LEAPNOW: Transforming Education
Part Time Retreat Center Administrative and Marketing Assistant
Position Summary:This is an entry level support position with an innovative education organization that runs alternative experiential college programs that incorporate international travel, study and life skills learning for students ages 17 – 23. We are a unique organization with an excellent office environment at a rural retreat center in northern California. We are looking for a creative and enthusiastic individual to join our team and help create transformative educational experiences for emerging adults!
Thispositionbalances a variety of administrative responsibilities with some outreach projects and general program support. The day-to-day tasks are varied with phone work, word processing, student outreach, updating program materials,managing social media outreach campaigns, driving, retreat center support, and more.
Our ideal candidate is enthusiastic, flexible, extremely organized, and able to adapt to shifting priorities in a dynamic environment.
You must have good phone and office skills, strong computer skills and aptitude and a clean driving record.
Position Responsibilities:
Administrative Support (60%)
Deliver a high level of administrative support to all students, parents and staff
Assist in the daily operations of the LEAPNOW office
Assist in updating tracking systems for admissions, enrollment, travel logistics and academic documentation/paperwork
Marketing and Outreach Support (20%)
Assist with phone and mail outreach campaigns
Assist in creating and updating relevant marketing materials
Assist in maintaining active and engaging web presence through social media, ad campaigns etc.
Respond to basic inquiries by prospective students/families
Student/Parent Relations (10%)
Assist in everyday communication with current and former students and families
Special Projects (10%)
Participate in the general upkeep and beautification of the campus through special projects (i.e. gardening, landscaping, facilities improvement, etc…)
Skills Required:
-Good computer skills with Microsoft Word and Excel. Experience with Filemaker Pro a plus
-Basic knowledge of and enthusiasm for social media platforms: FB, Instagram, etc….
-Excellent writing and language skills, attention to detail and spelling
-Personable and enthusiastic on the phone
-Ability to work well with others and be flexible
-Desire to do interesting office work – primarily at a desk at a computer work station
-International travel or study abroad experience a big plus
Reports to:Assistant Director
Hours and compensation available by request.
Please read “Working at LEAPNOW” on the following page before you apply.
To apply or inquire, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to .
Working at LEAPNOW:
Visit our website ( to find out about the programs we run. Our quiet 11-acre campus is located on a river in Sonoma County – 85 miles north of San Francisco. We alternate very busy periods when we host retreats for up to 37 students, with periods of relative quiet.
As an organization, we are very committed to working together in a truly harmonious way, and everyone who works here shares a strong commitment to both inner growth and professional growth.
As you consider applying to work at LEAPNOW, it is as important to give the context of the job as much weight as the content of the job, because working here is so much more than just the job description. Working on the LEAPNOW campus has unique joys and challenges. In the interests of disclosure and effective “matchmaking”, we have tried to describe some of the main challenges and joys for you so that you can make an informed decision about applying – please keep in mind that the same factor could be a joy or a challenge – depending on who you are and what you need or love:
There are three central themes of what we do at LEAPNOW:
- Creating an environment in which young adults can flourish and blossom into the fullness of themselves – mind, body, emotions, spirit, creativity, imagination and more.
- Connecting young adults to real experiences in the world – so that they can find their unique place in it.
- Transforming education as it is conceived and carried out in the U.S.
If you are deeply interested in these three things, this could be a great place for you to live and work. If not, it isn’t likely that this is a good fit for you.
Location: Our campus feels remote and rural. We are 20 minutes from four small to mid-sized towns – Healdsburg, Calistoga, Windsor & Santa Rosa. San Francisco is 2 hours away. The population of Sonoma County tends toward an older demographic. This poses a challenge in trying to create a social network beyond the campus if you are under 30. It can certainly be done, but it takes work and time. A vehicle is a must in order not to feel isolated – the campus is small (11 acres) and beautiful, and it’s important to be able to get away from time to time. Pure extroverts haven’t thrived here. You can see photos of the campus and the surrounding area on our website at:
Regular, intensive retreats: There is a boom and bust rhythm to our work – 9-21 day intense, active and engaging retreats with 35+ young adults on campus, alternating with times when the campus feels quiet and it’s just the staff and second year students here for a month or more at a time. It can be a challenge to maintain continuity with non-LEAPNOW friends or off-campus activities with this rhythm.
Community & Personal Growth: We live and work together. This can blur lines – and is a challenge for those who are used to keeping work and personal life separate. We expect staff to live on their own growing edge, and bring as much of themselves into their work as possible. We explicitly ask staff to bring their hearts into their work and daily life. LEAPNOW is dedicated to bringing forth “the whole human being,” and this starts with the staff. We are dedicated to keeping our relationships clear with one another – not allowing shadow areas to develop between staff members. We define integrity as telling the truth, keeping our agreements, feeling feelings and expressing our creativity. This also starts with the staff. We work with teens – and a high level of “realness” is most effective.
It can be regularly disorienting (or re-orienting) to hold intensive retreats for others – it has the effect of “double-digging” us and growing up parts of ourselves that may have been left behind or neglected. Please visit - for a fuller description of what we do and why.
Broadly Defined Job Descriptions: You will have your own area of accountability and there is an expectation that everyone will take part in everything. We all do the cleaning, run errands, work in the kitchen and take out the trash together. Generalists do better here than specialists. Community works best when people are willing to take ownership of the workings of the whole, rather than just relating to “my area.”
Here are a few reasons why some of us love working here:
- Sonoma County is one of the nicest and most beautiful places to live in the US
- In the course of our work, we regularly get to help people to learn about themselves, to deepen, and to come into the fullness of themselves. It is very satisfying and important work where you can feel as if you truly are making a difference in the lives of others
- There are times of intensity and a definite push to serve others, interspersed with time to ask “what just happened,” to integrate new experiences, and to have time to prepare for the next offering or challenge
- Staff are encouraged to keep growing – this is a community of learners – rather than teachers and students
- You don’t have to pay rent or utilities, and great food is provided about 18 weeks of the year during retreats
- You can jump in the river throughout the day
- There is something about this organization and campus that encourages and allows people (both students and staff) to align more fully with themselves – to become more fully themselves
Those of us who love working here enjoy both the quiet and the intensity of the work.
If this description sounds apt to you, this might be a great place for you to undertake the next chapter of your life.