Create Your Experience of a Lifetime!
Come work and play in the mountains! Whether it’s your first-time seeing snow or you were born on the slopes, joining our team means discovering (or re-discovering!) a passion for the outdoors while building lifelong connections with teammates and guests from around the world.
With 40+ resorts across 3 continents, you can join our team for a season or stay to build a career. From day one, you'll receive some of the highest compensation rates in the industry, free pass(es) along with free ski and snowboard lessons, 40% retail discounts, the chance to grow through Epic Service - our leading training and development experience, and wellness benefits to fuel your success.
Hiring for our seasonal positions occurs on a rolling basis. Applications will be accepted until December 15th or until the positions are filled (whichever is first).
Employee Benefits
• Ski/Mountain Perks! Free passes for employees, employee discounted lift tickets for friends and family AND free ski lessons
• MORE employee discounts on lodging, food, gear, and mountain shuttles
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Excellent training and professional development
• Referral Program
To Learn More, please review the Benefits Eligibility Summary
Job Summary:
The Winter Seasonal Competitions Services Manager functions as a business and operational leader responsible for oversight of the Mount Snow winter weekend Competitions Services Department. This role provides strategic leadership, operational management, financial oversight, and people development across all weekend Development and Competitions programs, ensuring exceptional athlete, guest, and employee experiences while delivering on resort and organizational objectives.
The manager is responsible for the overall success of the department, leading an Assistant Manager, 5-8 Head Coaches, and approximately 90-110 seasonal coaches. This includes responsibility for staffing, financial planning, program quality, athlete development, safety, risk management, guest satisfaction, and cross-functional collaboration throughout the resort and across Vail Resorts Competitions Services leadership teams.
Successful candidates are passionate leaders who combine strong business acumen with exceptional people leadership skills, a commitment to athlete development, and the ability to execute complex operations in a dynamic mountain environment.
Job Specifications:
- Starting Wage: $58,298.00 - $83,283.00
- Employment Type: Winter Seasonal 2026/2027
- Shift Type: Full Time hours available
- Minimum Age: At least 18 years of age
- Housing Availability: No
Job Responsibilities:
Department Leadership & Team Development
- Provide leadership, direction, and accountability for all members of the Competitions Services leadership and coaching teams.
- Recruit, hire, onboard, train, develop, schedule, supervise, and evaluate coaching staff.
- Foster a culture of safety, accountability, guest service, teamwork, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
- Develop future leaders through mentorship, coaching, succession planning, and professional development opportunities.
- Conduct ongoing performance management, feedback, recognition, and corrective action when necessary.
- Lead department meetings, seasonal planning initiatives, and leadership development efforts.
Program Operations & Execution
- Oversee all weekend Mount Snow Development and Competitions programs.
- Ensure consistent program delivery aligned with resort standards, Vail Resorts expectations, and athlete development goals.
- Partner with Mountain Operations, Ski Patrol, Events, Lift Operations, Grooming, Ski & Ride School, and Resort Leadership teams to support program success.
- Lead operational planning and execution for competitions, training events, race operations, camps, and athlete development experiences.
- Coordinate with governing bodies and event organizers to ensure seamless execution of competitions and athlete participation.
Financial Management & Business Leadership
- Develop, manage, and execute annual departmental operating budgets.
- Monitor department financial performance and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and profitability.
- Forecast labor costs, staffing requirements, and operational expenses throughout the season.
- Manage payroll oversight, budget adherence, purchasing, and departmental spending controls.
- Support revenue optimization initiatives through program growth, enrollment management, and athlete retention strategies.
- Analyze business performance metrics and establish action plans to achieve departmental goals.
Staffing & Workforce Planning
- Develop seasonal recruiting strategies to attract high-performing coaches and leaders.
- Build workforce plans that support operational needs, business goals, and athlete-to-coach ratios.
- Drive coach retention through engagement initiatives, development opportunities, and effective leadership.
- Optimize staff scheduling to balance guest experience, athlete development, labor efficiency, and operational performance.
- Ensure proper staffing levels for all programs, events, and competitions.
