Santosha on the Carrabassett Looking for Yoga Teacher/Mixologist/Food And Guest Service at Kingfield, Maine Full Time

We are a yoga, meditation, and mindfulness retreat center located on the Carrabassett River in Kingfield, ME (Santosha at Hillholm Estate, santosha.org). On the same premises, we operate both our retreat center and a historic rural boutique inn, The Inn on Winter’s Hill (wintershill.com), and our fine dining restaurant, Winter’s Table. If you’ve always dreamed of running a retreat center or a country inn, reach out! 

Join us in the foothills of Maine’s western mountains, in what Ski Magazine called “the best-preserved ski town east of Jackson Hole”. Direct water access, a stone’s throw from the Maine Huts and Trails and the Appalachian Trail. World-class mountain biking and the only above-treeline skiing in the East (close to Sugarloaf, Sunday River, and Saddleback). Folks call us the next Bend, OR because of our outdoor playground infrastructure!

Our team is dynamic and energetic: we love each other enough to live together, so you know our vibe is great! We’re entrepreneurial former corporate types, participants in The Great Resignation, pathfinders, and journeyfolk on a mission to change the world with love.

Role

• Yoga: You will teach yoga and lead Dharma discussions (prior background in Dharma study a plus, but not required.) Pilates and meditation coaching experience a plus, too. You will teach both for retreat guests and members of the public who study with us. 
   
• Mixology: You will be responsible for regular bartending and bar management. If you’re someone who “doesn’t really like cooking,” this probably isn’t the right role for you: our operations are very food-centric. We’re a bunch of food nerds! You will coordinate with our bar manager and may spend some time providing FOH service for our on-site farm-to-table restaurant each weekend. Prior experience in restaurant service required; prior experience in bartending preferred, but not required.
   
• Administrative: You will perform a series of administrative duties alongside other staff in similar roles, including welcoming guests and managing booking communications; housekeeping; supporting special events (private retreats, weddings, etc.); fielding guest questions and concerns; and serving as a face for the organization that our clients can trust. If you’re a burned out attorney, accountant, etc. who is seeking a meaningful path where you can still use those same organizational service skills, we’re looking at you! Must be technologically saavy enough to use a basic suite of social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) as well as G-Suite (especially Google Sheets), digital phone services, and Slack.

Duration; Housing; Compensation

Given the training required to ramp up a staff member in this capacity, it is our expectation that you are prepared to relocate to rural Maine and live here in our community for at least one year. If that doesn’t sound like you, no problem! We have other work/trade roles available that might be better short-term options for you (see “Seva” on our website). This would also be an ideal role for someone in a couple whose partner can work remotely. Due to the nature of our operations, we’re not in a position to host or house children at this time.

Roles are year-round. 20-40 hours/week. Full room and board (including utilities); hourly stipend; pooled gratuities across all roles. Opportunity for direct marketing of services to guests (private lessons, etc.) Unlimited vacation time. 5 days on, 2 days off each week. Private staff house nearby, including private bedroom and common kitchen, bathrooms, and living spaces. 401k eligible after one year. Dogs welcome, too! (Sorry, no cats.)

Focus on Fit

You should be exceptionally professional, able to work in teams without conflict, reliable, energetic, outdoorsy, and versatile. You should also be ready to provide excellent customer service to guests, which is our #1 priority: we know that the hospitality industry isn’t for everyone. You should be prepared to respond to the ever-changing needs of our guests, including being flexible in scheduling based on their needs. You should be prepared for hard work, much as you can imagine in restaurant and hospitality roles: we enjoy the hard work, so you should be someone who does, too. Hours vary somewhat depending on the time of week (heaviest on weekends) and during the year (heaviest in summer and winter, lighter in autumn and spring).

All team members must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19, including all booster shots (and be open to taking any boosters to come). As our site is totally smoke-free, cigarette smokers will not be welcome to join us, even if you choose to vape or smoke off-site only. All team members must pass a criminal background check, provide references, and participate in several interviews as part of the hiring process.

Consider us a cross between a high-end boutique inn, an intentional community, and the year-round yoga summer camp you always wanted. 🙂 The mountains are calling and we must go: we hope you’ll join us!