Hunter/Jumper Barn & Operations Manager

Eighteen Acres Farm is a professional hunter/jumper training and equine care facility in Jenks, Oklahoma, just outside Tulsa. Our property includes 40+ stall capacity, indoor and outdoor arenas, rehabilitation and conditioning amenities, extensive turnout, and the infrastructure to support a high-level sport-horse program.

We are entering the next phase of building our program and are looking for an exceptional Barn & Operations Manager to help us do it well.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership position for someone who wants meaningful responsibility and the authority to match it. The right person will work closely with the owner/head trainer to build a strong team, establish excellent, scalable systems, protect consistently high standards of horse care, client services & communication, and make a sizable equestrian operation run calmly and reliably.

This is not a desk-only management role, nor are we looking for a glorified head groom. This role is ideal for a capable horse-person, people leader, organizer, and problem-solver who is equally comfortable making a staffing decision, coordinating a veterinary case, improving a workflow, noticing a loose fence board, and stepping into the barn when the day requires it.

Core Responsibilities

1. Lead the day-to-day operation of the barn and maintain consistently excellent standards of horse care, cleanliness, safety and organization.
2. Recruit, onboard, schedule, train, develop and manage barn staff; establish clear expectations and constructive accountability.
3. Oversee feeding, turnout, medications, supplements, health monitoring, night-check systems and individualized care requirements.
4. Coordinate veterinarians, farriers and other equine professionals and ensure accurate, accessible records and follow-through.
5. Manage feed, hay, shavings, medications, supplies and inventory with appropriate purchasing and cost awareness.
6. Oversee facility and equipment needs, identify maintenance issues early and coordinate staff, vendors and contractors as appropriate.
7. Develop and improve SOPs, checklists, communication systems and workflows so that excellence does not depend on one person remembering everything.
8. Support show, shipping and horse-movement logistics as needed.
9. Communicate professionally and thoughtfully with clients, staff, vendors and other members of the internal and extended barn community.
10. Remain hands-on enough to understand what is happening throughout the property and step in appropriately when horse welfare or the team requires it.

The ideal candidate:

Strong horsemanship is essential, but this role is just as much about judgment, leadership and people.

We value calm competence, direct and respectful communication, accountability, curiosity and the ability to address problems without creating unnecessary friction. We want someone who can give and receive feedback, develop staff rather than simply criticize them, communicate clearly when something is wrong, and maintain high standards without making the barn an unpleasant place to work.

Required:

1. Significant professional equine experience with excellent practical horsemanship and horse-health awareness.
2. Prior responsibility for barn, farm or equine-team operations.
3. Demonstrated ability to lead people, prioritize work and make sound decisions independently.
4. Strong organization, recordkeeping and communication skills.
5. Comfort with performance horses and individualized care programs.
6. Valid driver's license and safe driving record.
7. Willingness to work in a hands-on environment and participate in weekend/holiday coverage appropriate to a professional horse operation.

Particularly Valuable:

1. Hunter/jumper or other upper-level sport-horse experience.
2. Experience hiring, training and developing barn staff.
3. Familiarity with tractors, farm equipment, trailers and facility-management systems.
4. Strong medication, first-aid and veterinary-support experience.
5. Experience implementing SOPs, digital records, inventory or maintenance systems.
6. Spanish language ability.

Eighteen Acres Farm is currently building several complementary positions as we develop the next phase of our program. We care more about exceptional people and the right combination of strengths than forcing every candidate into a predetermined box, and there may be flexibility in the scope of this role for an unusually strong fit.

To apply, please submit a resume, a brief introduction describing what you are looking for in your next position, and professional references.