Situated in the heart of Oak Creek Canyon, nestled against the towering Red Rock cliffs of the Secret Canyon Wilderness, Orchard Canyon on Oak Creek is a place to reconnect with nature, unplug, and reset. Crystal clear, sweet water, brilliant bright sunlight, clean air, and a warm welcoming attitude has drawn nature lovers, artists, friends, and families for over 7 decades. Orchard Canyon has seventeen historic cabins nestled on ten lush acres of apple orchards and gardens just 8 miles north of the town of Sedona. To enhance the experience of lodging in the beauty of Oak Creek Canyon, TVs and phones are not included in our cabins.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Anticipate, plan, and effectuate in order to facilitate and curate a premier, destination orchard and fruit program at Orchard Canyon.
• Help maintain creek-fed, mile-long irrigation ditch, filters, and pump
  system operation.
• Assists with managing our flock of chickens; including daily egg collecting, feeding,
  routine coop cleaning, care, and material restocking.
• Manage the annual orchard budget, ordering and repairing tools and
• Conduct orchard tours as requested and interact with the guests at Orchard Canyon that have an interest in our orchard. Maintain clean physical appearance
• To ensure all equipment, machinery is stored securely and clean after use.
• Continue professional development and training to develop sustainable, beautiful, and organic operation.
• Ensure all spaces are clean, safe, and beautiful to the highest standard consistent with resort aesthetics
• Remain up-to-date on current orchard practices through industry reading and Agriculture Department resources
• Developing standard of care for all fruit trees on the property – and provide training to landscape staff.
• Coordinate with and support the landscape team with fruit trees located outside of the orchard.
• Communicates labor needs well in advance to coordinate with workload.
• Prune the Orchard to meet the needs of Orchard Canyon. Experience with climbing fruit tree ladders is mandatory.
• Monitor and maintain irrigation of the orchard
• Maintain and improve soil health
• Manage orchard and team work in order to maximize outcomes while protecting and respecting all life.
• Proficiency in hands-on operation/maintenance of tractors, sprayers, and other related equipment including a chainsaw.
• Knowledge of chainsaw operations.
• Implement pest, disease and weed control application and document, accordingly.
• Continue to seek out and implement sustainable methods where applicable.
• Lead and participate hands-on in the harvest of apples and peaches.
• Lead and participate hands-on in the annual planting of trees in orchards to fill out designated areas as needed.
• Manage the distribution and proper storage of harvest.
• Collect, organize, and maintain the harvest data.
• Assist with other tasks that may be assigned by the Orchard Manager.

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience maintaining orchards or agroforestry.
• All aspects of a cider pressing including sanitation, operating a cider press, ordering all materials related to the operation, and leading a crew during cider pressing season.
• Experience and/or familiarity with organic methods.
• Excellent verbal and written communications, giving/receiving direction, and presentation of plans/results; listening, asking questions, building consensus, presenting, obtaining buy-in.
• Excellent team skills, including but not limited to; listening, coaching, guiding, flexible working, adaptability, collaboration, and facilitation
• Excellent planning, organizational and resource management/allocation skills – with attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, manage and complete tasks;
• Working knowledge and reasonable capabilities in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Qualifications:

• A. or B.S. degree in Horticulture or related field.

Education

• Associates or better

Skills

• Attention to Detail

Behaviors

• Functional Expert: Considered a thought leader on a subject
• Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Motivations

• Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization