Live-in Ranch Caretaker / Facility Manager needed in Nicasio, California

Filled / Expired

Halleck Creek Ranch

Email

Email Address Hidden

Location

Nicasio, CA

Job Type

Full Time

Salary

$20 - $22/hour, commensurate with experience

Date Posted

December 8, 2022

Housing Offered

Yes

Experience

5-10 yrs

Ranch Caretaker
Animal Care/Facility Maintenance

Full-time (40 hours week) non-exempt position / Tuesday – Saturday
$20 – $22/hour DOE
Housing (2br, 1ba), health insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays,
Opportunities for on-going education and training
Location: Nicasio, California

Introduction to Halleck Creek Ranch

Founded in 1977, Halleck Creek Ranch invites people with disabilities, and their families, to live a “life without barriers” through equine-assisted activities and therapeutic horseback riding. Through riding and working with our horses, our program participants experience a unique sense of freedom and mobility, allowing them to imagine the future, and to enjoy the present, in a way they never thought possible. For the volunteers who serve in our programs, their interactions with the participants teach them that people with disabilities can do anything they want to, they just have to do it a little differently. The relationships between our participants, volunteers, and horses establish connections that benefit our entire community.

Halleck Creek Ranch (HCR) was founded on the guiding principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. At HCR, we cultivate a culture of inclusion, celebrate people for who they are, and focus on what their capabilities are.

Experienced, open-minded, and enthusiastic employees are critical to our ability to connect people with disabilities and horses, strengthen our community, and to achieve our mission.

Position Summary

The Facility Manager provides facility support by carrying-out responsibilities in a combination of key areas including the maintenance of facilities, grounds and equipment, animal care and feeding, and volunteer management.

Duties include the feeding, care, and wellness checks of horses and other ranch animals, maintaining the grounds of our 60-acre horse ranch, pasture management, equipment maintenance, custodial duties, facility volunteer management and the planning and oversight of capital projects. Evening and weekend hours are required.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate has solid references, experience in carrying-out equine and animal care duties in similar work environments, experience managing a ranch or large property, and interacting in a positive and professional way with volunteers and employees.

The position requires someone who is self-motivated, conscientious, and dependable, with good interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred candidates will have experience demonstrated leadership capabilities and will have managed capital projects. Familiarity and commitment to the organization’s work and mission is preferred.

Responsibilities

Livestock

Feed up to 22 horses and 4 goats five (5) days/week; morning feedings to be completed no later than 7:30am, and evening feedings to completed no later than 6:30pm
Feed horses pursuant to Halleck Creek Ranch specifications
Perform daily wellness checks of all animals – look for unsoundness, wounds, unusual behavior, and communicate concerns to the Program Director (PD), or if unavailable, the ED
Apply and remove fly masks and blankets daily or as needed
Clean paddocks (shovel and remove horse manure) and barn areas daily
Administer medications as instructed
Clean water troughs as needed
Be available to assist with farrier and veterinary visits as scheduled
Consult with PD, or if unavailable, the ED to obtain permission to contact a veterinarian for any animal emergency
Be available to assist with after-hours emergencies and/or after-hours wellness checks on sick or injured animals
Schedule delivery or pick up feed & supplies as needed

Property Maintenance

Manage the maintenance of facilities, grounds and equipment
Identify repairs or maintenance needed with a focus on the safety of both horses and humans, and communicate anticipated costs prior to expenditure to the Executive Director
Ensure all ranch vehicles and equipment (ranch truck, horse trailers, tractor, quads, mowers etc.) are maintained in safe and good working order
Manage scheduling and coordination of vehicle/equipment maintenance, and keep maintenance records on all vehicles owned and operated by HCR
Manage hay, grain and medication storage to ensure feed/medication isn’t wasted; keep hay barn and working areas clean and tidy
Harrow & maintain arena daily
Clean ranch bathrooms (floors, toilets, sinks, replace paper supplies) twice weekly
Rotate manure/compost pile as needed
Distribute Fly Predators during spring/summer/fall seasons
Dispose of garbage and recycling once a week to dumpsters
Ensure adequate levels of fuel are on-site and stored appropriately for use in ranch equipment
Ensure adequate stock of cleaning supplies and tools
Obtain approval from Executive Director (ED) prior to any major expenditures, eg. hay purchases, equipment repair or facility costs
Present proposals for capital improvement projects to senior management for consideration and acceptance
Manage capital projects to ensure compliance with budgets and contracts
Ensure compliance with health, fire and safety standards and regulations
Manage service contracts (annual water testing, aggregate deliveries, feed deliveries, etc.)
Ensure safe and respectful care and use of HCR equipment, maintaining safety standards and following ranch policies

Volunteer Management

Supervise volunteers in daily facility maintenance and capital projects
Develop an effective team of facility volunteers, leveraging their skills and knowledge if/when appropriate.
Assign tasks and duties to facility volunteers throughout the day, taking into consideration their interests, abilities, and strengths.
Ensure quality volunteer performance through on-going, on-the-job instruction, training supervision and support of facility volunteers.
Communicate with Volunteer Coordinator to ensure a sufficient number of volunteers are staffed to facilitate ranch management operations.
Solicit volunteer feedback and encourage volunteer interaction on a consistent basis.
Ensure safe and respectful care and use of HCR equipment, maintaining safety standards for all participants, guests, volunteers, horses, and staff
Work with staff and volunteers to the identify, manage and complete ranch improvement projects
Coordinate and oversee Volunteer Service approx. two times a year

Additional

Attend weekly staff meetings, and facility team meetings as needed
Transport horses to special events approx. two times a year
Assist with special events, including holiday events, the annual horse show, fundraisers, and off-site community events.
Perform other duties as needed or required.
Maintain confidentiality of sensitive and private information

Required Qualifications

Minimum of 5 years of horsemanship experience, including safe horse handling techniques using Natural Horsemanship methods
Ability to provide references from two most recent living arrangements
Competency in equine behavior and safety, and an ability to safely work around/near horses while feeding and caring for them
Ability to exercise judgment and discretion when handling sick or injured animals.
Must be able to lift 75 lbs and spend majority of work day walking or standing
Time management skills and the ability to prioritize work
Proficient in Google Drive, Zoom, Microsoft Office.
Working knowledge and experience with construction a plus
Working knowledge of farm equipment and experience in towing a goose neck horse trailer
Experience working with people with disabilities
Working knowledge and experience with basic plumbing, electrical, light construction, farm equipment maintenance
Supervisory and training experience.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Hourly salary, commensurate with experience
Housing (2br, 1ba), health insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, workers’ compensation insurance
Plus, opportunities for on-going education and training.