Grounds and Maintenance Manager

POSITION/TITLE: Grounds and Maintenance Manager

SUPERVISOR: Visitor Experience Director

HOURS: Full Time, 32 hours per week

ABOUT WONDERTREK CHILDREN’S MUSEUM:

WonderTrek Children's Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Baxter, Minnesota, serving Region 5, including Crow Wing, Cass, Todd, Wadena, and Morrison counties. WonderTrek is led by a dedicated Board of Directors, passionate staff, and an experienced Museum Project Director.

WonderTrek is on a mission to bring back everyday play. Play is a vital part of healthy development and a vibrant community. WonderTrek’s creative spaces enable children to imagine, experiment, and develop essential life skills, such as problem-solving, empathy, decision-making, and teamwork – all while having a blast. WonderTrek Children’s Museum celebrates children’s joy of play and the wonder of learning. In a world where free play and exploration are disappearing, WonderTrek inspires learning through hands-on adventures. Designed for children 12 and under, their families, caregivers, and educators, it’s a place where children lead, parents recharge, and families reconnect.

WonderTrek’s Outdoor Adventure is finally becoming a reality, set to open Fall 2026! Consisting of 9-acres of interactive exhibits, WonderTrek’s Outdoor Adventure creates a place where children explore, play, and let their imaginations run wild. To further our reach, WonderTrek on Wheels brings the joy of learning through play to children and families across North Central Minnesota. From community parks to classrooms, corporate events to summer festivals, the WonderTruck and Trailer deliver hands-on fun and unforgettable adventures.

POSITION OVERVIEW

As the WonderTrek Grounds & Maintenance Manager, you play a critical role in bringing WonderTrek's mission to life by ensuring our nine-acre outdoor campus remains safe, welcoming, functional, and beautiful for every visitor. Working closely with the visitor experience team, you will oversee the daily care, maintenance, repair, and continuous improvement of WonderTrek's buildings, exhibits, trails, equipment, and grounds while supporting safe and exceptional visitor experiences.

The Grounds & Maintenance Manager serves as WonderTrek's primary facilities and campus steward, balancing hands-on maintenance with long-term planning, safety coordination, and operational support. This role requires initiative, sound judgment, mechanical aptitude, organization, the ability to positively engage and mentor youth,and a passion for creating outdoor spaces where children can safely explore, play, and learn.

As part of WonderTrek's commitment to connecting children and youth with meaningful, hands-on experiences, this position also mentors youth participating in WonderTrek's Youth Mentorship Program and supports Care Crew programming by helping children develop stewardship, responsibility, and pride in caring for shared spaces.

Responsibilities and Expectations:

The primary responsibility of the Grounds & Maintenance Manager is to oversee the maintenance, repair, safety, and continuous improvement of WonderTrek's buildings, exhibits, equipment, and grounds while supporting daily operations and fostering a safe, welcoming environment for children, families, volunteers, and staff.

• Maintain WonderTrek's nine-acre campus to ensure buildings, trails, gardens, wetland pond, trickling stream, and other environments, exhibits, and outdoor play spaces remain safe, clean, attractive, and visitor-ready each day.
• Demonstrated ability to independently assess maintenance and facility needs, troubleshoot problems, prioritize work, and determine when specialized contractor support is necessary.
• Perform general building maintenance including carpentry, painting, basic plumbing repairs, fixture installation, shelving, exhibit repairs, and other handyman duties.
• Complete routine inspections and preventative maintenance of buildings, play exhibits, equipment, fences, gates, pumps, filters, irrigation, utilities, and additional outdoor infrastructure.
• Operate and maintain lawn care and grounds equipment including mowers, trimmers, utility vehicles, and hand tools.
• Maintain trails, landscaping, gardens, natural play areas, picnic spaces, signage, and gathering areas throughout the property.
• Manage relationships with outside contractors, vendors, and service providers supporting campus operations, including waste management, recycling, compost, snow removal, specialized repairs, preventative maintenance, and facility improvements.
• Coordinate contracted maintenance and facility services, monitor campus needs and service quality, and make recommendations to leadership regarding repairs, improvements, and outside service needs.
• Maintain maintenance schedules, inspection logs, equipment records, and inventory of maintenance supplies and tools.
• Serve as WonderTrek's liaison with the organization's safety consultants to coordinate required safety training, workplace inspections, and compliance initiatives.
• Promote a safe workplace by ensuring OSHA standards, organizational safety procedures, and risk management practices are followed.
• Respond appropriately to facility emergencies, maintenance concerns, spills, biohazard cleanup, and unexpected operational issues.
• Assist with the construction, installation, and ongoing maintenance of new exhibits and campus improvements.
• Support event setup, special projects, and operational needs throughout the campus.
• Mentor youth participating in WonderTrek's Youth Mentorship Program by providing guidance, coaching, and meaningful hands-on work experiences that build confidence, responsibility, and practical skills.
• Support Care Crew programming by helping children develop responsibility, teamwork, and pride in caring for WonderTrek's campus.
• Demonstrate initiative, professionalism, accountability, and sound judgment while balancing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Other duties as assigned. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Experience in grounds maintenance, facilities maintenance, construction, landscaping, parks maintenance, building trades, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience performing general handyman repairs.
• Basic knowledge of carpentry, plumbing, painting, and general building maintenance.
• Ability to safely operate lawn and ground equipment.
• Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities.
• Comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Ability to lift up to 75 pounds and perform physically demanding work.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.
• Must successfully pass a background check.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience maintaining parks, museums, schools, camps, nature centers, or public facilities.
• Experience supervising volunteers or mentoring youth.
• Experience operating compact equipment or utility vehicles.
• OSHA, First Aid/CPR, or other safety certifications.
• Experience coordinating vendors or maintenance contractors.
• Passion for outdoor recreation, nature, and creating welcoming community spaces.
• Enjoys working around children and families in an active outdoor environment.
• Experience working in nonprofit, museum, educational, or community-based organizations.

Other Details:

• Work Location: WonderTrek Outdoor Adventure, Baxter, MN
• Schedule: Full-time (32 hours/week). Regular work hours are Monday, 8:00 AM–12:00 PM, and Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 AM–2:00 PM, with flexibility required for weather response, facility needs, seasonal projects, and occasional weekend support.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Starting pay: $26 to $28 per hour depending on experience
• Benefits:
• Paid Time Off (PTO), ESST, and Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML).
• Health insurance stipend.
• Dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance.
• 401(k) with employer match.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Professional development opportunities.

If you’re ready to inspire and be inspired, to make learning an adventure, and to join a team where your contributions truly make a difference, WonderTrek is waiting for you. Apply now by sending your resume, cover letter and references to aimee@wondertrekmuseum.org

Let’s make every day at WonderTrek an extraordinary adventure!

Pay: $26.00 - $28.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $26 - $28