What are the responsibilities and job description for the Office Manager position at Highland Lake Cove LLC?
Office Manager – Highland Lake Cove
About Highland Lake Cove
Highland Lake Cove has been a cornerstone of hospitality, wellness, and community
development in Western North Carolina for over 40 years. In the late 1980s, we founded the
county's longest-running fine dining restaurant, pioneering the garden-to-table movement long before it was trendy, earning features in Southern Living and other national publications. Today, we carry that spirit forward through our retreat center, café, regenerative building projects, and community-focused events. We're not just offering services. We're creating a place where people reconnect with nature, with others, and with themselves.
About the Role
We're seeking a skilled and reliable Office Manager to run the administrative operations that support our multi-faceted business. From hospitality and retreat programs to our new lodging projects, your work will serve as the organizing center of everything we do. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a values-based environment, enjoys bringing order to a busy operation, and takes genuine pleasure in being the person who keeps things running.
Key Responsibilities
● Serve as the key point of contact for all mail, calls, and email coming in, routing to the appropriate department heads
● Act as a gracious front desk presence for guests, vendors, and callers
● Maintain organized digital and paper filing systems across departments
● Coordinate schedules, calendars, and meetings for leadership and department heads
● Manage office supplies, vendor accounts, and purchasing support
● Support HR administration including onboarding paperwork, personnel files, and staff communications
● Assist department heads with documentation, correspondence, and project tracking
● Help coordinate logistics for retreats, events, and guest groups as needed
● Partner with our bookkeeping support to route invoices, receipts, and paperwork accurately
Ideal Qualifications
● 3 years of experience in office management or administrative coordination
● Strong proficiency with Google Workspace and/or Microsoft Office
● Familiarity with the hospitality or construction industries preferred
● Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
● Ability to communicate clearly and manage time independently
● A steady presence and collaborative mindset
Scope & Flexibility
This Office Manager role can be shaped with Guest Relations or program support
responsibilities to form a full-time position, depending on your background and interests. At
Highland Lake Cove, we often grow roles organically and co-create positions that reflect both
our needs and your strengths. If you're looking to step into a meaningful role and shape it as we grow together, we'd love to hear from you.
Pay & Benefits
● Pay Range: $20 to $24/hour depending on experience
● Flexible hours and potential for increased responsibility over time
● Access to retreat and wellness facilities
● Opportunities for leadership development and cross-training
● Additional benefits may be customized during the onboarding process
Our Approach to Hiring
We believe hiring should be a mutual discovery process. We start with a conversation to explore your strengths, goals, and how they might align with our evolving needs. In some cases, we invite candidates to join us for a project-based trial, like organizing a filing system or coordinating an upcoming event, to ensure mutual fit before making longer-term commitments.
A Note from Our Founder
As the founder moves into elderhood, this next phase of Highland Lake Cove is about creating the next octave of workplace culture, one that prioritizes purpose, people, and regeneration over burnout and bureaucracy. That vision includes a future transition to employee ownership and cooperative structures, a path we will explore with vetted, committed team members.
It's also important to know that early-stage conversations, like job postings, are "conversations for possibility." Final job descriptions and agreements are always formalized together once alignment is clear.
The Road Ahead
The last hospitality business we created here within the 200-acre Highland Lake Community was the Highland Lake Inn & Conference Center and our restaurant in '85 (since renamed Seasons by the new owners). It started with a small circle of 8 people and an old summer camp, and grew 25% a year for 11 years to 75 employees and thousands of loyal customers. That client base helped grow the first neighborhood development project we did, and we've been alternating new communities and new hospitality projects ever since. The Cove will have a strong educational component as we aspire this time to leave a legacy project that can be of true service to the challenges we see in the world today. We have always been strong proponents of hiring from within, and we're proud of the many good people who have been part of these projects on the way to their true calling, if they didn't find it here.
It's just the way we do things. We invite you to join us. This project could likely be the most comprehensive yet: a Live-Work-Grow Community for our times.
Benefits: Employee discount · Flexible schedule · Paid sick time · Paid time off · Paid training ·
Professional development assistance · Some remote work depending on hospitality hours
Schedule: 8-hour shift · Day shift · Monday to Friday · Weekends as needed
Supplemental Pay: Bonus opportunities · Overtime pay
Location: Flat Rock, NC 28731, in person
Pay: $20.00 - $24.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
Work Location: In person
Salary : $20 - $24