Hours: In-person Monday-Friday (8:00am - 4:30pm w/ very rare needs for overtime)
Mind the Gap is hiring an Office Manager to own the day-to-day experience of working here: the office, the shop floor, the receiving dock, and the hundred small things that decide whether a busy week runs smoothly or comes apart.
This is not a reception job. We want someone who takes real ownership: who notices the fridge is empty before anyone mentions it, who figures out the cleaning vendor is slipping and fixes it, who sees the same problem twice and builds a system so it doesn't happen a third time. You will have a budget, spending authority, and the standing to make decisions without asking permission first.
This person will set the conditions for everyone else's success: the full-time team, the shop crew, the drivers, and the freelancers who are here for a single day. This is an operations and administrative role rather than a shop or warehouse position, though you will spend real time on the floor. If you like being the person who makes a place run well and feel good to be in, this is that job.
Responsibilities
Office, Shop & Space
• Own the condition of the office, shop common areas, kitchen, and meeting spaces, so they stay organized, stocked, functional, and presentable without being asked. You are not the cleaner (we have one), but we do expect things to be kept tidy.
• Keep the kitchen, coffee, snacks, and paper goods ahead of demand rather than behind it.
• Manage outside vendors and services: cleaning, HVAC, alarm, pest, waste and equipment service. Hold them to their contracts and replace them when they slip.
• Spot recurring space problems and bring a solution, not just a report.
• Research and price options for storage, suppliers, services, and equipment.
• Maintain a welcoming, presentable space for clients and visitors: cleanliness upheld, supplies stocked, meeting and client-visit areas set up and reset, with the extra touches when clients are in the building. You are the first impression of this company for anyone who walks in.
Warehouse, Receiving & Shipping
• Receive incoming deliveries and materials; verify against packing lists and POs.
• Keep clear, current receiving records and flag shortages, damage, and discrepancies same-day.
• Coordinate outbound shipments, carriers, and couriers for projects and client returns.
• Prepare shipments: packing, labels, manifests, and documentation.
• Communicate tracking, delivery status, and receiving confirmations to clients and internal teams.
• Maintain the logistics log and driver manifests.
• Outreach and ongoing communication with couriers, trucking vendors, and drivers as needs come up, including scheduling, rates, and problem-solving when a pickup or delivery goes sideways.
Purchasing & Vendors
• Handle purchasing and ordering for office, shop, and project needs per PM and shop specs.
• Track orders, delivery dates, receipts, returns, and outstanding items through to close.
• Own vendor relationships and the vendor database.
• Reconcile expenses and code receipts on a weekly cycle.
Administrative Support
• Take notes at daily production meetings, department meetings, kickoffs, and post-mortems; distribute action items and follow up until they're closed.
• Maintain organized records, job paperwork, and operational documentation.
• Move information between office, shop, accounting, and project teams so nothing stalls waiting on a handoff.
• Handle incoming calls, mail, and general office administration.
• Own incident reporting, safety recordkeeping, and required forms.
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Recruiting, Onboarding & Payroll Support
• Post open shop and crew roles, keep listings current, and take them down when filled.
• Maintain an active pipeline of carpenters, welders, scenic painters, and other trades so the shop foreperson has vetted candidates ready to interview rather than starting from scratch each time a need comes up.
• Screen incoming applications for basic fit, schedule interviews, and keep candidate records organized and current.
• Support overhire onboarding: file and sort resumes into Drive, and collect, file, and sort onboarding materials (ASHT, W9, and the rest) so records are findable and complete.
• Collect new-hire documents and coordinate onboarding paperwork end to end.
• Set up new hires in SwiftChecks and send onboarding information to our Finance team.
• Track outstanding onboarding steps and follow up until each hire is fully set up.
• Collect weekly shop timecards, compile hours into the payroll CSV and other systems as needed, and submit to accounting on deadline.
• Track team PTO and maintain payroll documentation.
Project Logistics Support
• Support project teams with ordering, receiving, shipping, and client logistics communication.
• Make sure clients get confirmations, carrier details, and delivery status without having to chase them.
• Prepare project materials and installation binders as assigned.
• Execute operational pieces assigned by the project team. Schedules, project strategy, and overall delivery stay with the PM team.
Team Experience & Culture
• Own the things that make this a good place to spend a day: birthdays, work anniversaries, new-hire welcomes, team lunches, seasonal moments.
• Make the shop floor and office feel looked-after for everyone here: full-time staff, crew, drivers, and day freelancers alike.
• Notice what's grinding on people and either fix it or raise it up the chain.
• Run this on a real budget you control, not out of pocket and not as an afterthought.
Authority & Budget
This role carries real decision-making authority. We would rather you act and tell us than wait and ask. You will be given a clear list of decision rights for the following areas:
• Discretionary spend
• Annual office & facilities budget to manage and help plan
• Service vendors to own the relationships and replace if needed
• Trade suppliers
• Team experience and event budget
• Office systems and processes
What Success Looks Like
First 30 days. You know the building, the crew, the vendors, and the rhythm of a production week. Payroll and onboarding run on time without supervision. You've made a list of everything that's broken, clunky, or annoying.
By 60 days. You've fixed at least three things on that list without being asked. Receiving and shipping records are current and trustworthy. Vendors know you and respond to you.
By 90 days. The office and shop run better than they did when you started, and the team can point to specific reasons why. You're bringing proposals rather than waiting for assignments, and people have stopped worrying about the things you own.
What We're Looking For
Required
• 2+ years running an office or coordinating operations somewhere things get built: a millwork or cabinetry shop, a carpentry or metal shop, a contractor, a specialty manufacturer, or a comparable environment. Theatrical or live-event background is not required.
• A track record of improving a place, not just maintaining it. We will ask for specific examples.
• Strong working knowledge of Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs, Drive); comfortable in Excel.
• Experience with purchasing, expense reconciliation, and vendor relationships. You will be on the phone regularly with trucking, courier, and service vendors, so comfort holding those conversations matters.
• Comfortable working around a fabrication shop and the people in it.
• Discretion with confidential information, including personnel and payroll data.
• Clear, direct communication with clients, vendors, crew, and management alike.
Helpful
• Experience in millwork, cabinetry, custom fabrication, construction, or specialty manufacturing. Scenic, experiential, or event experience is a bonus, not a requirement. We will teach you the industry.
• Shipping, receiving, or warehouse coordination experience.
• Payroll or timekeeping system experience.
Physical Requirements
• Regularly lift and move packages and materials up to 40 lbs.
• Move between office and shop floor throughout the day; periods of standing and walking.
• PPE as required on the shop floor.
Compensation, Benefits & Growth
$28 - 30 per hour, plus a comprehensive benefits package including medical, retirement, transit, vacation, and holiday PTO.
This is a guaranteed 40 hours a week. Occasional overtime comes up during heavy install weeks, but we work hard to keep it the exception rather than something built into the schedule.
This is a defined role and we are hiring for it as written. Exceptional people get noticed here, and when a role opens up we would rather promote from inside than hire out.
How to Apply
Send your resume to jobs@mindthegap.nyc with a short note, two or three sentences, about something you improved at a past job that nobody asked you to. Tell us what it was and what happened.
About Mind the Gap
Mind the Gap Inc. produces scenery for brand activations, experiential marketing, theater, fashion, and more in the New York City area and across the United States. With over 800 projects since 2012, MTG is one of the area's go-to fabrication companies for projects massive and minimal.
MTG is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. MTG is dedicated to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace and makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. If you have questions or need assistance completing the application, please email us jobs@mindthegap.nyc.
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