Area Manager

We're looking for an experienced Area Manager to take overall responsibility for the smooth and efficient running of our operations within designated Ski Beat resorts. This role is crucial for both our pre-season planning and the busy winter season, ensuring high standards and an excellent guest experience.

You'll play a key part in upholding Ski Beat's standards, developing strong teams, and contributing to the company's continued success and growth.

What You'll Be Doing:

This role encompasses significant responsibilities:

• Team Recruitment & Onboarding: Define ideal candidate profiles, lead the full recruitment cycle for winter resort teams, manage staffing levels, and create effective job descriptions. You'll source, screen, and interview candidates, ensuring compliance with French employment regulations for local hires. Oversee all aspects of new hire onboarding, including contracts, visas, and documentation.
• Staff Training & Development: Plan and execute comprehensive pre-season staff training programs, creating and refining training resources like staff manuals and visual guides. You'll integrate process improvements and best practices into training, coordinate logistics, and deliver practical skills training, health & safety protocols, and operational procedures.
• Resort Preparation: Oversee logistical preparations for the winter season, ensuring chalets are ready and resources are in place.
• Process Improvement: Identify, develop, and implement improvements to operational processes and pre-planning strategies to enhance efficiency and guest experience.
• Resort Leadership: Assume overall responsibility for operational performance, financial efficiency, and guest satisfaction within your designated Ski Beat resorts. Implement and enforce operational standards, safety policies, and legal requirements.
• Team Management: Directly manage, mentor, and develop winter resort teams. Provide ongoing support, guidance, and performance feedback through regular 1-2-1s. Lead by example, demonstrating professionalism and a proactive approach.
• Resource Management: Oversee strategic staff scheduling and resource allocation to optimize coverage and minimize costs. Manage in-season recruitment when necessary.
• On-Site Support: Conduct structured visits to each resort twice weekly, providing visible leadership, hands-on operational support, and acting as the point of escalation for complex issues or emergencies. Ensure teams have necessary resources.
• Property & Supplier Relations: Build and maintain strong relationships with property owners, managing detailed start-of-season handovers and end-of-season handbacks. Cultivate relationships with resort suppliers (ski schools, lift pass offices, etc.) and proactively address supply chain issues. Manage stock control procedures.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure adherence to company operational procedures and Health & Safety regulations through weekly chalet inspections. Develop and review response plans for various scenarios (e.g., severe weather, emergencies).
• Guest Experience: Foster a culture of exceptional guest service, monitoring feedback and implementing improvements. Efficiently resolve escalated guest issues.
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor KPIs related to winter resort operations, including budgetary performance. Approve and manage resort budgets, contributing to financial success.
• Communication: Maintain open and effective communication with the Head of Operations and wider teams, providing updates on resort performance and collaborating with the Sales team.

Who We're Looking For:

We seek a highly organised, proactive, and effective leader with a strong background in operational management, ideally within hospitality or tourism. You should be adept at problem-solving, have excellent communication skills, and be able to motivate and develop diverse teams.