Risk Management, Safety & Compliance
- Lead proactive risk management initiatives throughout all competitions and development programs.
- Ensure compliance with resort policies, Vail Resorts procedures, state regulations, and applicable governing body requirements.
- Develop and execute emergency action plans for training venues, competitions, and department operations.
- Promote coach and athlete safety standards through education, accountability, and operational oversight.
- Manage incident documentation, investigation support, communication, and follow-up processes.
- Partner with Ski Patrol, Risk Management, and resort leadership to maintain a safe operating environment.
Guest, Athlete & Family Experience
- Serve as the primary escalation point for athlete, parent, and guest concerns.
- Build strong relationships with athletes, families, coaches, and community stakeholders.
- Deliver exceptional guest service experiences that drive loyalty, retention, and positive program outcomes.
- Lead customer service recovery efforts and resolution of complex issues.
- Promote a positive culture centered on athlete achievement, family engagement, and community connection.
Travel & Competition Logistics
- Manage travel planning, budgeting, logistics, and payment processes for coaches traveling with athletes.
- Coordinate lodging, transportation, staffing assignments, registrations, and operational support for off-site competitions and events.
- Ensure compliance with travel policies and budget expectations.
- Support athlete participation pathways through effective competition scheduling and logistical planning.
Collaboration & Organizational Leadership
- Collaborate with Competitions Services leaders throughout Vail Resorts to share and implement best practices.
- Participate in resort leadership initiatives, business planning efforts, and organizational development programs.
- Build productive partnerships across resort departments to drive operational excellence.
- Communicate effectively with leadership teams, employees, athletes, guests, and external partners.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
This position is responsible for establishing, monitoring, and executing against key departmental performance metrics, including:
- Program enrollment targets
- Athlete retention and growth metrics
- Coach retention and staffing success metrics
- Budget adherence and financial performance
- Revenue optimization goals
- Guest satisfaction and Net Promoter Score (NPS) results
- Safety and risk management compliance metrics
- Employee engagement and team culture outcomes
- Operational execution and event performance standards
Job Requirements:
- Demonstrated leadership experience managing large teams in a hospitality, recreation, ski industry, youth sports, or athletic development environment.
- Proven talent management and workforce planning experience.
- Strong financial acumen including budgeting, forecasting, labor management, and expense control.
- Experience with staffing strategy, recruiting, scheduling optimization, and employee retention initiatives.
- Exceptional guest service and relationship management skills.
- Experience managing parent, athlete, and guest interactions in a professional and service-oriented manner.
- Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating within larger organizational structures.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and build consensus among diverse stakeholder groups.
- Ability to make informed decisions under pressure in dynamic operational environments.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to work outdoors in varying winter weather conditions.
- Flexibility to work weekends, holidays, and peak operating periods throughout the season.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams.
- Understanding of PSIA-AASI education pathways, certifications, credentialing standards, and professional development programs.
- Understanding of USASA programming, event structures, participation pathways, and coach credentialing requirements.
- Understanding of U.S. Ski & Snowboard programming, competition pathways, and certification standards.
- Experience leading ski, snowboard, race, freestyle, freeski, or athlete development programs.
- Prior experience managing large seasonal teams within a ski resort environment.
- SafeSport Certification.
- Previous experience within Vail Resorts or comparable mountain resort operations.
Leadership Competencies
Successful candidates will demonstrate:
- Leading through influence
- Change management
- Conflict resolution
- Emotional intelligence
- Decision-making under pressure
- Strategic thinking and business acumen
- Collaboration across departments and organizations
- Accountability and results orientation
- Commitment to employee development and coaching excellence
- Growth mindset and continuous learning
The expected pay range is $58,298.00 - $83,283.00. This is the pay range we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Individual compensation decisions are based on a variety of factors.
In completing this application, and when submitting related documentation, applicants may redact information that identifies their age, date of birth, and/or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
We follow all federal, state, and local laws including restrictions on child/minor labor. Minors hired into this position will not be asked or permitted to engage in any activities restricted to adult workers.
Vail Resorts is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law.
Requisition ID 516863
Reference Date: 08/24/2026
Job Code Function: Competition Services
