Operations Manager, Park Nurseries
Organization Description:
Since 1981, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy) has served as the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, collaborating with the Presidio Trust, partners, donors, and the community to support the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The GGNRA stretches across three Bay Area counties north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge and includes iconic places such as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Mori Point, Lands End, and the Presidio of San Francisco.
The Parks Conservancy engages at the intersection of national park sites, local communities, social justice, and climate resilience. Collaborating with partners, our staff are dedicated to enhancing public awareness and providing volunteer and educational opportunities in the parks. We are park builders, caretakers, ambassadors and educators, all working to connect people to parks in support of our vision Parks for All Forever. Join us.
Program Description:
The Park Nurseries support the mission of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) by growing native plants for restoration efforts and connecting local communities with nature. With the involvement of volunteers, the Nurseries collect seeds throughout the park and grow up to 150,000 plants a year across two nurseries. As a team and as a public-serving program, we are committed to equity and inclusion and are working to increase access for historically excluded communities.
Position Overview:
The Operations Manager plays a vital role in creating a well-functioning team and welcoming program. This position manages and streamlines operational, programmatic, and administrative processes. The Operations Manager supports a team of 8 staff plus seasonal interns and a community of volunteers.
This is a full-time, exempt position based in the Presidio of San Francisco. Work is performed primarily in the office plus time onsite at the nurseries. This position is eligible to telework for appropriate tasks.
Reports To: Director of Park Nurseries
Essential Functions and Responsibilities:
Coordination and Implementation:
The Operations Manager is a key connector between the Nurseries Team and the Conservancy’s central operations teams.
- Facilities: Serves as a liaison to the Facility Director. Submits and tracks work orders. Supports site maintenance and improvement plans.
- Fleet: Manages Nursery Program fleet and vehicle maintenance in coordination with Fleet Director.
- Safety: Working with the Safety Director, maintains and updates safety documents, emergency action plans, and first aid supplies. Supports roll-out of safety related trainings, protocols, and procedures. Coordinates regular safety checks at each site. Submits monthly pesticide use report. Serves as Safety Committee representative.
- IT: Serves as liaison with IT Director and SharePoint administrator. Tests new technology and systems for possible implementation in Nursery Program. Provides one-on-one and group trainings as needed for new and existing systems.
- Communications: Serves as a liaison to Communications and Design teams and participates in monthly Editorial Meetings. Manages Nursery Program web pages and updates content. Supports creation of new communications materials (presentations, brochures, etc.)
- Operations working group: Participates in Operations Managers working group to share resources and to address shared needs across departments.
Team Culture and Development:
- Leadership and team culture: Works with Director to maintain healthy, positive team culture. Upholds the Nurseries’ Community Agreements: We care for ourselves and others; Safety is our community responsibility; We’re all growing here.
- Program development: Works with team to make programs accessible and meaningful to people from different communities, including those historically excluded from environmental experiences.
- Hiring: Coordinates hiring processes, including annual intern cohort. Schedules hiring timeline and milestones, processes applications, creates candidate evaluation tools, and facilitates team conversations. Strengthens hiring processes to center equity and access.
- Onboarding and professional development: Supports managers with on-boarding and training of new hires and on-going professional development for interns and staff. Assists Director in planning team trainings and retreats.
- Facilitation: Plans and leads meetings, workshops, trainings, and team dialogues as needed. May co-lead volunteer programs or other events.
- On-site Support: Participates in weekly team workdays. Assists with propagation, facilities maintenance, seed collection, and other tasks as needed.
Administrative and Operational Support:
- Systems improvement: Identifies ways to improve workflows to make people’s jobs easier. Leads team in streamlining systems and procedures and provides cross-nursery coordination.
- Purchasing and payments: Manages purchases, payments, reconciliation, and reporting. Supports site managers with organization of offices and nursery facilities, and with inventory of supplies, uniforms, and tools. Researches vendors, materials, and tools to inform purchasing decisions and budgets.
- Meetings and events: Schedules meetings, prepares materials, and takes notes. Follows up on action items and priorities identified. Supports program staff with workshops, symposia, and conference presentations. Provides support for nursery programming and special events, including event planning, venue and travel coordination, and other logistics.
- Databases and reporting: Supports nursery staff with tracking systems and multiple databases. Regularly assists with data entry and runs reports. Compiles and presents data for decision making, evaluation, and communications materials.
- Technology and File Management: Uses technology effectively, including MS Office, SharePoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Asana, and database systems. Implements and maintains filing conventions to organize physical, digital, and cloud-based program files, including photo library. As needed, learns new systems and supports team in adoption.
- Project Management: Coordinates and completes seasonal and project-specific tasks. Supports annual plant request process.
Other Duties as Assigned
Qualifications:
We are open to candidates with various work histories and are looking for candidates with the ability to accomplish the Essential Functions and Responsibilities areas described above.
Experience:
- Coordination and implementation: Prior experience working across teams or departments. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects concurrently. Has created, revised, and delivered communications/materials tailored to specific audiences. Demonstrated ability to meet changing needs and expectations in collaboration with team, stakeholders, and supervisor.
- Team culture and development: Relevant prior experience, which may be demonstrated in a variety of ways such as facilitation, team development, working with community or education programs, etc. Demonstrated ability to support people as individuals and as a group.
- Administrative and operational support: Relevant prior experience, which may be demonstrated in a variety of ways such as administrative work, operations, project management, program coordination, etc. Demonstrated ability to support teams by maintaining systems, anticipating needs, and improving workflows.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Service-oriented leadership: Is aware of and anticipates needs; solves problems proactively. Values providing support and understands it as vital to creating a welcoming and well-functioning team.
- Self-directed: Creates and implements work plan that balances long-term strategy and immediate needs. Prioritizes and completes work effectively and independently.
- Communication: Listens and relates effectively while helping people feel supported and understood. Effectively communicates and explains information at an appropriate level to various audiences including team, supervisor, and stakeholders.
- Relationship building: Builds effective working relationships. Considers and responds appropriately to the needs and capabilities of different people. Offers and receives meaningful feedback.
- Commitment to access and belonging: Fosters a culture of belonging among colleagues, interns, and members of the broader community. Understands how background and lived experiences shape perspectives and interactions, and that racism and other forms of oppression in society impact relationships, privilege, power, systems, and culture.
Certifications or Licenses:
- Valid California Driver’s License and clear driving record; must be able to pass DMV record check and be eligible for insurance to drive company vehicles.
- CPR and First Aid certification (training will be provided during work time within the first 6 months).
Health and Safety:
It is the goal of the Parks Conservancy to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace. We work to mitigate hazards and risks that may cause harm to employees, consistent with state and federal laws. Employees play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and are expected to comply with all applicable health and safety rules.
Physical Requirements and Work Environments:
Primary work location is an office in the Presidio of San Francisco. This position will occasionally work at the Presidio Nursery in San Francisco and the Marin Headlands Nursery in Marin County. This position is performed primarily in an office setting. Work sometimes involves supporting onsite nursery or field work, which may include rigorous physical activity and repetitive physical tasks. Such work may require wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), such as safety glasses, ear plugs, gloves, etc. Required PPE is provided. This position follows safety protocols especially related to driving and using tools.
There are a variety of work environments for this position, including:
- Indoor/office setting (Primary): Sitting and/or operating computers, up to 6-8 hours per day.
- Nursery facilities: Regularly stands or walks for up to 6-8 hours per day, often outdoors or in greenhouse facilities. Frequently lifts, carries, or positions plant racks and supply boxes weighing up to 35 pounds.
- In the field: Exposure to weather extremes, ticks, poison oak, and other conditions can be expected while performing field work.
- Driving: Regularly drives pickup trucks and other work vehicles.
All candidates who can perform the essential functions and responsibilities are encouraged to apply. Accommodations can be made for the nursery, field, and driving requirements.
Salary and Benefits:
- $75,000/year (Grade 18). As part of our equitable hiring practices the Parks Conservancy will hire at the salary posted for the position and will not make an offer above this level.
- Benefits include:
- Medical, dental, and vision plans for employee and family
- Paid vacation and personal days, paid holidays, and sick days
- 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution (3% non-elective employer contribution)
- Employer-match Commuter Program
- Employee Assistance Program, employee discounts, and more
- This is a full-time position, 40 hours per week, 8-hour work days
Application Instructions:
Submit a resume and cover letter with your application. In your application, please highlight experience relevant to the position (as described in “Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities” and “Experience” sections above). Even if experience is not directly related, we would still like to see your full employment history. Please include why you are interested in this position in your cover letter. References will be requested if you are contacted for an interview.
Apply by January 4, 2026.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, placement and promotions are conducted without regard to an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by Federal, State, and local laws & ordinances. We will consider qualified candidates with criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
