palmer office or off site.
  • Manage select annual filing processes of the organization.
  • Assist with key HR related processes, including employee onboarding, training on key office systems and processes, and the ongoing retention and transmission of operational knowledge and systems.

This list of core responsibilities is not meant to be exhaustive; other duties and special projects may be assigned to meet the needs of the organization and the strengths of the incumbent.

Desired Qualifications

  • Associates or bachelor’s degree.
  • 3-5 years of experience in business administration, or non-profit administration.
  • Demonstrable skill and experience learning and using office software platforms and services, including database and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms.  
  • A high level of diplomacy, tact, and optimism with a “can do” orientation.
  • Ability to work effectively both independently and as a member of a team.
  • Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, organizational and multi-tasking skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to understand, communicate, and effectively interact with a diversity of people.
  • Basic accounting/bookkeeping knowledge or familiarity.
  • Project management experience.
  • Commitment to conservation and land protection.

Other Requirements

  • Valid driver’s license
  • Physical demands may involve:
    • Lifting materials and equipment – including, but not limited to, office supplies, event supplies, and boxes of swag – up to 25 pounds.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a regular, full-time, exempt position. Annual salary will be commensurate with skills and experience, given the stated salary range.  Palmer Land Conservancy offers full-time employees competitive benefits including: 

  • Employer-sponsored health care including medical, dental, and vision benefits;
  • Retirement plan with company contribution; 
  • Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability;
  • Employer-paid life insurance; 
  • Paid parental leave, vacation, holiday, and sick leave.

Culture and Values

Palmer was named one of the 2022 Best Workplaces by the Colorado Springs Gazette. Palmer leadership values a culture of generosity, trust, and dedication to conservation. The work environment is goal-based, and work plans and performance are focused on identifying and achieving attainable, but ambitious objectives on a quarterly timeline. This is not a micro-managing environment; rather, employees are trusted to get their work done with a high level of personal responsibility.

Palmer Land Conservancy strives to be an inclusive and equitable place to work.  We welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets and experiences, therefore Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, veterans, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all of the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Best consideration will be given to applications received by 5 PM on December 8, 2023.

To apply, please submit: 1) brief cover letter, 2) resume with references, and 3) answers to the questions below (all as a single pdf) by email to: [email protected], including the words “Operations Manager” in the subject line of the email. References will not be contacted unless you are selected for a final interview.

 Please limit responses to no more than 200 words per question:

  1. Why are you interested in working for Palmer Land Conservancy?
  2. Why does conserving land, water, and agriculture in Colorado matter to you?
  3. Please describe your experience relevant to the position’s core responsibilities.