Meadowkirk at Delta Farm (www.meadowkirk.org), a Christian retreat ministry in historic Northern Virginia is seeking a hands-on Retreat Host to help implement the organization’s distinctive guest group experience and to support our focus on offering respite, recreation and renewal for the many church groups, nonprofits, educational organizations, businesses and others we serve.
Compensation commensurate with experience and based on factors such as full-/part-time status and the use of on-site staff housing.
Among this key hospitality team member’s responsibilities will be the ability to:
- Help ensure a consistently premier experience for visiting guest groups
- Pre-retreat: Work with guest groups to confirm/coordinate retreat plans, including facility set ups and use of amenities, meal service details, retreat-related documentation, and guest arrival/departure specifics
- Retreat arrival: Prepare retreat group welcome packets and materials, greet guest group leaders and present an overview of Meadowkirk’s retreat guidelines
- During guest group stay: Serve as a lead retreat services provider, working with visiting groups and other hospitality team members to coordinate and implement retreat logistics and all contracted retreat elements – spanning overnight lodging, meeting spaces, meal service and guest activities/amenities
- Work with kitchen team members before, during and after guest mealtimes to implement Meadowkirk’s range of family-style, buffet, grab-and-go, and special event dining formats, including: preparing dining areas to ensure clean, properly configured and aesthetically pleasing spaces; printing/posting menus and related signage; setting, clearing and sanitizing guest tables and serving surfaces; assisting kitchen team with food and beverage item delivery; and serving as a primary mealtime liaison between guest group(s) and kitchen team – anticipating and responding to guest needs, including proactively replenishing food and beverage items
- Track hospitality-related supplies inventory and assist with ordering items
- Help coordinate housekeeping services and facilities set-up activity
- Perform light housekeeping tasks – such as restocking consumables, removing trash from selected common areas, cleaning spills – during guest stays; participate in occasional space configuration activity
- Adjust thermostats, blinds, lighting in common spaces; conduct facility openings and closings
- Perform detailed pre-retreat facilities inspections and resets; participate in completion of routine grounds preparation checklists, as needed
- Conduct detailed post-retreat facilities inspections to help ensure retrieval of guest belongings and help identify potential building maintenance/repair issues. Prepare spaces for housekeeping team
- Help maintain A/V systems, providing guest groups with basic system overviews, as needed
- Compile guest group retreat/event evaluations as part of Meadowkirk’s ongoing quality improvement process
- Help to prepare and participate in pre-retreat internal planning meetings. Work with Meadowkirk’s guest reservations and team calendars, retreat planning documents, online bookings platform and other tools
- Maintain a strong focus on warm, welcoming and unobtrusive guest group service, personal dependability and team work, details and deadlines, following instructions correctly, personal/professional organization, proactive problem solving, and overall excellence
- Work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment – demonstrating excellent time management and multi-tasking skills, as well as the ability to handle constructive feedback well
- Internalize and follow the guidelines outlined in Meadowkirk’s Hosting Guide
- Demonstrate excellent verbal/written communications skills, particularly in guest group settings
- Serve diverse cultures and socio-economic groups so that guests are welcomed and included
- Work collaboratively with all other team members – including sales, marketing, fundraising, dining services and maintenance – to ensure a consistently premier guest experience
- Participate in other related duties as assigned
Retreat Hosting Rotation. Position involves retreat/event hosting on designated weekends (primarily) and weekdays via a balanced, shared schedule with other team members, with corresponding weekends/weekdays off.
Candidates will have min. 1-3 years of relevant experience in areas such as ministry operations, front-of-the-house hospitality, restaurant and/or hotel service, special event execution, or similar expertise – and a heart for Meadowkirk’s mission to “create a premier, Christ-centered destination in historic Northern Virginia that provides an idyllic setting for individuals and groups to experience God and the glory of His creation.”
Bachelor’s degree and/or relevant professional certification preferred. Also required: proof of U.S. citizenship, valid driver’s license, strong verifiable work references and satisfactory background check.