Office Manager

ROLE OVERVIEW

Smithereen Farm is seeking a positive, patient, capable, confident, highly organized, and

adaptable individual to serve as our office manager. Supported by business brain Lila

Wilmerding and owner Severine Welcome, this position starts in the fall to allow for a full

onboarding before the spring ramp up.

This position is critical to the growth of the business. We are at the point of doubling our

production year over year, and we are seeking someone who is interested in multi-year

commitment and deep dedication to growing this business to its full potential.

This role is best filled by someone really adept at online software, portals, and basic business

administration. This person is comfortable taking the reins and self-starting (but also knowing

when to ask for approval or a second opinion). We need someone who is able to juggle multiple

workstreams and is not phased by all the mundane machinations of running a small business

in America.

We want to work with someone who really gets the mission and is driven to support the health

and happiness of our enterprise, with efficiency, positive can-do attitude, technical savoir faire,

commitment to culinary excellence. We want someone who is ambitious, but also has a sense

of humor.

Starting in the fall will allow the incoming office manager to learn the SOPS and inner workings

of sales, shipping and warehouse/value added production and the whole calendar of needed

compliance deadlines, so that the year plan is calmly laid out ahead of the busy season. To

reiterate: March is madness, let's get going soon so that you are ready for it!

Our first public program of the season is LOW LOW TIDES in March: seaweed harvest,

educational workshops, hospitality, and commercial harvest. The farmstore opens May 1,

seedlings and ' facilities opening' happens in March/April. This winter we will also be

reorganizing some of our production spaces to help maximize productivity and the hospitality

program in 2027.

The benefit to working on a farm in this climate is to have some 'time off' in the winters.

Because our store and activities are so seasonal, this gives an opportunity for life balance that

some people find restful and generative. From March-October, however, it is quite intensely

busy. A candidate to this position should expect to work hard in the summer (productive

activities, inquiries, inspections, orders, communications, invoices, HR etc. ) and have a more

relaxed winter season of 'maintaining/ special projects.'

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative and Office Management

• Act as the primary contact for all office communications, manage the

office@smithereenfarm.com email account

• Work with internal and external partners and be the central node of “ office brain”

across our whole organizational ecosystem

• Help oversee staff communications and happiness
• Staff Operations: take in timesheets, manage payroll, coordinate meetings, write and

maintain operations-related SOPs

• Prepare meeting notes, schedules, and internal updates.
• Draft and format documents, correspondence, and reports as directed.
• Provide administrative support / coordination / tabling/ outreach for associated

initiatives and community events as directed (ie Alewife Festival, Rhubarb Festival,

Washington County Fair)

• Support the sales and marketing/social media team on occasion.
• Provide occasional executive support with especially technical issues.
• Oversee office operations , weekly staff reports and meetings- ensuring cleanliness,

organization, and a welcoming environment for co-workers, guests and visitors.

• Manage and maintain thoughtful organization of Google Suite ecosystem.
• Handle LastPass for Smithereen Farm and related software.
• Set up and manage RSVP forms for paid farm events, such as Spa Days, dinners, and

farm tours.

• Manage inbox, flagging priorities, and sorting incoming mail.
• Basic financial management: filing invoices, paying invoices, working with bookkeeper

to ensure accurate categorization of expenses and income, maintaining annual

budgets.

• Researching and ordering supplies for the farm, farm store, office, or production

kitchen, as needed.

• Accurately tracking purchases and materials to their corresponding budget.
• Interfacing with the various portals for instance: Versant (electric utility), Square,

Quickbooks, MEMIC, Insurance companies etc.

• Act as point of contact for various vendors and renewals.
• Ensure compliance with various regulatory bodies and ensure that all of our licenses are

current and accurate.

• Occasional grant reporting or tagging.
• Interact with wholesale and retail customers in a way that reflects strong hospitality

instincts. Assist with basic order fulfillment and/or logistical questions, or redirect

requests to appropriate team member, as needed.

• Rental lease paperwork.
• Admin for HipCamp and VRBO rentals as directed (updates to listings, occasional

calendar management, etc.).

• Maintain HR paperwork including new employee onboarding documents.
• Maintain discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive information.
• Hold a positive attitude and positive outlook that allows us all to thrive and grow our

business resilience and profitability.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Proficiency with Google Workspace: Strong ability to use digital tools for managing tasks.

Organizational, Multitasking Skills: Highly organized with strong multitasking skills, has a

strong attention to detail.

Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, confidence shooting

off emails and phone calls to get an action item accomplished

Adaptability and Quick Learner: Ability to manage a variety of tasks, quickly learn new

software, and adapt to changing needs.

Office Management, Food Production Management, or Retail Management Experience:

Previous experience in one or more of these areas is preferred. Candidate must have

foundational understanding of basic financial concepts.

Fluency in English/ written English/ correspondence with administrative finesse: Strong

command of both written and spoken English to communicate effectively with diverse

stakeholders.

Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work well with a wide range of stakeholders, including

customers, vendors, team members, and event participants, fostering positive relationships.

Self-Directed Problem Solving and Initiative: Proactive in identifying and resolving issues,

with the ability to troubleshoot and make informed decisions independently.

Customer Service Orientation: Demonstrated commitment to customer satisfaction and

ability to create a welcoming and positive environment for clients and guests.

Sales Process Knowledge: Familiarity with customer outreach, inventory tracking, and sales

coordination.

Event Coordination Abilities: Experience with organizing or supporting events, including

logistical planning, setup, breakdown, and guest engagement.

Benefits: Benefits eligible after six months of employment. Benefits include: 10 days paid sick leave, 10 paid holidays, one month paid vacation between November-January, and health insurance.

Housing: Optional housing offered on campus: private suite in a house that is shared with seaweed harvesters and artists in residence during their stays.

Fluency in English/ written English/ correspondence with administrative finesse: Strong command of both written and spoken English to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.