North Barn General Manager

Retreat Farm, LTD seeks a highly organized, dynamic, and visionary General Manager for its new event space, the North Barn. The North Barn General Manager (GM) is an important member of the Retreat Farm team, focused on the development, growth, and impact of this new and critical enterprise.

The North Barn is already booked for a mix of private, nonprofit, and community-focused events run by both regional partners and Retreat Farm itself - and this is just the beginning. This impressive building can now hold up to 250 seated for dining and 600 standing for events. It is the largest venue of its kind in Southern Vermont. The North Barn promises to become a premier wedding and conference destination and game-changing location for Retreat Farm’s public and educational programming. Concerts, art shows, lecture series, and more are now possible year-round. With the Thirsty Goat bar inside, the North Barn has the potential to become a local and visitor destination for Vermont craft brews, rounding out a memorable Retreat Farm experience.

The GM will oversee the operations of the North Barn, which will help support Retreat Farm's broader mission and operations by providing a new revenue stream and space for community members to gather and connect with one-another.

Objectives & Priorities:

The new GM will be tasked with the following overall objectives:

• Strategize, implement, and oversee processes for growth of the North Barn business, balancing the financial needs of Retreat Farm with its goal of community support and involvement.
• Design daily operational systems and procedures that help staff achieve organizational objectives.
• Manage North Barn employee activities, providing resources for staff to execute their work efficiently and with a high degree of service.
• Establish and grow relationships with relevant partners.
• Work with the Executive Director and CFO to establish cost parameters and manage overall revenue and expenses for the North Barn.

Responsibilities:

• Create and execute a business plan for the North Barn that is in alignment with Retreat Farm’s current Strategic Plan. This may build on and thoughtfully grow the existing vision for the North Barn.
• Develop evaluation metrics for tracking progress to North Barn goals, and a reporting dashboard to demonstrate impact and identify new opportunities.
• Provide data analytics regarding sales, partners, and mission-aligned achievements to the Executive Director and relevant management teams.
• In cooperation with the Executive Director and CFO, create and maintain annual plans for forecasting, targeting, and meeting determined evaluation metrics.
• Supervise and manage the Program Director, Venue Coordinator, and Thirsty Goat (bar/event) staff, hire North Barn staff as needed and authorized, and provide support for North Barn team development to meet organizational and team goals.
• Work with the Program Director and Venue Coordinator to develop long-term strategic initiatives and create timelines and executable plans for the same.
• Work with the Program Director to integrate Retreat Farm programming into the North Barn, ensuring a balance of private and community-serving events and initiatives.
• Support visitor and client-facing operations, including private event sales, marketing, and public relations, working with appropriate interdepartmental staff as needed.

Skills and Qualifications:

• At least five years’ experience in business or nonprofit management, restaurant general management, or similar role
• Experience with business or nonprofit planning
• Familiarity with financial and budgetary processes
• Excellent leadership skills, with a focus on employee coaching and development
• Strong communication skills, both external and internal
• Up-to-date knowledge of relevant industry trends (e.g., private events, weddings, food and beverage, public programming) and willingness to continually research the same.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in business, management, nonprofit management, hospitality, or related field
• Preferred: Strong ability with database and information systems software. Some of the software we use includes Google Suite, LightSpeed, and SalesForce.
• Preferred: Experience in data analysis

Work Environment:

Retreat Farm is a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. Candidates must be able to switch focus as needed and address changing priorities while maintaining mental focus in an environment with occasional high noise levels and interruptions.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to stand for prolonged periods, climb stairs, navigate uneven terrain, and lift and move up to 50 pounds
• Ability to safely lift and move tables and chairs to various sites on the property
• Ability to work in indoor and outdoor environments in various weather conditions
• Ability to perform repetitive motions (bending, twisting)

Reporting:

The GM will report directly to the Executive Director and be a member of the Retreat Farm Board of Directors’ Program Committee. The GM will supervise the Program Director, Venue Coordinator, and Thirsty Goat/bar staff and work closely with interdepartmental staff, including the Deputy Director, Retail Manager, and Lands Team.

Compensation:

• $65,000-75,000 annually based on experience and qualifications
• Optional health, vision, and dental insurance with employer contributions
• A generous holiday and paid time off package
• Eligibility for enrollment in Retreat Farm’s SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with 3% employer matching
• 25% discount at the Retreat Farm Market

TO APPLY:

To be considered, please email a resume AND cover letter expressing your interest in Retreat Farm to jobs@retreatfarm.org with the subject line “[Last name]: North Barn GM.” Application review will continue until filled.

Retreat Farm is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe diverse teams make the strongest teams and encourage qualified people of all backgrounds, identities, ages, and abilities to apply.