Office Manager

We are seeking an Office Manager to help run our headquarters, manage our 900-acre nature preserve, and assist our Co-Directors with fundraising and administrative duties. The Office Manager will be based at the Clifton Institute in Warrenton, VA.

The Clifton Institute’s mission is to save Virginia’s native species. We monitor plants and animals to identify which species are in decline and we do scientific research to figure out how we should manage land to support declining species. We put what we find into practice at the Clifton property. And we share our knowledge with thousands of people every year through our education programs. The Office Manager will join a small and friendly team and will play a crucial role in supporting the organization’s work.

Duties

• Coordinate maintenance, repairs, and cleaning for our equipment barn and two historic farmhouses, one of which serve as our offices.
• Coordinate maintenance and repairs for vehicles (tractor, ATVs, pickup truck, lawn mowers, etc.) and the gravel driveway. Coordinate snow removal.
• Assist with maintenance of the 900-acre property.
• Purchase supplies for the office and run errands.
• Coordinate construction projects.
• Be responsible for keeping property in compliance with conservation easement, county ordinances, and state regulations.
• Coordinate with Accountant to maintain records of donations and expenses, including timely document destruction.
• Manage insurance programs for company, property, and operations.
• Assist with organizing fundraising events and volunteer appreciation events.
• Assist with setting up and taking down presentation spaces for various education events.
• Assist Co-Director with organizing quarterly board meetings.
• Assist Co-Director with mailings (e.g. fundraising appeal letters and newsletters).
• Assist Co-Director with managing donor database.
• Assist Co-Director with donor thank you letters.

Required Skills

We are looking for someone who is:

• A team player
• A self-starter who will take it upon themselves to fix the problems they see
• Organized
• Willing and able to respond quickly to urgent problems at odd hours (e.g. power outages)
• Familiar with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Sheets, Google Docs, and able to learn other software (e.g. Quickbooks, eTapestry)
• Comfortable wearing many hats and doing some unpleasant tasks (e.g. taking trash to the dump)
• Authorized to work in the U.S.

and who has:

• A desire to help other people achieve their goals
• A sense of humor
• Discretion in handling sensitive information
• An interest in conservation and / or education

Preferred Skills

• Fundraising experience
• Accounting experience
• Nonprofit administration experience
• Land management experience (e.g. invasive species removal, mowing)
• Experience coordinating construction projects
• Event organization experience
• Ability to drive a car with a manual transmission

Compensation

• The position will be full-time (40 hours per week).
• The salary will be $55,000 per year.
• Full-time employees accrue 160 hours of paid time off annually. We also recognize 10 paid holidays.
• The employee will enjoy a flexible work schedule and generous compensatory time policy.
• We offer competitive health, dental, and life insurance, as well as a retirement match.

The target start date is September 15 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please send applications to jobs@cliftoninstitute.org. Emails and letters can be addressed to Dr. Eleanor Harris, Co-Director. Write your last name and “Office Manager” in the subject line. Please include a resume and a cover letter describing your interest in the position. VERY IMPORTANT: Please follow this example for your pdf documents: “Harris_Office Manager_ resume.pdf” “Harris_Office Manager_ cover letter.pdf”. Please also provide the names and email addresses of at least three references.

In the administration of its employment policies and practices, The Clifton Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status, matriculation, political affiliation or genetic information.

Updated 22 July 2026.