Jobs

Head of Yoga

Soul & Surf Sri Lanka has been the leading surf and yoga stay on the island since 2014. We’re a small, hands-on team delivering surf, yoga, food, and retreat experiences — and we’re looking for a professional, highly motivated Head of Yoga to join us. In this role, you will take full operational ownership as our Resident Yoga Teacher, Yoga Shala Manager, and Massage Space Manager.

This is a senior position within our team for a composed, reliable leader who loves people and wants to be deeply immersed in the unique culture of Sri Lanka.

The Reality of the Role

Do not expect a standard studio job where you simply turn up, teach a class, and leave. As one of our senior team members, you are an operational manager on site for 8 hours a day. This is a high-energy, physically demanding role in a hot, humid tropical environment. You will be moving directly from teaching inclusive, all-levels classes to auditing POS numbers, updating daily sales trackers, managing freelance teachers, and completely overseeing our on-site massage space and therapists. You are also a key host of the retreat. You must have the social stamina to give guest inductions, handle guest queries, and host group dinners outside of your standard teaching hours. If you want to run a multi-layered wellness department with genuine autonomy, you will thrive here.

Hours & Logistics

• Type: Full-time, 8 hours a day, 5.5 days a week (1.5 days off per week).
• Schedule: Busy season runs from November 1st to mid-May. Includes teaching 6 group classes a week, hosting at least 3 guest meals/events, and maintaining a daily on-site presence.
• Age Requirement: Minimum 25 years of age.

Responsibilities

Yoga Instruction & Studio Management

• Own the schedule: Design and deliver a varied weekly schedule of 6 group classes (Vinyasa, Slow Flow, and restorative) tailored specifically to the energy levels of a surfer’s week.
• Deliver inclusive classes: Design all sessions to be accessible, ensuring beginners are safely guided in the heat while intermediates are given room to grow. Teach up to two non-surfer 1-to-1 sessions per week.
• Manage freelance teachers: Recruit, schedule, and train freelance cover teachers. Ensure they understand our POS payment systems, audit their invoices against the POS, and handle their payments.
• Shala Upkeep & Inventory: Ensure the yoga shala is clean and immaculate daily. Track and maintain inventory for all studio and shop items (mats, props, candles, incense).

Massage Space Management

• Optimize operations: Manage the massage room bookings, therapist availability, and calendars to maximize slots for retreat guests and outside clients.
• Lead the therapy team: Oversee and train massage therapists to deliver treatments in line with Soul & Surf standards, ensuring they are fully briefed on guest preferences.
• Track admin & stock: Monitor and update the Massage Sales Tracker daily, cross-check therapist invoices against the POS, and proactively manage all massage inventory (oils, linens, towels).

Guest Experience & Financial Admin

• Own the numbers: Update the Yoga Sales Tracker daily, control your department spending, and present clear operational and financial updates in weekly meetings with the GM.
• Lead guest hosting: Share duty management responsibilities by welcoming guests, leading weekend retreat inductions, answering queries, and hosting evening events (BBQs, film nights).
• Lead the promotion of the yoga shala in collaboration with the social media manager to increase attendance and engagement.

Essentials For The Role

• Qualifications: Certified Yoga Teacher Training qualification (minimum baseline) with proven, extensive experience teaching mixed-ability groups.
• Financial & Admin Skills: Comfortable using POS systems, updating spreadsheets/sales trackers, and cross-checking financial invoices.
• The Pitch-In Attitude: A complete team player mindset. We are a small team in Sri Lanka; you will comfortably get your hands dirty stepping into the café, helping clear dishes, or running operational errands when needed.

What We Offer

• Meals: Free staff breakfast and lunch on working days, plus up to 6 guest meals per week when hosting.
• Perks: Staff housing/contribution, visa support, free surf lessons/board hire, and free yoga classes with other teachers when available.

