Culinary and Lodging Manager - Heifer U.S.A

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

**About Heifer International**

In 1944, Heifer International’s founder, Dan West, began outlining a simple but groundbreaking plan to tackle hunger around the world. West, a farmer from the Midwest and Church of the Brethren member, had recently returned from feeding weary refugees during volunteer service in the Spanish Civil War.

He had seen firsthand that giving people food was a short-term solution, whereas providing them with animals offered a steady supply of nutritious food for an entire family. His philosophy still inspires Heifer’s work today. Partnering with farmers across a range of different livestock and crops, we create unique solutions to local challenges.

Today, Heifer International has operations in 19 countries around the world, working alongside local farmers, business owners and their communities, as they mobilize and envision their futures. Together, we build inclusive, resilient economies, so communities can develop effective ways to end global hunger and poverty in a sustainable way.

To date, we have supported more than 42 million farming families across Africa, Asia and the Americas and in the past five years alone. We have worked alongside 2.7 million families to close the living income gap or set them on a path to doing so. Between now and 2030, we will support an additional 10 million people to reach a living income by scaling up our signature programs. To achieve this, Heifer International relies on its passionate, committed, and highly skilled staff.

**WHO WE ARE**

Located west of Little Rock in the foothills of the beautiful Ouachita Mountains, the Heifer Center for Regenerative Agriculture (HCRA) is a 1200-acre ranch and working model of regenerative agriculture, immersive education, and hospitality. As a living laboratory, the Ranch integrates soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable food systems into a dynamic guest experience. Our campus serves as a destination for lodging, conferences, and hands-on learning—bringing together farmers, thought leaders, like-minded organizations, and guests to explore solutions for a more sustainable food future. We currently have lodging for 40+ guests, multiple meeting rooms, and indoor and outdoor dining areas.

The outdoor dining pavilion overlooks a 3-acre market garden alongside several hundred scenic acres of mixed forest and pastures where we produce the highest quality pastured proteins—beef, lamb, pork, chickens, and turkeys.

**POSITION SUMMARY**

The Culinary and Lodging Manager serves as the strategic and operational leader of HCRA’s day-to-day culinary and hospitality ecosystem—overseeing lodging, farm-to-fork dining, and guest experience.

This role goes beyond traditional hospitality management. It is responsible for **designing and delivering immersive, mission-aligned experiences** that connect guests to regenerative agriculture while visiting HCRA.

The ideal candidate blends **hospitality leadership, food systems awareness, and entrepreneurial thinking**, and thrives in a dynamic environment that combines **lodging, conferences, education, and agriculture**.

**WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR**

We are seeking a forward-thinking Ranch Culinary and Lodging Manager to help deliver an integrated farm-to-fork dining and stay experience that reflects HCRA’s purpose: to cultivate prosperity and resilience in farming and food systems through regenerative practices.

This role bridges regenerative agriculture, culinary innovation, and guest engagement—translating what is grown on the land into meaningful, educational, and memorable dining experiences.

The ideal candidate is passionate about sustainable food systems, values storytelling through rich, immersive experiences, and thrives in a mission-driven, multi-use environment that includes lodging, conferences, and public programming.

**RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES**

**Farm-to-Fork Culinary Integration (20%)**

- Collaborate closely with farm and livestock teams to plan and execute regenerative food production for a farm to fork experience as well as contributing to hunger alleviation with HCRA partner the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.
- Champion whole-animal utilization, zero-waste principles, and preservation techniques
- Create and adapt menus dynamically based on harvest cycles, availability, and ecological conditions

**Guest & Educational Experience (20%)**

- Translate food into storytelling—connecting guests to the land, farmers, and regenerative practices
- Support immersive dining experiences, workshops, and demonstrations tied to Ranch programming
- Engage conference and retreat groups with curated food experiences that align with th