25 hours/week.  Salary: $29,000 – $31,000.   Interviews begin Monday, February 6, and the position begins when filled.

Overview                               

The Vermont Wilderness School (VWS) is seeking a Business Manager.  

VWS is dedicated to restoring our relationships with nature, ourselves, and each other. Since 1999 we have offered nature-based mentoring programs for people of all ages, in southern Vermont and beyond.

VWS is growing to meet the increasing community demand for accessible, inclusive nature connection programs and mentoring training. We welcome applications from dedicated individuals interested in learning, growing, and contributing along with us.

 

Position Summary                               

The Business Manager manages the organization’s financial systems to ensure fiscal health and coordinates human resources systems to ensure VWS remains a great place to work. 

Working closely with the Executive Director and the administrative team, the Business Manager is a leadership position, with the potential for growth in hours and/or management responsibilities.

The Business Manager has excellent attention to detail, strong communication skills, and expertise in organizational systems.  2+ years experience with nonprofit or small business finance, human resources, and operations is required. 

This is a year-round position.  The Business Manager works in our Brattleboro, VT office along with three other part-time staff members. Partial remote work options are available.    

 

Leadership Competencies                               

VWS strives to create a culture that is supportive, effective, and life-affirming. Ideal candidates for this role will be energized by a work environment that prioritizes:

• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Proactive Leadership
• Resourcefulness
• Service & Relationships

Essential Functions and Responsibilities                               

Foundational Role (1.5 hrs/wk)

This is the part of the position that upholds the overall strategic direction and values of VWS’s work. It includes:

• Attend VWS regenerative business strategy meetings (weekly), online business development training course (every 6 wks), VWS staff/board retreat (yearly), and VWS community events (occasional).
• Attend staff trainings and make occasional visits to VWS youth and adult programs. 

Core Role (23.5 hrs/wk)

Financial Systems Management (17 hrs/week)

• Coordinate and manage the organization’s financial systems and internal controls to ensure fiscal health.

• • Supervise financial aspects of VWS programs.

• • • • Supervise financial aspects of program launches and enrollment processes, including creating and monitoring program budgets, and setting program prices and field staff wages.
      • Act as registrar, managing the enrollment process for each participant who has registered for a program. Includes providing customer service, monitoring rosters, collecting payments and forms, and tracking data.

• • Perform organizational bookkeeping.

• • • • Maintain books and chart of accounts in Quickbooks Online.
      • Oversee financial reconciliation and reporting.
      • Process program revenue and donations, make deposits, and make payments via checks and transfers.
      • Liaison with accountant for annual 990 tax filing, end of year reconciliation, and compliance oversight.
      • Ensure all tax reporting and payment obligations are met in a timely way.

• • Support the fundraising work of the Executive Director and Board of Directors, especially by maintaining accurate and user-friendly systems for tracking contributed income and communicating with donors, foundations, and prospects.

• • • • Participate in meetings (monthly) of the Board Committee on Organizational Development Committee 
      • Process and track grants and donations, including managing donations from crowdfunding site during end of year campaign.
      • Generate donation acknowledgement letters.
      • Provide financial reports as requested by funders, the Executive Director, and the Board of Directors.
      • Track restricted grant funds to ensure easy reporting for our federal, state, and private funders.

• • Lead annual organizational budgeting process, in collaboration with the Executive Director and Board Treasurer.

• • Act as liaison with our fiscal sponsee (Sow Well Tots).

• • Manage organizational purchasing.

• Human Resources Management (3 hr/wk)
  • Manage the organization’s human resources systems to ensure VWS remains a great place to work. 

• • • Primary human resources administrator for hiring, compensation, benefits, & record-keeping.
    • Supervise and administer payroll and benefits using our payroll provider (Gusto). 
    • On-board new staff, interns, & volunteers (background checks, medical/waiver forms, policies, employment agreements, etc.)
    • Support staff with benefits, policy questions, and other needs, such as: workers’ comp claims, complaints, reimbursements, policies, etc.
    • Maintain field staff pay ladder and employee manual.
    • Ensure compliance with state and federal labor laws.
    • Point of contact with external insurance brokers.
    • Generate insurance payments & reporting.

• Office Operations (1 hr/wk)
  • Be a member of the team which collaboratively runs the VWS office and ensures the smooth operating of office and technological systems that support our work together.

 

• Meetings & Supervision (1 hr/wk)
  • Meet with supervisor (Executive Director) weekly for updates and annually for a performance review.

 

Core Competencies                                           

• Experience and understanding of nonprofit or small business transactions, bookkeeping, budgeting, and human resource administration.
• Highly organized, with a strong accuracy and attention to detail.   
• Customer service skills and the ability to manage numerous communication threads.
• Comfortable independently prioritizing, planning workflow, and managing simultaneous projects.
• Proficiency in bookkeeping software (we use Quickbooks Online) and spreadsheets (we use Google Sheets) is essential.
• Comfort with Apple/Mac platform.
• Internal resilience and self-sufficiency.  Ability to improvise and adapt to the changing circumstances of a small, community-based nonprofit.
• Excellent and mature interpersonal communication skills. 
• Sense of humor, curiosity, and creativity. We like to laugh and have fun at work!
• If you also have a desire to learn about and contribute to nature connection, youth mentoring, and community building initiatives, that is a bonus.

 

Considerations                                           

• We value a diverse workforce and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender and gender non-conforming persons.
• We have a well-behaved, friendly dog who frequents the office.  

 

Physical Requirements                                       

• Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments.
• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
• Operating motor vehicles.
• Medium work that includes moving objects up to 50 pounds.

Compensation                                           

This is a salaried employee position for 25 hours per week, year round.  

• Salary: $29,000 – $31,000, depending on experience.  
• Benefits:
  • 50 hours paid vacation, 50 hours paid holidays, & 32 hours sick time
  • Up to $2000 stipend for use of your personal communications devices and work spaces for work tasks.
  • 100% discount on any VWS program (with available spaces)
  • 30% discount for immediate family members on any VWS program (some exceptions apply).
  • Partial to full cost of relevant professional development opportunities, on a case-by-case basis.

 

To Apply                                           

Please reply to jobs@vermontwildernessschool.org with a resume, two references, and a concise letter describing your experience, qualifications, and reasons for applying for this position.

Interviews begin Monday, February 6, and the position begins when filled.