About The Trustees:
The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is the nation’s premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, we preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity. We have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. We are a non-profit conservation organization funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households.
In This Role You Will:
The Beach Operations Lead/ Steward leads the daily operations at Long Point Wildlife Refuge beach operations assisting over 250 beach visitors daily during the months of June through September. Hires and manages a seasonal team of 10 including seasonal gatehouse staff, rangers and retail/ kayak rental staff at Long Point. and land stewardship and works with ecology team in doing so.
In addition to Long Point, the Up-Island Steward is responsible for year-round stewardship of all up-island Trustees’ properties including Long Point Wildlife Refuge, Long Point Beach Cottage, Menemsha Hills Reservation, the Brickyard, the Farm Institute, the Vineyard Haven Islands’ Office and staff housing of Parker A and Parker B.
These diverse properties include barrier beaches, old-growth forest, and globally rare coastal grasslands habitats, farmland fields and livestock, maintenance and storage outbuildings, and the Brickyard, an industrial archaeological site adjacent to Menemsha Hills. The items below are the responsibility of the Up-Island Steward; however, some execution may be delegated to seasonal staff when appropriate.
Beach Operations
- Manage and oversee the Long Point Wildlife Refuge beach reservation system. Ensure visitor satisfaction and compliance with reservations and visitation.
- Generate nearly $200,000 in annual revenue with reservation receipts, kayak rentals, retail merchandise, and Long Point Beach cottage rentals.
- Maintain excellent records on visitor attendance.
- Oversee the retail operations to maximize sales and visitor satisfaction.
- Supervise and manage the entire kayak rental operation including supervising staff, equipment safety and repair, and visitor safety.
- Support coastal engagement team to implement engagement strategies and programs intended to communicate to beach visitors what is at stake at Long Point, and the coast more generally, as sea level rises.
- Implement strategies to increase summer visitation annually.
- Ensure proper daily opening and closing of beach at Long Point.
- Lead the hiring, supervise, and manage all Long Point seasonal positions.
- Oversee staffing at Long Point admission gate and patrol rangers. Develop and maintain staff schedules for seasonal staff.
- Oversee emergency protocols during the beach season including sharks, jellyfish, rip tides and other medical emergencies in a highly remote location coordinating with Town emergency and law enforcement as needed
- Monitor and coach staff routinely on their performance to ensure positive visitor interactions, correcting behaviors as necessary.
- Oversee financial records and procedures, employee records, and payroll for beach employees.
- Ensure careful traffic flow onto the property on long, single lane historic and scenic dirt roads. Ensure that parking patterns are carefully managed.
- Reconcile beach admission receipts and prepare deposits at Long Point.
- Commanding knowledge of the point-of-sale system and related procedures.
- Ensure that beach facilities and infrastructure are safe and well maintained. Coordinate maintenance and cleaning.
- Establish open communication and collaboration with local responders, including the Harbormaster, Shellfish Constable, Police, and Fire.
- Assist as needed in providing coverage and support to all areas of beach operation on island.
- Help create a positive and productive work environment for all employees.
Visitor Engagement
- Model and foster an atmosphere that recognizes the importance of Long Point as a unique opportunity to connect visitors with the work of The Trustees. Consider employees as advocates and ambassadors for the property and the organization at home and in their community.
- Engage and maintain relationships and communications with neighborhood residents, addressing concerns in a prompt and thorough manner.
- Develop and implement strategies to meet or exceed weekly membership recruitment goals.
- With the Islands Engagement and Education staff to coordinate programs and educational activities on Menemsha Hills, the Brickyard, and Long Point Wildlife Refuge.
- Develop content and lead training with year-round and seasonal staff on visitor engagement and membership recruitment.
- Work closely with regional volunteer coordinator to recruit volunteers as resource monitors, visitor survey collectors, and other general service volunteers.
Property stewardship
- Oversee and perform the stewardship, preservation and maintenance of the properties’ historic, cultural and ecological resources in accordance with organizational guidelines.
- Facilitate and carry out general maintenance of structures.
- Manage contractors for work and services to buildings and utility systems.
- Manage a fleet of trucks, utvs, atvs, and small engine powered equipment for offroad transportation and trail/farm maintenance performing maintenance on them when needed
- Lead, manage and orchestrate the Deer/waterfowl hunting seasons for Long Point, Menemsha Hills, and The Farm Institute creating hunting schedules and ensuring all hunters are complying with Trustees and state hunting rules and regulations.
- Assists and implements ecological protection projects such as the Black Racer Hibernaculum, grassland protection, and prescribed burns. Work closely with ecology team to ensure protection of beach natural resources and functions.
- In partnership with the ecology team, uphold protection of endangered and threatened species program, including visitor oversight and compliance.
- Maintain safe and functioning parking areas and trail systems across up-island properties.
- During fall, winter, and spring seasons, carry out routine stewardship activities across up-island properties including snow removal, and major storm preparation and response.
- Lead Staff in the Prescribed Burn project coordinating field staff and prescribed burn crew during the burning dates.
- Other duties as assigned with or without accommodation.
Long Point Beach Cottage Rental Program
- Work with the Islands Director and the rental company to ensure the Long Point Cottage is fully maintained, clean, and prepared for each weekly summer rental visitor.
- Provide hospitality to weekly cottage renters, including information on recreational and ecological activities on Long Point Wildlife Refuge.
- Respond to cottage renter emergencies, sometimes on a 24 hour basis, as needed.
- Immediate response to maintenance and repair concerns for cottage renters.
- Supervise and coordinate cleaning services on a weekly basis during cottage rental turnover.
