Hand on heart, the Resort Manager role is one of the most rewarding jobs in the mountains. Imagine having your office window overlooking the snow covered peaks, being able to ski/snowboard from your office door and enjoying the best 6 months you’ll ever have!
As a Resort Manager your role is ever-changing. Every day brings a new challenge and every week brings new guests. You’ll find your routines, but with many external factors, you will very quickly learn how to juggle these and you will develop the skill to think fast and accurately. Imagine you are organising transfer day for 6 chalets, with some guests delays and others asking difficult questions all at the same time. Or one family has an illness that needs hospital attention and at the same time, one of your team calls in sick and can’t work a dinner service.
You will be responsible for the guests, the staff, the external suppliers, the budget and running multiple chalets. If there is anything that happens within your resort, you are the one to know about it! You are there to ensure that the guests' experience is of a high standard across all of your chalets. On- going training is a must, with regular team meetings. Liaising with your peers and management is also very important to keep the standards high and consistent throughout the whole season.
You will also be in charge of your resort's expenditure. This means you will have to have an analytical eye, and be able to think ahead when it comes to potential over-spend. For example, you will need to work out why chalets are above budget (is it due to poor stock control, high wastage or catering decisions).
Using the resources you have available to you is the key to a strong Resort Manager, but you will also be a natural leader. The nature of the job means you have to do what is best for everyone, but using what is available at the time. All of this, without disturbing the guest experience!
The Resort Manager is there to maintain and boost both staff and guest morale. Being personable is a must! Seasons are long for the team and you need to be there to support, care and look after your colleagues. Also, with guests, if they have a week with poor snow/weather, your chalet teams will look to you for advice on how to ‘promote’ the area in the best possible way.
A key part of the role is to enjoy the mountain. Remember you are there to have fun and enjoy the greatest location in the world!
When applying for a Resort Manager job, it is important to take into consideration what has been mentioned above. Your interviewer will be looking for someone that is personable, a natural team leader and enthusiastic about the challenge ahead. You should explain that you understand the complexity and ever-changing day to day role and relate this to experiences that you have had in the past. Show how flexible you are and that you realise this isn’t a 9-5 weekday role. You must be willing to work up to 12 to 14 hours a day sometimes. Tell your interviewer about your ski experience, your ability to communicate to both adults and children and how far you can stretch your comfort levels. Speaking a foreign language is beneficial and this will stand you in good stead with your potential employer.
The benefits of the role are enormous. From having your own working space with the flexibility to ski, to having your accommodation, ski pass, ski hire all included in your package and the chance to meet so many people, the role of Resort Manager is not to be missed!
"Remember you are there to have fun and enjoy the greatest location in the world!"
Written by Nick Panayides, Operations Manager at Snow Chateaux, who are currently recruiting Resort Managers in the Paradiski and Espace Killy ski areas.