Operations Director

EARTHDANCE is a workshop, residency, and retreat center located in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts.  We provide a dynamic mix of dance, somatic, and interdisciplinary arts training, with a focus on sustainable living, social justice, and community.  Earthdance has been spearheading innovative arts programming, and maintaining a beautiful facility for rental groups in the Pioneer Valley for over 2 decades. 

Our diverse, year-round programs include: dance workshops; yoga retreats; interdisciplinary, ecological and somatic art festivals & residencies; Contact Improvisation jams; local class series; a year-round Artist Residency program; and our New Performance Series. Our facilities include 2 large and sunny studios with maple floors, meeting space, meditation and massage rooms, guest and staff housing facilities, a wood-fired sauna, all within 100 acres of beautiful woods, streams, and trails.

Position Overview:

Job Summary:

The Operations Director directly supervises and coordinates the activities of our operations staff and programming, to ensure optimal levels of operations, customer satisfaction, and staff relations.

Job Description:

The Operations Director holds responsibility for the daily operations of Earthdance, overseeing the coordination and performance of tasks relating to on-site Seasonal staff management, housekeeping, and the hosting of events. The Operations Director works closely with the entire Core Staff team, and oversees and works closely with the Executive Chef and Operations Assistant, as well as a team of Seasonal Staff. S/he lives on-site at Earthdance, oversees the general operations of the facilities, and participates in the community life of Earthdance staff. The Operations Director receives oversight from the Executive Director and Associate Director, working together as a team in providing the overall management of Earthdance.

Responsibilities:

• Directs and supervises employees and volunteers engaged in Earthdance operations.
• Plans and prepares work schedules and assigns employees to specific duties.
• Hires, trains, and evaluates Earthdance operations' seasonal staff.
• Develops and maintains new policies, procedures and training programs for Earthdance.
• Prepares and reviews operational reports and schedules to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
• Formulates annual budgets and reviews financials with Core Staff and Associate Director on a monthly basis.
• Recommends cost saving methods to improve the efficiency and sustainability of Earthdance.
• Assists sales and marketing efforts by conducting various activities such as on-site tours of potential clientele and training Earthdance personnel to present Earthdance services to clientele.
• Promotes staff and program participant interaction when appropriate, and promotes a customer-service mentality amongst the staff when appropriate.
• Provides technical support and/or resources to client and Earthdance personnel as needed.
• Manages logistics and lodging coordination with all rental group organizers.
• Supports Core Staff to identify problems and solutions with services to clients, the residential staffs' interpersonal relationships, and the staff-participant interaction; maintains primary responsibility for implementing, or overseeing the implementation of, proposed solutions.
• Supervises program hosting by Earthdance staff and/or volunteers to ensure proper performance and appropriate behavior.
• Supervises the work of all Seasonal Staff and Assists in the supervision of Core Staff team to facilitate productivity, positive interactions, strong customer service, or overcome difficult aspects of work and on-site living.
• Holds primary responsibility in the promotion and maintenance of a strong and supportive relationship between on-site and off-site staff, or between operations staff and executive team.
• Attends weekly Core Staff meetings, and Operations Meetings; leads weekly All Staff meetings and House Cleans, and bi-weekly Seasonal Staff meetings.
• Schedules and attends monthly Group Process and Community Night, and Seasonal Staff Retreat days.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates on-going staff development and community building/engagement activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required Skills/Competencies

• Master's Degree in a relevant field, or Bachelor's degree in a relevant field plus demonstrated experience with all of the required skills
• 3 or more years experience hosting and coordinating program logistics and operations
• 3 or more years experience supervising and leading teams
• Demonstrated knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, and personnel information systems.
• Demonstrated customer service background and training
• Superb written and verbal communication skills
• Superb organizational skills
• Superb problem-solving skills
• Highly self-motivated
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong ability to maintain positivity and composure under pressure
• Strong ability to handle changes in direction and work priorities with ease
• Strong ability to communicate with diverse groups, explain opinions and positions to foster mutual understanding and respect, use empathy to persuade others, keep key people informed, and facilitate a positive and productive group dynamic
• Ability to interface with others using tact and diplomacy
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information
• Outstanding professional demeanor and work ethic

Preferred Skills/Competencies

• Strong interest in, and previous experience with, cooperative living and community building
• Previous experience working with and developing new policies and procedures
• Strong administrative capacity; strong email and telephone response-time and etiquette
• Previous experience working with Microsoft word and excel
• Strong team leadership skills in a live/work environment
• Ability to work for condensed periods of time under pressure, with high volumes of people
• Ability to manage personal work schedule depending on requirements/responsibilities as needed, and to coordinate the schedules of all Seasonal Staff roles

Compensation:  The salary for this position will be commensurate with experience, and is paid at the end of each month. Job training is expected to occur during the initial month; the 2-year term will commence on July 1st, 2012.

• On-site housing is provided, along with meals, phone/internet service/utilities, and laundry.
• Additional Benefits include 4 weeks of paid vacation, and the opportunity to attend Earthdance workshops and events free of charge.
• Earthdance does not currently offer a healthcare plan, though an individual may qualify for subsidized insurance through the Massachusetts Commonwealth Care program.

The Operations Director:

• Will work 30 hours/week on average, and is also expected to spend non-work time at Earthdance for community events, jams, performances, etc.;
• Will be expected to commit to an initial period of 2 years, with the possibility of extension based on performance;
• Must be able to work nights and weekends on a regular basis;
• Will be expected to live near or on-site, as the main supervisor of residential staffs' work/life interaction.

Start Date: June 1, 2012

Applications received by April 15th will receive first priority

To Apply:

To Apply, please submit the following:

• Your personal/professional statement that includes:
  ? A detailed account of your skills and competencies that relate to the position
  ? A presentation demonstrating how, given your experience and background, you are uniquely suited to the position of Operations Director at Earthdance
• Your professional resumé
• 3 references (include name, relationship, phone number, and email if possible)
• Your salary history and requirements
• Any additional supporting materials

Materials should be sent to:

Earthdance
Attn: Krista DeNio & Jessica Lotak
252 Prospect Street
Plainfield, MA 01070

Women, people of color, LGBT/queer people, and/or people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.