How to Apply

Please contact us using the form below or email your application to jobs@soulandsurf.com. Your application must include:

• Your updated CV.
• Scans/copies of your Yoga Qualifications.
• The names and contact numbers of 2 previous managers for references.
• A short paragraph explaining why you’d be a great fit for our soulful, laid-back ethos.

Surf Photographer

Soul & Surf Sri Lanka has been the leading surf and yoga stay on the island since 2014. We’re a small, hands-on team delivering surf, yoga, food, and retreat experiences — and we’re looking for a freelance professional Surf Photographer for the full winter season (November to April).

This is a creative, commercial, and highly social role for someone who loves documenting surf lifestyle, building relationships with guests, and running their own photography sales business within our retreat structure.

The Reality of the Role

Do not expect a casual holiday shooting photos from a beach chair. This is a demanding, physically exhausting freelance role in intense tropical heat and changing ocean conditions. You must own and operate your own professional SLR equipment, water housing, and laptop. You will be expected to work 5 mornings a week, swimming out into currents or shooting from exposed shores to capture high-quality images of guests during lessons and guided trips. This is a sales-driven role: your income depends directly on your ability to process, edit, and pitch photo packages during daytime laptop sessions and while hosting guest dinners. You aren’t just a behind-the-lens shooter; you need the social stamina to integrate into the retreat culture, eat meals with guests, and document evening events. If you prefer to shoot and hide away to edit, this won’t be a fit. If you are an energetic, people-loving creative who wants to run a profitable seasonal business with our full logistical support, you will thrive.

Hours & Logistics

• Type: Freelance contract, 5 days per week.
• Schedule: Busy season runs November to April. Includes working at least 5 mornings a week and hosting 2 retreat meals/evening events to drive sales.

Responsibilities

Creative Production & Content Workflows

• Capture the retreat experience: Photograph guests during morning surf lessons, guided trips, and designated weekly evening events, delivering high-quality land and water-based imagery.
• Manage daily workflows: Organize, back up, and edit photos rapidly to present clear, professional work to guests during scheduled lunchtime and afternoon laptop viewing sessions.
• Deliver marketing assets: Provide the Soul & Surf media team with at least 10 curated images per week (4 from surf lessons, 2 from an evening event, and 4 environmental/local area shots) for social media and website use.
• Support creative projects: Collaborate on ad-hoc creative requests, including capturing short social media videos and lifestyle content.

Sales & Admin

• Drive package sales: Actively communicate with guests to pitch and sell tiered media packages.
• Coordinate with management: Liaise daily with the Surf Manager to match changing guest levels and surf schedules, and coordinate with the GM/AM to ensure all packages are finalized, delivered, and paid for before guest check-outs.
• Pitch in everywhere: We are a lean team; you will comfortably step outside your role to help wash boards, clear café tables, or run errands when the team needs backup.

Essentials For The Role

• Equipment: You must provide your own professional SLR camera gear, reliable water housing, and editing laptop.
• Skills & Fitness: Fit, healthy, and highly confident working in the water across varying weather and surf conditions. Excellent photo-editing and digital file management skills are required.
• Commercial Drive: Strong interpersonal, presentation, and communication skills. You must be comfortable naturally talking to guests, answering general retreat questions, and converting interactions into sales.

What We Offer

• Commission: Retain 50% of every photography package sold, invoiced and settled monthly.
• Accommodation: A room (possibly shared) in the staff house or an equivalent accommodation budget if you source your own.
• Meals: Staff breakfast on working days, plus retreat meals provided when hosting guest events.
• Perks: Provided visa support, free surf board hire (guests get first choice; rental damage policy applies), free yoga classes when time allows, and staff discounts at the Canteen (excluding bakery items).

How to Apply

Please contact us using the form below or email your application to jobs@soulandsurf.com. Your application must include:

• Your updated CV and a link to your photography portfolio/website/instagram page.
• A breakdown of the gear and water housing you will be using.
• The names and contact numbers of 3 previous managers for references.
• A short paragraph or two explaining why you’d be a good fit, showing you understand our values and background.

