Job Title: Operations Director
Location: Homesteads for Hope – Rochester, NY
Job Type: Full-Time
Compensation: $58,000-$70,000 per year (Base Pay)
About Homesteads for Hope:
Homesteads for Hope is a nonprofit community farm that empowers people of all abilities to learn, grow, and thrive. We provide meaningful inclusive opportunities for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD), promoting personal growth through hands-on learning in a natural farm environment.
Position Summary:
The Operations Director serves as the CEO's primary operational partner and is responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of Homesteads for Hope. This position provides leadership, accountability, and operational oversight across the organization while ensuring the mission, strategic priorities, and annual goals are translated into clear actions and measurable results.
Serving as the primary point of contact for staff before the CEO, the Operations Director develops people, strengthens systems, improves communication, and creates a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Working closely with department leaders, this position removes barriers and prioritizes organizational needs. The Operations Director will ensure that managers own their departments, staff understand expectations, and the organization follows through.
Homesteads for Hope is a 55-acre Community Farm combining education, workforce development, agriculture, retail, classes, events, rentals, and community engagement. This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership position requiring someone who enjoys developing people, solving problems, improving systems, and turning vision into execution.
Our Organization & Work Environment
Our Farm campus is active throughout the year, welcoming students, customers, volunteers, donors, community partners, and visitors.
May through October is our busiest season. The campus is filled with farming activities, educational programming, public events, retail operations, weddings, rentals, Farm Markets, and community engagement. The pace is energetic, requiring flexibility, organization, and strong leadership.
November through April provides opportunities to strengthen the organization by evaluating operations, improving systems, developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), training staff, planning future initiatives, preparing budgets, maintaining facilities, and preparing for the next mission season.
The Operations Director is expected to think beyond today's operations by strengthening culture, supporting new ideas, improving earned revenue opportunities, developing leaders, and continuously improving the organization. This role serves as both a coach and a sounding board for department leaders, helping transform ideas into practical action while ensuring the organization's mission remains at the center of every decision.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Leadership & Operations
- Serve as one of the first leaders on campus each day, ensuring the property is safe, organized, and prepared for daily operations.
- Lead day-to-day operations and serve as the primary operational contact for staff.
- Facilitate coordination of staffing, schedules, programs, events, facilities and organizational priorities
- Maintain and execute the organization’s seasonal operating calendars
- Respond quickly and professionally to operational challenges while providing thoughtful leadership and practical solutions.
- Build strong relationships with every department through consistent communication, coaching, and visibility throughout the campus.
- Filter day-to-day operational issues before they reach the CEO while ensuring appropriate follow-through and accountability.
- Serve as a trusted advisor by helping evaluate ideas, prioritize initiatives, and transform vision into action.
- Anticipate challenges before they become problems and continually seek opportunities to improve organizational culture, financial sustainability, operational effectiveness, and long-term organizational growth.
- Support earned-revenue operations including the Farm Store, flowers, prepared foods, public classes, rentals, weddings, and future business initiatives.
People & Accountability
- Support the employment hiring process across departments
- Supervise department leaders and provide coaching, mentorship, and leadership development.
- Establish clear job expectations, measurable KPIs, and departmental goals.
- Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, coaching sessions, and annual performance evaluations.
- Hold employees accountable through recognition, coaching, corrective action, and consistent follow-through.
- Promote proactive employee development through ongoing training and communication.
- Address workplace concerns professionally while fostering a positive, mission-driven culture.
- Lead staff retreats, leadership development, and organizational culture initiatives.
- Work collaboratively with Marketing and department leaders to prioritize initiatives that strengthen both mission impact and earned revenue.
Planning & Systems
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve organizational systems, workflows, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Partner with department leaders to improve efficiency, communication, productivity, and accountability.
- Ensure every program, enterprise, and initiative has a clear owner, staffing plan, timeline and defined purpose.
- Proactively anticipate needs and plan in advance to avoid reactive operations
- Identify opportunities for innovation and operational improvement.
Campus & Business Operations
- Oversee the facilities, safety and presentation of all buildings, grounds, equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure.
- Oversee vendors, such as contractors, lawn maintenance, IT providers, insurance representatives, and professional service partners.
- Manage purchasing, inventory, operational supplies, and facility resources.
- Support departmental budget oversight and responsible stewardship of organizational resources.
