Date Posted: 08/29/2023 | Last Updated: 08/29/2023
Categories:
Advertising, Communications - Social Media, Customer Service, Estate Manager, Manager - General, Manager - Private Farm, Manager - Show Series, Sales/Marketing, Show/Event Staff
Positions Available:
Full Time
Annual Salary Range:
$35,000 - $39,999
Minimum Education Level:
None
Horse Breeds Associated With This Job:
Any Breed
Languages Required:
Any Language
Drivers license required?
Yes
Commercial drivers license required?
No
Height/Weight Specifications
(For riding positions only)
Height: ft in
Weight: lbs
Located in one of the most horse-centric areas of the country, this beautiful and scenic 150 acre facility in Frederick, MD is on the cutting edge of sustainability and function in the equestrian industry. With extremely environmentally conscious owners, the entire facility powered by solar electricity, they grow and bale their own hay, compost manure, raise bees and have planted over 5000 trees on their property. There are 35 stalls across 3 different barns, and 25 field boarding positions, this facility is currently home to about 60 horses and carries a wonderful reputation of community and quality. As one "community-building" initiative, boarders and staff here are invited to take part in "First Friday" potluck dinners and seasonal events in the rider's lounge, often complete with live music and crafts, along with regular fitness and social gatherings.
Of the three barns on-site, one is managed and leased with the remaining two barns being more of a generic boarding setup that does maintain a barn manager to tend to client needs. There is an indoor arena, outdoor arena, newly re-built round pen, and miles of hacking trails and fence lines through the property. This is a multi-discipline facility with trainers that specialize in dressage, eventing, and H/J. A Bodywork practitioner also lives on the farm.
First and foremost, we are seeking an equestrian expert that can help support our staff with guidance, advice, and training on horse health and safety, best practices, and professional barn processes. We'd love to partner with an entrepreneurial, business-minded individual to take over the general oversight, growth, and promotion of this beautiful equestrian facility as General Manager. This person will ultimately be responsible for ensuring the facility stays at optimal capacity with high customer satisfaction. We'd prefer to have an open stall or two rather than fill a stall with a client who isn't best suited to the farm's objective to maximize boarder enjoyment. High drama boarders should be encouraged to find a barn that better meets their needs elsewhere. The General Manager will work alongside staff to ensure best practices and operational guidelines are followed and will help work a shift occasionally or perform Night Check, when required.
This person should be an exceptional communicator and adept at conflict resolution and problem solving, as keeping the long-term clients and horses happy will be the top priority. Ideally, this individual will have run large facilities in the past. The owners are open minded and passionate about the farm they are building, making them exceptional allies for growth and expansion. This person will be a respected advisor in improvement projects, strategic direction, and needs for future growth. This person will be able to plan events for the boarders, as well as for-profit events for the local equestrian community. Examples of this could include shows, clinics, social events, watch parties for equestrian events, etc. This person should be very knowledgeable in high quality equine care. The General Manager will be responsible for sourcing, training, and retaining general staff members for the facility. This person will also be expected to assist in the marketing and promotion of the facility to the local community.
General Duties
- Overseeing overall well-being of the horses to the highest standards
- Maintaining open, regular communication with boarders, trainers, and guests
- Managing to the Operating Budget.
- Communicating with vendors and sourcing partners who will reduce costs of daily care operations
- Event planning for boarders and the local community (clinics, social gatherings, etc)
- Marketing and promoting the facility to ensure it remains at optimal capacity and events are well attended
- Advising owners on growth strategies, facility improvement proposals, and generating 1-5 year business plans
- Assisting in general care and facility upkeep as needed (owner is hands-on and enjoys this aspect as well)
- Sourcing contractors and vendors for improvement projects
- Participating in conflict resolution and problem-solving as needs arise
- Following guidelines to ensure the facility remains an environmentally forward operation
- Minimum 3 years past experience overseeing a facility of similar size and equine population
- Minimum 10 years high-end competitive equine experience
- Minimum of 2 years Marketing and/or Event planning experience
- Minimum 2 years managing a staff of 5+
- Ability to maintain a set budget and establish connections to cut costs without sacrificing quality
- Ability to clearly and effectively communicate growth plans and financial status to owners
- Exceptional conflict resolution skills
- Ability to effectively market and promote facility within the surrounding community
- Utilities included
- 50% cut of net event revenue
*Ability to bring 1-2 horse(s) may be discussed for qualified candidates
*5 day, 40 hour week (barring emergencies)
- Private housing in upscale 3 bedroom/2bathroom house (valued $3000/month)
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