Operations Manager

Mass Audubon • Lincoln, MA

5h • $70,000 - $78,000

About The Position

Mass Audubon is looking for an experienced and passionate professional to manage Mass Audubon’s operational and financial functions at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, Massachusetts. As Mass Audubon’s flagship sanctuary, Drumlin Farm is a 300-acre nature sanctuary with four miles of trails, a nature center, and a working farm with livestock, captive wildlife, and sustainable crops. The sanctuary is both a rich part of the lives of the local community and a well-loved regional destination. Close to 80,000 visitors come to the sanctuary annually from across the state, and Drumlin Farm offers summer camps, a nature preschool, and a robust schedule of children’s and adult programming that amount to an additional 20,000+ participants each year.

The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing visitor services and administrative operations at the sanctuary. This role ensures seamless front-line experiences for guests while optimizing operational efficiency in areas such as membership sales, admissions, and retail transactions. The Operations Manager is responsible for administrative duties (payment processing, budgeting, and reporting) and leads a team dedicated to visitor experience functions (greeting guests, providing information, and fostering membership growth), and volunteer engagement (recruitment, onboarding, and stewardship). This position reports to the Drumlin Farm Sanctuary Director and plays a critical role in enhancing visitor engagement, maximizing revenue opportunities, ensuring outstanding customer service, and providing operations support for other departments. In addition to managing day-to-day activities, the Operations Manager will be a key member of the sanctuary leadership team, helping to develop policy, budgets, and strategic plans for the sanctuary. The Operations Manager may also serve on various Mass Audubon committees to provide support and/or input on statewide initiatives.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree plus four or more years related managerial and operational experience
• Demonstrated expertise with bookkeeping and financial reporting
• Must be highly organized, have excellent communication and customer service skills, and ability to interact with the public
• Must have supervisory experience
• Advanced knowledge in MS Word, Excel, Teams, Adobe, and other software, as required
• Have or be willing to acquire First Aid and CPR certifications and be able to respond effectively to emergencies
• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Must be willing to work regular weekends and occasional evenings

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with or interest in nature, wildlife, environmental education, and conservation

Responsibilities

• Oversee front-line visitor engagement, ensuring all guests receive a warm welcome, clear information, and high-quality service
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance visitor satisfaction and convert visitors into members
• Maintain accurate visitor data, attendance tracking, and membership records
• Ensure proper staffing coverage and train staff on visitor service best practices, membership promotion, and sanctuary experience details
• Work with staff to ensure visitor-facing communications (including sanctuary phone messages, display cases, brochures, and website information) are up to date
• Work with Volunteer Coordinator to recruit, train, and engage volunteers, including supervision of those assisting with visitor services activities
• Play a lead role in planning and organizing Drumlin Farm special events, including setting event planning meetings; managing event signage, admissions, and permitting; ordering supplies; coordinating staff and volunteers; and maintaining financial and attendance information on events to inform future year planning
• Supervise administrative staff team handling admissions payments, farm and market sales, membership sales, event registrations, and general bookkeeping/invoicing
• Ensure integrity and security of transaction processing and cash handling procedures; oversee cash flow, deposits, invoice payments, check requests, personal reimbursements and fund transfers
• Work with Mass Audubon’s Business Office to submit invoices, reconcile payments, track revenue and expense trends, and improve transaction processes
• Assist the Sanctuary Director in preparing the annual operational budget and assisting the Drumlin Farm leadership team in the analysis and tracking to ensure budget goals are being met throughout the fiscal year
• Coordinate management of permits, contracts, and staff housing agreements
• Maintain and assist staff with office equipment and supplies, provide logistical support for Mass Audubon meetings and gathering, and oversee the rental and scheduling of facilities for meetings by outside parties as well as internal needs as appropriate
• Maintain safety records for staff and visitor accidents and incidents, ensuring reporting to Business Office in appropriate timeframe
• Collaborate with Membership Department to enhance membership recruitment and retention strategies including supporting member recruitment specialists for spring and fall recruitment drives
• Collaborate with Marketing team to promote membership campaigns and special events
• Implement initiatives to increase membership conversion rates and repeat visits
• Develop and refine upselling strategies for memberships, programs, and retail products
• Analyze visitor feedback and market trends to enhance membership benefits and engagement.
• Manage and mentor the administrative and visitor services team, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and providing ongoing training and professional development in customer service, administrative procedures, visitor engagement, and membership
• Provide support and facilitate strong communication among the broader Drumlin Farm staff team in the Wildlife Care, Livestock, Crops, and Property departments, as well as to the Education and Marketing staff who support programming at the sanctuary
• Develop clear protocols for handling visitor inquiries, complaints, and conflict resolution
• Foster a collaborative, mission-driven team culture focused on education, hospitality, and conservation
• Ensure nature center and public areas are clean, accessible, and welcoming
• Coordinate with the Property Team to address maintenance and facility needs related to visitor services
• Ensure compliance with safety policies, personal information protection, ADA accessibility, and risk management protocols
• Ensure that policy manual handbooks are up to date
• Provide support for the Sanctuary Director through a variety of administrative duties, which may include paperwork for new hires, routine correspondence, and room bookings

Benefits

• Benefits eligible staff at Mass Audubon may elect to enroll in medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Mass Audubon also offers disability and life insurance plans, a retirement plan, and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Mass Audubon employment also includes access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through and the Reciprocity Agreement through the Consortium of Non-Profit Arts/Cultural/Environmental Organizations of New England.
• Mass Audubon employees enjoy 13 paid holidays (holidays may shift annually due to where days fall within calendar).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees