Assistant Operations Manager

Description

Job Title: Assistant Operations Manager (Full-Time)
Location: Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Shipman, VA
Reports To: Operations Manager

About Serenity Ridge Retreat Center
Serenity Ridge is a values-driven Bön Buddhist retreat center located in the foothills of Nelson County, Virginia. Our mission is to provide a peaceful and supportive environment for contemplative practice, learning, and personal growth with an emphasis on the Yungrdrung Bön tradition of Tibet. We host retreats year-round and welcome a diverse community of teachers, guests, and volunteers.

Position Overview
We are seeking a highly organized, service-oriented Assistant Operations Manager (Full-Time, On-Site) to support the Operations Manager in the day-to-day functioning of Serenity Ridge Retreat Center. This role is essential to maintaining smooth operations across retreat programming, guest services, administrative systems, facilities coordination, and staff and volunteer support.

The Assistant Operations Manager works closely with the Operations Manager, staff, residents, and volunteers to ensure the Center runs with consistency, professionalism, and warmth. This position is well-suited to a candidate who is detail-driven, adaptable, and energized by supporting both people and systems in a mission-centered environment.

This is a hands-on operational role with meaningful responsibility and visibility. Serenity Ridge intends for this position to offer clear opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization for the right candidate.

Job Duties

Key Support Areas

Facility and Operations Support (30%)
•Support daily operational readiness of Serenity Ridge by maintaining strong communication and coordination across housekeeping, kitchen, and facilities teams.
•Attend staff meetings and, as delegated by the Operations Manager, communicate key updates related to retreat schedules, guest flow, facility repairs, and scheduled visitors.
•Track, document, and report maintenance, housekeeping, and safety issues in a timely and organized manner, escalating urgent items appropriately.
•Assist with weekly facility walk-throughs and inspections, identifying opportunities to improve guest experience, cleanliness, aesthetics, and operational flow.
•Support inventory monitoring, supply organization, and purchasing, ensuring key operational supplies are stocked and accessible.
•Maintain operations-related documentation and records to support continuity, training, and smooth handoffs between staff and volunteers.
•Participate in Volunteer Support Team and Council meetings, and support follow-up actions assigned by the Operations Manager.
•Support basic safety readiness by assisting with incident documentation and ensuring common areas remain organized, accessible, and guest-ready.

Retreat & Event Support (35%)
•Support the planning and execution of retreats, day-long programs, and events by assisting with logistics, preparation, setup, registration, guest flow, and post-event breakdown.
•Serve as a point of contact for retreatants and guests as needed, ensuring concerns are handled with professionalism, warmth, and clear follow-through.
•Assist with retreat registration systems and front-desk operations, including payment processing, participant check-in, and guest communication.
•Help coordinate volunteer work teams during and between events, providing direction, clarity, and task follow-through.
•Support third-party rental groups by assisting with inquiries, scheduling, communications, and guest readiness.
•Contribute to rental relationship-building and appreciation efforts to strengthen repeat bookings and community trust.
•Assist with local retreat promotion and marketing implementation, including flyer distribution, posting approved announcements, and supporting direct outreach to local sangha networks.
•Support post-retreat wrap-up by helping capture key notes (what worked, what needs adjustment) to improve future retreat execution.

Outreach & Community Support (15%)
•Support local outreach efforts that build awareness of Serenity Ridge in the surrounding region.
•Coordinate volunteer presence at community events (such as farmers markets and local festivals) in partnership with the Operations Manager and Community Team.
•Assist in building and maintaining relationships with local partners and aligned organizations.
•Support Serenity Ridge community gatherings and on-site community-building events (for example, Serenity Ridge Sundays), helping ensure smooth logistics and a welcoming experience.
•Maintain an outreach tracking log (contacts, events attended, outcomes) to support continuity and reduce repeated effort.

Administrative Support (10%)
•Support daily administrative operations by monitoring and responding to general email inquiries as assigned.
•Answer incoming phone calls and provide clear, professional information, routing inquiries appropriately.
•Maintain calendars, shared documents, internal reports, and operational trackers in Google Workspace.
•Support purchasing processes as needed, including supply orders and documentation.
•Assist with basic financial recordkeeping tasks, following Serenity Ridge procedures and maintaining accurate documentation.
•Support systems cleanliness by ensuring key documents and files are consistently organized and accessible for staff.
•Staff and Volunteer Coordination Support (10%)
•Support the scheduling, orientation, and onboarding process for part-time staff, volunteers, and residents.
•Assist with volunteer coordination during retreats and events, helping ensure coverage, clarity, and a positive experience for volunteers.
• Track volunteer hours and work-exchange credits accurately and consistently.
• Provide tours to visitors and prospective guests as assigned, representing Serenity Ridge with professionalism and warmth.
• Assist with volunteer appreciation efforts, supporting retention and long-term engagement.
• Help foster a culture of clear communication, respect, accountability, and teamwork.
• Support consistent onboarding by maintaining checklists for new volunteers and new staff so training is repeatable and less dependent on memory.

Skills Required

Required
•2+ years of relevant experience in administrative support, hospitality, guest services, office operations, events, retreat coordination, or a comparable operations-facing role.
•Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
•Proven ability to manage multiple moving parts (scheduling, communication, logistics, guest needs) with accuracy and follow-through.
•Strong organizational and documentation skills, including reliable attention to detail.
•Clear, professional written and verbal communication, including the ability to respond to guests, staff, volunteers, and vendors with calm and courtesy.
•Comfortable using Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar) and learning new web-based tools.
•Ability to handle basic math and routine financial tasks such as tracking payments, purchases, and simple recordkeeping.
•Ability to work a flexible schedule during retreats, including some evenings, weekends, and holidays, while maintaining reliability and professionalism.
•Ability to work effectively in a contemplative retreat environment, including maintaining discretion, quiet professionalism, and respect for guest experience.
•Must be a U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the United States.
•Must successfully complete a background check.

Physical Requirements
•Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time throughout the day, including during active retreat operations and events.
•Ability to navigate indoor and outdoor environments, including uneven terrain, stairs, and varying weather conditions, as retreat settings may include natural or rural landscapes.
•Ability to lift, carry, and move objects weighing up to 25–40 pounds, such as supplies, equipment, food items, or program materials.
•Ability to set up, break down, and rearrange spaces, including tables, chairs, cushions, and light equipment used for retreats and events.
•Ability to remain physically present and attentive for prolonged periods, including consecutive long days during retreats.
•Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position, in accordance with applicable law.

Preferred
•Experience with retreat, event, or registration platforms such as Retreat Guru (or similar booking/registration systems).
•Experience supporting event setup, guest check-in, and on-site program logistics.
•Familiarity with workflow, project tracking, or task management tools.
•Comfort with scheduling and calendar coordination for staff, volunteers, and retreat programming.
•Basic experience with bookkeeping support, including invoicing, reconciliation, expense tracking, or supporting a bookkeeper.
•Experience coordinating volunteers, work teams, or community programs.
•Familiarity with contemplative practice, retreat environments, or spiritual communities (knowledge of Bön Buddhism is welcome but not required).

Work Schedule

Hours: 40 hours per week (some weekends and holidays required)
Ability to work a flexible schedule during retreats, including some evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Additional Info

Serenity Ridge Retreat Center is the headquarters of Ligmincha International (ligmincha.org), founded by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.