Onsite Operations Manager

ADVENTURE TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Hiring: Onsite Operation Manager
Employer: Wolf Den Hostel and Nature Retreat

Location: Oxtongue River/ Dwight/ Algonquin Park, Ontario
Housing: includes private accommodations (see below)

The Wolf Den Nature Retreat is loved by Canadians and international visitors alike as a basecamp for exploring Algonquin Park. As the Manager, your number one goal is to ensure each guest arrives to a welcoming, clean, safe, well-equipped, happy space.

Our manager is both a team leader and an active participant in our daily operations. In the busy summer months they lead a staff of three to four; over the quieter winter months the active staff reduces to the manager and the owner only (with plenty of time left over for skiing and snowshoeing!).

Activities are diverse, from staff management to welcoming new and returning guests, managing the booking and payment systems, ensuring that the hostel and cabins are clean and ready for our visitors, and making sure that the grounds, gardens, canoes are all looking great. With the support of the owners whenever needed, the manager is responsible for problem-solving and quick and independent decision-making. The manager’s contributions to strategic planning and proposing improvements to the space and the guests’ experience are also greatly appreciated.

We are very much looking for a manager who shares our long-standing values:

• Inclusivity: The Wolf Den is an inclusive, safe space where all are welcomed.
• Staff well-being: We ask a lot of our colleagues, but we strive to ensure a healthy work/life balance through flexible shifts, regular time off, and providing an environment of collegial respect and appreciation.
• Community: Our staff are central and visible members of our hostel family, and are encouraged to engage with guests to share tips about trails, hear stories of the day’s adventures, and foster a real sense of belonging.
• Respect for the Environment: The Wolf Den prides itself on being a model of sustainable travel. Our community rules include composting and recycling, upcycling furniture and kitchen wares, and keeping our carbon footprint as low as possible.

There’s work to be done and fun to be had. It’s a full-time position but we’re willing to hear your ideas on how to make it work for you: for example, job-sharing between a couple; combining work with on-line education in the winter months, etc. While preference will be given to candidates interested in a year-round position, we will also consider seasonal candidates.

Housing & Living:

The Wolf Den was purpose-built to foster community, and this extends to our staff. In the summer, the manager’s sleeping quarters are private (you have your own little bunkie) but all other facilities (kitchen, bathroom and showers, social areas) are shared with guests and staff in traditional hostel style. In the winter you may continue to stay in the bunkie or choose to take over a fully-equipped guest cabin in exchange for modest rent.

The Wolf Den fronts onto the Oxtongue River, where the swimming is excellent. There’s a dock and full staff access to canoes and kayaks in their off-time. There are also hundreds of acres of Crown land to explore just adjacent to the property.

Your colleagues are great – we are nature lovers, campers and gardeners. We like family pot lucks and shared campfires, but also enjoy our quiet space and respect the quiet space of others.

While we strive to give our staff ample private time, as the live-in manager it is important to understand that this is no ordinary 9-5 position. You may be called to lead problem solving or conflict resolution during your off-hours, although we try to empower on-shift staff to deal with issues as they emerge. Likewise, guests will not always know who is on shift at any given moment and may approach you for support during your down-time. Recognizing the likelihood of this and establishing your boundaries in a helpful and good-natured manner is vital.

Work:

We have an egalitarian approach to teamwork at the Wolf Den. All staff (including the owners) are involved in every aspect of keeping the Den clean and happy.

Although during the high season you will have 2 to 3 full-time staff as well as volunteers and local contractors to coordinate, you are still expected to participate in all aspects of our daily operations. These include cleaning common spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms, turning over sleeping quarters between guests, and doing regular laundry. The interactive aspects of the job include answering phone calls, keeping accurate bookings through our web-based reservation system, checking guests in and out, keeping an eye on the campfire at night, chatting with guests about their adventures in the park, offering trail and canoe route tips, and answering questions about park ecology and history. Other tasks, if you like odd jobs, include grounds keeping, gardening, small repairs, or splitting wood.

Remuneration:

Starting at $2900/month NET Take-Home pay. Free accommodation, utilities and internet. Reasonable transportation to and from Huntsville for grocery shopping, etc., is possible if you do not have your own vehicle. Food and drink are not part of your pay, but we enjoy creating and eating meals together, and hope to share with you and be mindful of your dietary needs. Health benefits up $1500/year.

Requirements and Attributes:

• Friendly, outgoing and able to multi-task and work hard
• Enjoys living in a community environment
• Ability to take initiative, work independently and delegate
• A quick thinker and confident problem-solver
• Additional languages are an asset
• Highly responsible & reliable
• Ability to work well under pressure in a sometimes fast-paced environment, and to maintain motivation in slower-paced times
• Ability to work and live cohesively with fellow colleagues as part of a team
• Most importantly, love of our natural world!
• Individuals, friends, or couples are welcome to apply.

Work Term:

Start date is April, 2023. Ideally full time but a seasonal contract could be considered.

How to Apply

Send us your CV and a tell us little bit about yourself and your passions. If you want, attach a piece of your art, a song, or an interesting web link. We can answer questions on the phone or video chat before the formal interview process, if that would assist. References will be checked.

This job is open to all; everyone is equal and has equal opportunity during the hiring process.

Email us at:
wden@wolfdenbunkhouse.com