Head Surf Coach

Soul & Surf Sri Lanka has been the leading surf and yoga stay on the island since 2014. We’re a small, hands-on team delivering surf, yoga, food, and retreat experiences — and we’re looking for a professional, highly motivated Head Surf Coach to run our entire surf department, manage our instructor crew, and own our on-site Surf School.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who wants to be a central part of our community. We are not a party camp. Our guests are here to enrich their souls and experience high-quality coaching.

The Reality of the Role

This is a demanding, highly physical leadership position in a hot tropical environment. You aren’t just here to surf and coach. You are the operational manager of a multi-layered department. Your days start at 6:30 AM, coordinating logistics, managing local transport dynamics, and handling the “local politics” of taking lessons to changing breaks. You will be moving from high-energy in-water coaching to rigorous spreadsheet tracking, rota management, and financial admin for our walk-in Surf School. You are also a key face of the retreat, meaning you must have the social energy to host guest dinners and evening events multiple times a week. If you want to own an entire operation and lead a team from the front, you will thrive here.

Hours & Logistics

• Type: Full-time, 5 days a week.
• Schedule: Early starts (6:30 AM) with flexible downtime during the day, plus at least 5 guest hosting meals/events per week. Busy season runs from November to April.
• Age Requirement: Minimum 25 years of age.

Responsibilities

Surf Operations & Team Leadership

• Manage the surf team: Lead, schedule, and motivate a team of 4–5 instructors and assistants, video filmers, and our freelance photographer. Own hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, and contract compliance.
• Deliver the curriculum: Oversee and implement our Level 1 to 4 lesson plans and Soul of Surfing structure, ensuring consistent quality control across all ability levels.
• Lead by example: Maintain a hands-on presence by conducting at least 5 Soul of Surfing workshops and coaching a minimum of 4 practical in-water sessions per week.
• Enforce an elite safety ethic: Complete ownership of beach, ocean, and transport safety protocols for all staff and guests.

Logistics, Admin & Financial Management

• Own the Surf School business: Run our walk-in/non-resident surf school as a distinct business unit. Manage end-to-end bookings, process payments, hit monthly revenue targets, and oversee freelance staff.
• Master the logistics: Coordinate daily with the retreat management to match guests, instructors, and vehicles perfectly every morning.
• Track finances and data: Maintain the daily Tuk Tuk Tracker, audit transport invoices, keep meticulous guest lesson records, and strictly manage your monthly department expense budget.
• Inventory & Maintenance: Control the full department inventory. Source and purchase gear proactively to avoid shortages, and implement a strict ongoing repairs schedule for all surf equipment.
• Community Relations: Navigate local line-up dynamics and community relationships firmly but fairly.

Essentials For The Role

• Certifications: Current ISA/ASA Surf Coaching certificate, Beach Lifeguard certificate, Surf Instructor Liability Insurance, and proven advanced surfing skills.
• Leadership Experience: Demonstrated experience managing, training, and motivating a team, including handling difficult staff conversations when necessary.
• Financial & Admin Comfort: Capable of tracking budgets, updating spreadsheets, managing operational trackers, and administering digital records (Google Drive/Slack).
• Communication & People Skills: Exceptional presentation skills for guest workshops and natural social stamina for hosting dinners and events.
• The Pitch-In Attitude: A total absence of entitlement. We are a small team; you will comfortably step in to wash boards, clear café tables, or run operational errands when needed.

What We Offer

• Accommodation: A room in the staff house (including active participation in house upkeep) or an equivalent accommodation budget if you source your own.
• Meals: Staff breakfast and lunch on working days, plus retreat meals provided when hosting guest events.
• Perks: Provided visa support, airport transfers, staff discounts at the Café, free yoga classes when available.

How to Apply

Please contact us using the form below. Your application must include:

• Your updated CV.
• Scans/copies of your current Coaching qualifications.
• The names and contact numbers of 2 previous managers for references.
• A short paragraph explaining why you’d be a great fit for Soul & Surf specifically.