Inn Keeper/Head Chef - Sky Lodge

The Company

At Unity, sustainability isn’t a buzzword. It’s the foundation of our entire approach and has been for more than 50 years.

We apply sustainability principles to everything we do, from our properties around the State of Maine, to our online degrees offered to students everywhere, to our enrichment experiences and entrepreneurial endeavors at locations from northern Maine to Arizona to Brazil.

Engage with Unity College and you’ll start to ask tough questions, challenge the status quo, and envision new possibilities. If taking the lead in creating a more sustainable future sounds like the future you want, we can make it happen.

The Innkeeper Head Chef is an on-site position for Unity College’s 150 acre Sky Lodge campus tucked into Maine’s northwest timber country in Moose River, Maine. The Innkeeper Head Chef is a revenue generating position overseeing both lodging operations and food service.  This individual provides strategic direction, partnership development, marketing, supervision, budget management, and overall operational excellence. The Sky Lodge campus includes a historic log-cabin lodge with 12 guest rooms and a 50-seat dining room, along with a welcome center, six cabin homes available for rent by the public, an educational facility enjoyed by the local community, and onsite trails. 

Unity College is committed to creating a sustainable world through global engagement and destination based education. The environment and our natural resources are at the forefront of all we do. As a steward of the environment, the Innkeeper Head Chef will envision new possibilities for the outdoor adventure traveler and for those who travel with purpose.  Within the framework of functional leadership, the Innkeeper Head Chef supports and is supported by other members of the Environmental Business and Sustainable Ventures team while working with all constituencies to realize the Unity College Mission and Strategic Plan.

• Oversees the day-to-day operation of Unity College Sky Lodge. 
• Implements a hands-on approach to effectively manage the quality of daily operations following standard operating procedure. 
• Sources and prepares all meals for guests of the lodge in connection with our focus on environmental sustainability.
• Inspects all food service spaces for cleanliness, maintains sanitary logs, and always ensures proper food safety, with a knowledge of food allergy protocols.   
• Maintains, implements, and accountable for an approved strategic business plan that includes heuristics for operations, a margin-based budget, revenue generation, human resources, partnerships, marketing, and educational programming.
• Manages all associated budgets and approves expenditures through College financial systems.
• Ensures compliance with building, business, food and beverage service, lodging, programming, and all other applicable laws and regulations.
• Represents Unity College to the broader community.
• Hires, trains, and supervises Unity College: Sky Lodge personnel in coordination with the SEBU head and Human Resources.
• Seeks out new agreements with vendors, service providers, and other suppliers to continue the growth of Unity College: Sky Lodge as a sustainable business enterprise.
• Works with the SEBU head to coordinate enterprise support for the successful operation of the property, including but not limited to IT, Marketing, Business Office, and Facilities.
• Development and execute a marketing plan to promote Unity College Sky Lodge and its services. 
• Maintains a facility maintenance plan in coordination with the Maintenance Manager and enterprise Director of Facilities Management.
• As needed, assists with housekeeping and basic property maintenance. 
• Pro-actively communicate challenges, successes, and failures with leadership.
• Lives on-site in Unity College provided housing. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Required:

• Associate degree in hospitality, culinary, hotel, or business management
• At least 3-5 years of job-related hospitality and food service management. 
• At least 2 years of food production experience. 
• Implements a hands-on approach to effectively manage the quality of daily operations.
• Must be able to live on site in Moose River, Maine 
• Ability to work as part of a team or independently as needed in a rural setting. 
• An entrepreneurial mindset and revenue-focused attitude.
• Must have business acumen, excellent communication, leadership, relationship building and interpersonal skills. Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to create a sustainable food and beverage menu and produce quality food.
• Proven ability to manage inventory and control costs through accurate costing, sourcing, pricing, and comparative analysis.
• Ability to look for, suggest, and implement improved efficiencies.
• Strong knowledge of MS Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Must be able to quickly adapt to new software products.
• Must possess a positive attitude. 
• Ability to think creatively and produce superb work under multiple deadlines.
• Must be willing to participate in a learning environment and integrate education opportunities into Sky Lodge’s business practices.
• Ability and willingness to work with students from diverse political/socioeconomic backgrounds and a wide range of physical and academic abilities.
• Contributes to the College’s commitment to sustainability and contributes to the College’s commitment to support a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment.
• Demonstrates commitment to Unity College’s core values and serves as a role model for the College’s standards of conduct. 
• Personal commitment to the environmental focus and mission of the college.
• Ensures compliance with established Unity College: Sky Lodge policies & procedures
• Hands on social media experience with a working knowledge of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms. 
• Knowledge of the best practices and procedures for customer service, hospitality management, food and beverage operations and motivating and disciplining hospitality workers. 
• A good driving record with the ability to obtain a valid Maine Driver’s License.
• Ability to function effectively within a matrix organizational structure, maintaining open lines of communication while being discreet, courteous and well poised.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Experience working with internships and/or apprenticeships.  
• Familiarity with hotel, restaurant, and retail operating systems and software. 
• Knowledge of the French Language (business proficiency)

The Location 

This position will be located at Sky Lodge Dr. Moose River, ME.

Benefits

Unity College offers a generous benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, short term disability, long term disability, life insurance, PTO, and a company match on our 403b retirement plan. Waiting periods will apply.

To Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should click on the “Apply Now” button and submit a resume and cover letter.

At Unity College, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our students, and our community. Unity College is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.