General Manager

Title: General Manager

Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt 

Reports to: Founders

Wage: $125,000-$165,000, depending on experience and qualifications

Location: Big Bear, California 

Big Bear Retreat Center (BBRC) is seeking an inspiring and experienced General Manager to lead the strategic and operational success of the organization. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring excellence across all areas of the retreat center—delivering transformative guest experiences, maintaining financial sustainability, and fostering a thriving, mission-aligned organization. Working closely with the co-founders and leadership team, you will play a pivotal role in advancing BBRC’s vision of accessibility, healing and transformation. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced leader to shape the future of a renowned retreat center, nestled in the serene beauty of the San Bernardino Mountains. 

Big Bear Retreat Center (BBRC) is a retreat destination located on +/-100 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest - and bordering 800 acres of protected forest. Founded in 2018, BBRC was envisioned as a Southern California meditation residential retreat destination. Our main offerings continue to be silent meditation retreats, but part of BBRC’s mission also includes providing retreat space for other groups, with a focus on being an accessible center to people who may not otherwise experience retreats.

BBRC offers meditation, dharma, and respite retreats, as well as non-meditation retreats for other mission aligned organizations and individuals. BBRC has collaborated with partners to provide inclusive meditation retreats including the first residential transgender and gender expansive retreat, Spanish language retreat, Black Women’s retreat, teens of color retreat, and more. Big Bear Retreat Center has also partnered with or hosted non-profit and social justice organizations across Southern California. 

Big Bear Retreat Center is located a 2.5-hour drive from Los Angeles, nestled in the ancient Juniper forests of the San Bernardino Mountains at a 7,000-foot elevation (four mountain seasons) near the town of Big Bear Lake.

Big Bear Retreat Center is a residential retreat center that provides space for mindfulness, respite, and healing to foster individual and collective transformation and illuminate our connection with nature, one another, and society. 

Big Bear Retreat Center provides quality hospitality and care in a beautiful natural setting to foster connection, build community, and shape positive social change. We engage across world views, practices, and backgrounds to cultivate generations of leaders and change makers that promote greater compassion, equity, and justice in the world. One retreatant at a time.

Role and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:
Guide the retreat center’s long-term strategy by leading all core departments, including operations, finance, guest services, programs and facilities, to achieve BBRC’s mission and ensure a thriving, mission-aligned organization.

• 8+ years of senior leadership experience in a hospitality, wellness, retreat or nonprofit environment.

• Proven ability to lead strategic planning, business development, and operational oversight.

• Strong communication and leadership skills, with experience to inspire and manage diverse teams.

• Solid understanding of financial management, budgeting, and  revenue growth strategies. 

• Experience in leveraging technology and digital platforms to expand  organizational reach. 

• Able to navigate and lead through change while balancing short-term  needs and long-term vision. 

• All physical requirements for general office work apply to this position.

• The role requires you to work onsite. Must be able to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, as needed. 

• BBRC functions best when all staff work toward the common mission. With this in mind, this job description is not intended to cover or contain an all-encompassing listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that may be required. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice based on BBRC’s and your team’s needs.