Engagement & Operations Assistant (part time)
Orion magazine
- Location
- Great Barrington, MA (Hybrid)
- Posted
- September 29, 2026
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Sign inJob Description
Orion magazine is seeking a part-time Engagement & Operations Assistant to help manage support for subscribers, donors, and other stakeholders. This is an exciting opportunity to work at an award-winning nonprofit literary magazine and help Orion engage with our loyal readers and valued supporters. The position assists in the managing, analyzing, and growing of our subscriber base; supporting donor acquisition and fundraising; reshaping our broader audience engagement strategy as we enter our 45th anniversary in 2027.
We're seeking a motivated self-starter to join Orion's team – someone who cares about the natural world, about environmental storytelling, about climate and culture. This is a hybrid position, 20 to 25 hours per week. Reporting to Orion's Business Manager, the ideal applicant will be able to work roughly 8 hours per week (negotiable) in our office in Great Barrington, MA.
Responsibilities
- Manage reader/customer queries via email and phone
- Process incoming subscriptions (mail, email and phone) and conduct data entry in WooCommerce and Salesforce
- Process and perform data entry for incoming donations and support fundraising campaigns and donor acknowledgements in coordination with the development team
- Work with Database Manager and Business Manager to resolve data issues (such as discrepancies or duplications between online customer accounts and our database)
- Troubleshoot problems with customer online accounts (WooCommerce / WordPress)
- Assist Database Manager with subscription renewal and gift subscription programs (direct mail and online/email)
- Assist Database Manager with newsstand and retail sales processing
- Assist Business Manager with shipping magazines, books, and other merchandise; assist with contributing writer/editor contracts; resolve address changes, assist with billing updates, process payments
- Help refine and improve customer experience on the website; assist with external subscription marketing and communications; communicate with staff on subscriber/donor feedback
- Develop systems protocol manual after training period
Qualifications
- Excellent written, verbal, and customer service skills
- Salesforce or CRM experience, including data entry and database management
- Experience with WordPress (esp. WooCommerce) and troubleshooting online issues
- Experience processing subscriptions, donations, payments, or other similar transactions
- Strong attention to detail and ability to analyze and resolve data issues
- Strong organizational, multitasking, and computer skills
- Interest in nonprofits, fundraising, environmental issues, climate, culture, and literary storytelling
- Experience with Google Workplace, Zoom, and Slack a plus
Compensation and Benefits
- $22 to $25 an hour
- At least 20 hours a week – possibly more during peak holiday season
- Four-day work week (closed on Fridays)
- Occasional opportunity to write for Orion and to represent Orion at events
- Work closely with veteran editors and award-winning writers
- Free Orion subscription
- Discounts on writing workshops, books, merchandise
What we're looking for
- A team player and self-starter, someone who can hit the ground running, someone with experience working for magazines and/or nonprofits
- This is an entry-level position but, for the right candidate, there is a potential path to full time
- We welcome candidates with an interest in Orion's mission to nurture a community of caring for the planet
Additional details
- Preference will be given to candidates able to commute to and work in Great Barrington roughly 8 hours a week – i.e. those who live nearby or are willing to commute (from the Hudson Valley, Albany, northwest Connecticut, or Western Mass.)
- Note that Orion's core staff is remote, except for our in-person Business Manager in Great Barrington
Application Information
- Email a resume and one-page cover letter – combined into a single PDF – to apply@orionmagazine.org
- Use the subject line "Engagement and Operations Assistant"
- Tell us why this role is right for you, and why you're right for Orion
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with preference given to those received by October 10
- The ideal candidate would be able to start by late October