Spend a summer living in intentional community in downtown Boston, helping sustain Beacon Hill Friends House during a planned senior staff sabbatical. This role offers a chance to practice steady presence, sound judgment, and clear boundaries while supporting day-to-day operations and community life. It’s an opportunity to contribute meaningfully within a well-defined scope — holding continuity, responding to emerging needs, and supporting a values-driven residential community. Duration: Approximately 8 weeks (mid-June – early August) Hours: ~15–20 hours/week + on-call presence Compensation: Base Stipend $3,200 Housing: Must reside on-site. Room and board included. Primary Responsibilities Community Presence Maintain a consistent, calm, Friendly presence in the building. Hold 2-3 scheduled office hours per week for residents and staff. Provide basic orientation, information, and logistical support to residents when questions arise. Encourage residents to utilize existing house processes and agreements when interpersonal concerns arise. Urgent Situations Triage Serve as the first point of contact for building or operational concerns that arise in the house. Assess the situation and determine whether escalation to the Board Clerk or a designated board contact is necessary. Follow documented emergency protocols and ensure incidents are recorded. Facilities Coordination Coordinate and ensure vendor access for facilities issues as needed. Escalate significant building issues according to the established escalation protocol. Document facilities concerns and actions taken in the incident log. Scope Limits This role is designed to provide stabilization and support while the Executive Director is on leave, not organizational leadership. The role does not include authority over: Capital campaign leadership Strategic planning decisions Staff supervision Policy development or changes Financial decisions beyond a pre-approved emergency spending threshold The role also does not function as a mediator or counselor for resident conflicts, except where safety or house policy requires intervention. What we’re looking for We’re looking for someone grounded, reliable, and clear about boundaries. Holds firm boundaries without overstepping or over-functioning Emotionally steady in stressful or ambiguous situations Uses good judgment about what to handle, document, or escalate Understands community dynamics Communicates clearly and neutrally Follows through consistently Respects the limits of the role Experience in intentional communities or residential settings is helpful but not required. Familiarity with Quaker values or a willingness to work within a values-based community is beneficial.
Community Values and Understandings, Basic Expectations, Queries and Advices)
As we look back on 2025, we are clear that residency at Beacon Hill Friends House leaves a lasting impact. Residency at BHFH is not simply about sharing space; it is about learning how to live into community. As resident and associate director Vickie Wu reflects, “[Living at BHFH] has taught me how much stronger we can be together, when we are walking the path together, as opposed to separately in vaguely the same direction.” This kind of shared commitment (to presence, to accountability, to collective care) shapes how residents show up not only within these walls, but in the wider world. Residents arrive seeking many things: grounding, purpose, spiritual depth, a way to make change that is sustainable. What they often discover is a deeper capacity for leadership rooted in relationship. Current resident Kutub shares, “I came to the Friends House seeking personal growth and a way to impact the world, and I found both.” Through roles like House Meeting Clerk, or serving on the BHFH Board, residents learn to not only consider budgets and participate in Quaker-rooted group meetings, but also to facilitate trust, dialogue, and shared responsibility. These are skills that endure, and skills the world needs desperately. This is how Beacon Hill Friends House nurtures the Light in all of us: through daily practice, shared rhythms, and the quiet, transformative work of living together with intention. As we close out the year, we invite you to help sustain this work. Your gift today will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $15,000 doubling your impact and ensuring that residency at BHFH remains accessible, formative, and alive for the next generation. Join us in walking this path together. In Light and community, Jen Newman Executive Director, Beacon Hill Friends House