Office & Operations Manager

Ohalo•Watsonville, CA

18d•$75,000 - $105,000•Onsite

About The Position

Ohalo is seeking a hands-on Office & Operations Manager to help ensure its facilities run smoothly as the company grows. The role is based onsite five days per week at one of Ohalo’s three Watsonville greenhouse facilities and reports to the Greenhouse Operations Lead. The manager oversees daily office and facility operations, supports the employee and visitor experience, assists a key executive, and helps build and maintain operational infrastructure. The position also provides supplementary office-management support at Ohalo’s Aptos location. The role includes maintaining a clean, well-stocked workspace; coordinating meals and employee events; supporting facilities projects, safety, and compliance; managing vendors and service agreements; and resolving building and office needs. The manager serves as an onsite contact for interviews, new hires, guests, shipping, and receiving, and coordinates seating, mail and packages, and technology needs with IT. Ohalo describes this as a fast-moving startup role that is not a traditional 9-to-5 position and calls for a “do what it takes, as long as it takes” mindset. Ohalo develops plant-breeding systems and improved crop varieties intended to help farmers produce more food with fewer natural resources. The company describes its work as supporting sustainability and innovation in food systems.

Requirements

3–5+ years of experience in facilities management, office management, or operations.
A relentless work ethic, positive attitude, and willingness to jump in, help the team, and take on additional work.
Critical-thinking and independent problem-solving skills, including the ability to work through complex problems and deliver practical solutions with minimal direction.
Drive, focus, eagerness to work hard, and tenacity to see work through to completion.
Enthusiasm for tackling new projects and challenges, including in unfamiliar areas.
Detail orientation, strong organization, and exceptional time-management skills.
Ability to work in a fast-moving startup environment with a “do what it takes, as long as it takes” mindset.
Ability to work onsite five days per week at a Watsonville greenhouse facility.

Nice To Haves

Experience in biotech, ag-tech, laboratory, or greenhouse environments.
Experience providing ad hoc executive support and filling in for the executive support team when its members are out of office.
Spanish language skills.

Responsibilities

Work onsite five days per week at a Watsonville greenhouse and keep daily operations running smoothly, including ordering supplies, coordinating meals, and maintaining a clean, well-maintained workspace.
Help provide a high-functioning and positive working environment for employees in the offices and greenhouses at Watsonville locations.
Support the Greenhouse facilities team on complex operational activities and projects as they arise.
Partner with the People team to organize employee events, including happy hours, All Hands meetings, and company celebrations.
Support safety and compliance programs by keeping documentation, inspections, and trainings up to date.
Manage vendor relationships and service agreements, including janitorial, HVAC, landscaping, waste, and pest-management services.
Resolve building and office needs independently and liaise with property management and external vendors.
Serve as the onsite point of contact for recruiting interviews, new hires, and guest visits, providing logistical support and a professional, friendly experience.
Sit at the receptionist desk and serve as the point of contact for shipping and receiving.
Manage seating plans, desk setups, and systems for incoming and outgoing mail and packages.
Coordinate technology needs for new hires and team members with the IT team.
Provide supplementary office-management support at the Aptos location, including pest control, snack ordering, maintenance requests, and coordination with building management.
Balance greenhouse operations with executive scheduling and provide ad hoc executive support when needed.