Property & Grounds Manager (Edmond, Oklahoma)

Aspen Ranch (“the Ranch”) is a private estate located in North Edmond, Oklahoma. The Ranch is family owned and operated and includes 160 acres of manicured and landscaped grounds. The Ranch is home for approximately twenty-five rescue animals including a dwarf mini horse (“Bunny”), five donkeys, two pigs, a brahma bull, one cow, several horses, two cats and a dog. The owners operate the Ranch as a private park and the animals are their private pets. The Ranch is also home to four lakes, four homes, and multiple venue sites utilized for private events, weddings, and related events. The Ranch also has a three-bedroom apartment for staff.

Background:

The Ranch was built in the period 2000 to 2002 and is approximately twenty years old. It was operated as a thoroughbred horse ranch for approximately fifteen years. The Ranch was closed for about five years due to the owner’s health. During the five years the grounds, twenty miles of PVC fence, six barn buildings, three houses, four ponds, and approximately 3,000 trees were not maintained. The owner subsequently passed away and his family brought in a crew to begin restoring the grounds for sale. The current owners purchased the property in October 2019 and have begun an extensive renovation and improvement project for the existing grounds, roads, and buildings.

A general contractor has begun construction of three new venue buildings and parking lot for 200 cars scheduled to be completed in March 2021. Events have been scheduled to begin in the new venues in April 2021. A riding arena has been repainted and a temporary floor and bathrooms added creating the “Aspen Event Center”, an 11,000 square foot venue. Events have been held in this venue and additional events are currently being scheduled for this venue.

The Ranch was purchased with the intention of building venues for events and weddings. The owners have no intention to operate as a horse ranch. The twenty-five rescue animals living at the ranch are fully integrated into the venue operations and are a major draw for venue customers.

The Ranch operations consist of three interrelated departments.

The maintenance and development of the grounds and buildings. – The management of this department will be filled by the successful applicant for the Grounds Manager position. The Grounds Manager will report to Tiffany Smith, the owner operator.

The maintenance of the rescue animal operations. A team of full and part time staff manage the animals. This department is currently managed by Tiffany Smith, the owner operator.

The development and operations of the venue business. This department is currently managed by Tiffany Smith, the owner operator.

Grounds Manager Position

Responsibilities:

Responsible for the overall maintenance of the 160-acre grounds.

Recruiting and supervising the staff to develop and maintain the grounds and facilities.

Maintaining a very high level of landscape service at the Ranch and three properties located outside the Ranch property. The outside properties include three homes and a ten-acre irrigated lot.

Required skills:

Ability and willingness to work as a member of a team dedicated to managing and developing the Ranch into the premier venue center in a multi-state area.

Experience in recruiting and managing the staff necessary to maintain the grounds in a park like condition throughout the year.

Management in maintaining the Ranch maintenance equipment including but not limited to three John Deere ZTR mowers, two John Deere gators, two John Deere tractors, a dump truck, a Bob Cat, a Case backhoe, a 500-gallon water trailer, a manure spreader, one pickup truck, and various landscaping equipment. Virtually all landscaping equipment is less than one year old.

Experience in recruiting, managing, and motivating staff.

Experience in developing and managing a weed control system.

Ability to communicate fluently in English and Spanish.

Current Specific Projects:

Mowing and maintaining existing grounds at the Ranch grounds to include:

Mowing and managing existing grass and landscaped areas around existing buildings and landscaped areas around new buildings under construction.

Managing the existing irrigation systems and installing or contracting for the design and installation of additional irrigation systems on the Ranch. It is anticipated a significant amount of new irrigation will be installed in the very near future.

Installing or working with contractors for installation of landscaping around the new buildings under construction and scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2020.

Installing or working with contractors for installation of expanded irrigation on the Ranch.

Developing and implementing a weed control system to control the weeds throughout the properties while having no negative impact on the animals living at the Ranch and outside properties.

Installing and maintaining additional landscaping and trees on the Ranch.

Assisting and supervising staff as needed with venue operations – setting up and taking down tables and chairs.

Repairing and expanding fencing utilizing staff and outside contractors.