- Ensure mission driven programs and earned-revenue enterprises work together effectively.
- Coordinate volunteer groups supporting campus facility improvement initiatives.
- Oversee annual permits, fire inspections, insurance audits, public assembly requirements, and compliance documentation.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned and/or required.
SUPERVISORY DUTIES
- Supervisory oversight of all departments within the organization.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Nonprofit Management, Human Resources, Finance, Operations Management, or a related field preferred.
- An equivalent combination of education, professional experience, and demonstrated leadership success will be considered.
- Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in nonprofit operations, administration, human resources, finance support, or a comparable management role.
- Demonstrated experience supervising staff, leading teams, and managing day-to-day organizational operations.
- Experience with budgeting, payroll administration, accounts payable, purchasing, bill payment, financial oversight, and administrative systems strongly preferred.
- Experience managing organizational schedules, facilities, vendors, technology systems, and operational resources.
- Experience developing organizational systems, workflows, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and performance management processes.
- Experience working within a nonprofit, educational, agricultural, farm-based, hospitality, retail, or other mission-driven organization is strongly preferred.
- Experience collaborating with third-party bookkeeping firms, payroll providers, Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), insurance representatives, IT vendors, or other external business partners is preferred. Proficiency with QuickBooks, Square Point of Sale (POS), CRM/database systems, and Microsoft Office 365 required.
- Experience coordinating facilities, vendor relationships, compliance requirements, permits, licenses, inspections, and organizational reporting preferred.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Demonstrated leadership ability with a passion for coaching, developing, and motivating employees while fostering a positive, accountable workplace culture.
- Exceptional organizational, planning, prioritization, and project management skills with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
- Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and conflict-resolution skills with the ability to communicate professionally at all levels of the organization.
- Ability to establish clear expectations, monitor performance, hold staff accountable fairly and consistently, and recognize employee success.
- Ability to establish healthy professional boundaries, prioritize effectively, delegate appropriately, and maintain personal well-being while successfully leading a fast-paced, mission-driven organization.
- Strong judgment, professionalism, integrity, discretion, and the ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
- Ability to think strategically while remaining actively engaged in day-to-day operations and organizational leadership.
- Proven ability to develop, implement, and improve organizational systems, workflows, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and operational efficiencies.
- Working knowledge of human resources practices, payroll administration, employment law, employee relations, and organizational compliance.
- Understanding of budgeting, financial stewardship, purchasing, internal controls, and administrative reporting.
- Strong vendor management, facilities coordination, logistics, and project management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, adapt quickly to changing circumstances, and remain calm under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, Google Workspace, QuickBooks, Square POS, CRM/database systems, and other cloud-based business software.
- Working knowledge of construction, facility maintenance, and project management, with the ability to coordinate and oversee projects ranging from routine repairs and preventative maintenance to concrete work, building improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and campus development. Comfortable troubleshooting issues, performing minor repairs when appropriate, and managing contractors for larger projects.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify opportunities to improve organizational culture, operational effectiveness, earned revenue, and long-term sustainability.
- Demonstrated commitment to servant leadership, continuous improvement, and the mission and values of Homesteads for Hope.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.
- This is a highly active leadership position requiring frequent movement throughout Homesteads for Hope's 55-acre campus, including offices, classrooms, barns, greenhouses, retail spaces, event venues, gardens, parking areas, and outdoor program locations.
- The employee must regularly walk the property, inspect facilities, meet with staff, vendors, volunteers, and visitors, and move between operational areas throughout the day.
- Frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, climbing stairs, and occasional kneeling or crouching are required.
- Must be able to occasionally lift and move supplies, equipment, furniture, or materials weighing up to 50 pounds.
- Regular use of computers, telephones, mobile devices, and other office equipment is required.
- Work is performed in both indoor and outdoor environments and may involve exposure to varying weather conditions, temperature changes, dust, noise, and uneven terrain.
- The position requires the flexibility to work occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events to support organizational operations, Farm Markets, volunteer projects, community programs, fundraising events, and campus activities.
- Reliable transportation is required for occasional local travel related to organizational business.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit a resume and a brief cover letter explaining their interest and qualifications to Kala Saenz, Executive Assistant: [email protected].
Candidates are encouraged to discuss any specific accommodation needs during the application or interview process.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Homesteads for Hope is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace for all employees.
Pay: $58,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
