Employment Opportunities
North Carolina Retreat and Conference Center
Wildacres Retreat is a non-profit North Carolina retreat and conference center located on just over 1200 acres atop Pompey’s Knob, not too far from Mt. Mitchell and just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Little Switzerland, North Carolina.
Wildacres is open to guests from April to November. Our staff positions are seasonal and start in mid-March and wrap up for the year in early November. Wildacres keeps very busy with guests and groups coming in from all over the US as well as from overseas.
Our staff positions are listed below. Each has a brief description of duties and responsibilities. More detailed position descriptions are available during the interview process. If we are accepting applications for a particular position, it will be labeled “open”.
Food Services
Chef – in charge of coordinating kitchen operations and assigning tasks to cooking personnel. Responsible for planning menus, testing new recipes, overseeing food preparation, making sure that hygiene standards are respected, and training new employees. Essential skills for this role are cooking and food storage expertise, managerial abilities, leadership, training skills, communication, and organization.
Sous Chef – provides support to chefs and performs duties such as handling leftovers, preparing food, cleaning the kitchen, keeping cooking utensils organized, and plating food for service.
Salad Bar – responsible for cleaning vegetables, mixing ingredients, rotating products, providing a variety of salad options, preparing dressings, and replenishing supplies in the twice-daily salad bar.
Server – (morning or evening shifts) provides excellent customer service to guests in the dining hall. Includes bringing beverages, additional portions of food, clearing dishes, and cleaning the dining hall and/or kitchen.
Dishwasher – (morning or evening shifts) responsible for cleaning dishes, glassware, and other items by hand or using dishwashers. Other duties may include cleaning the kitchen, sweeping floors, disposing of waste, and unloading food supplies.
Housekeeping
Head Housekeeper – coordinates suppliers, schedules staff for shifts, assigns tasks, takes disciplinary measures, oversees the housekeeping budget, and ensures guest and meeting rooms are cleaned to a high level.
Housekeeper – (part-time) – responsible for cleaning premises and guest rooms and ensuring a pleasant customer experience. Includes cleaning bathrooms, sweeping floors, vacuuming carpets, making sure safety rules are respected, and greeting guests.
Maintenance
Caretaker – supervises daily operations, identifies repair needs, maintains property value, performs repair work, and coordinates maintenance workers. Responsible for maintaining the overall retreat property in excellent condition, while offering a high level of customer service.
Maintenance Crew – maintenance and repair of buildings, structures, equipment, and related facilities, as well as less complex mechanical equipment. Also responsible for the landscaping of grounds, including mowing, trimming, edging, trail work, and removing debris.
Administration
Front Desk Attendant – Daytime (8 am – 3 pm) – greets our guests and performs a variety of clerical and administrative tasks such as taking phone calls, handling mail, updating records, and providing excellent customer service. Opens the Canteen (retreat shop) at scheduled intervals based on groups’ interests.
Front Desk Attendant – Evenings (3 pm – 10 pm) – responsible for helping guests, handling clerical and administrative tasks such as taking phone calls, assisting groups with AV equipment, and providing excellent customer service. This position oversees the Canteen (retreat shop) and assists groups and guests in the afternoon and evening.
