Poo Kumu (Head Ambassador) | Full-time

Discover the essence of Maui at Fairmont Kea Lani, Hawai'i's only all-suite and villa luxury resort. Nestled on the pristine white sands of Wailea's Polo Beach, this award-winning oceanfront paradise defines quintessential Hawaiian luxury with a state-of-the-art spa, island inspired cuisine and authentic cultural experiences.

From full-moon staff hikes and beach clean-ups to appreciation luncheons and birthday holidays, our team provides endless opportunities to learn and grow in both your personal and professional development. Live and work in a place you love!

What is in it for you:

• Comprehensive benefits package (Medical, Vision and Dental) including extended benefits like; Basic insurance, TDI and Long-Term Disability for regular Full-time and Part-time employees
• 401(k)
• One complimentary duty meal for all employees that work more than 6 hours per shift
• Food & Beverage discount at Fairmont Kea Lani (venue specific and discount may vary)
• Wellness Offerings
• Employee benefit card offering discounted rates in Accor worldwide
• Learning programs through our Academies
• Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within your property and across the world!
• Ability to make a difference through our Corporate Social Responsibility activities

The Po'o Kumu (Head ambassador) position supports the Manager of Hawaiian Culture in the daily leadership and operations of Hale Kukuna while ensuring authentic Hawaiian culture experiences are thoughtfully delivered to guests, colleagues, and community. This role provides the day-to-day supervision, guidance, coaching and operational support to the cultural ambassadors' teams while assisting in the development and execution of cultural programming, activities, workshops and ceremonies.

The Po'o Kumu serves as a cultural and operational leader helping ensure consistency, engagement and excellence across all cultural experiences while upholding Hawaiian values and Fairmont service standards.

Hourly Rate: $30.00

What you will do:

• Provide the day-to-day supervision, guidance and support to cultural ambassadors.
• Assist with scheduling, shift coverage, and daily operational coordination.
• Supports onboarding and training of new Cultural ambassadors.
• Monitors performance and provides coaching to ensure service and cultural standards are consistently maintained.
• Serves as point of contact for the team in absence of the Manager of Hawaiian Culture
• Leads in maintaining a positive, collaborative, and culturally respectful work environment.
• Coordinates and oversee daily, weekly, and monthly programming and activities
• Supports execution of strategic initiatives including cultural classes, retail opportunities, and community partnership.
• Assist in monitoring participation, guest engagement, and operational effectiveness of programming.
• Ensures consistency in presentation, guest engagement, cultural integrity, and service delivery across all cultural experiences.
• Address and resolve day to day operational or guest concerns in a timely and professional manner.
• Facilitate and lead various cultural activities on property or on Keoneopolo Beach
• Assist Manager of Hawaiian Culture in the planning, organizing, and implementation of daily, weekly, and monthly cultural activities, workshops and classes
• Assist Manager of Hawaiian Culture with the strategic development of revenue-generating cultural classes, retail opportunities, and community partnerships
• Continually work towards the expansion of your own cultural knowledge and understanding through training opportunities with the Manager of Hawaiian Culture
• Ensure that overall cleanliness and maintenance of our cultural center, Hale Kukuna and our resort exceeds expectations
• Lead/ assist in ceremonial protocol as needed
• Monitor the condition, conduct nightly inventory and ensure the security of the artifacts in Hale Kukuna

Schedule: Due to the nature of the hospitality industry, employees are required to work varying schedules, including weekends and holidays, to accommodate the business and demands of the hotel.

Your experience and skills include:

• Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the English language.
• Must be proficient in the Hawaiian language.
• Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process.
• Must be service oriented and capable of communicating effectively with persons involved in all levels of authority, both internally and externally.
• Must possess basic computational ability.
• Must possess computer skills, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Word, Excel, and e-mail functions.
• Must be able to multi-task and be detail-oriented in a fast paced, high volume environment.
• Must have ability to work independently and to prioritize or seek clarification in prioritizing work assignments.
• Maintain a professional working environment and attitude.
• Must maintain sanitation procedures as directed.
• Highly versed in Hawaiian history
• Trained in traditional cultural practices under a recognized Kumu, Olohe, or other recognized traditional knowledge lineage
• Strongly Preferred: Knowledgeable in numerous cultural practices including hula, oli, hana noeau (kapa,ohe kpala, hulu, lei, carving, weaving), lawaia, mahiai, mo`olelo, genealogy.
• Strong understanding of loina Hawaii (Hawaiian values), lawena Hawaii (Hawaiian behavioral conduct), and moomeheu Hawaii (Hawaiian culture).
• Demonstrated leadership coaching, and team development skills
• Ability to delegate, prioritize, and coordinate operational activities
• Ability to lead with professionalism, cultural integrity and sound judgement
• Strong conflict resolution and communications skills.

Experience

• Minimum 4-5 years of experience in Hawaiian cultural practices, hospitality, guest engagement or related field required
• Experience facilitating cultural training, workshops or mentorship required.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in one or more of the following: lei making, ukulele, hula, ulana and other cultural practices
• Experience working with Native Hawaiian community
• Experience with public speaking
• Experience with sharing your skills and knowledge in Hawaiian Culture with others

Licenses or Certificates: (*required prior to start date)

• TB Clearance*
• CPR Certification*
• Food Safety Certification*

Education:

• High School diploma or equivalent
• Previous enrollment in a Hawaiian Language Immersion School or Program is an asset

All Candidates must be in possession of identification proving authorization to work in the United States as defined in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). This Position does not offer sponsorship of Work Visas. Resumes submitted that cannot fulfill these requirements will not be considered.

Visa Requirements: Applicants must be legally eligible to work the United States

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.

Join our 'ohana today: Visit our website to learn more about living and working for Fairmont Hawai'i. www.fairmonthawaiijobs.com

Why work for Accor? Discover a world where life pulses with passion!

Join the Accor Group, an ecosystem of over 45 brands, 5,600 hotels, 10,000 restaurants and lifestyle places, that welcome you. With us, your personality is valued, your opportunities for growth know no boundaries. Every action you take has a positive and memorable impact on the experience of our customers, your colleagues, and also, on the planet, contributing to pioneering the art of responsible hospitality.

Hospitality is a work of heart! #fairmontcareers #alwayskealani