Location: Nederland, Colorado
Eldora is the backyard winter mountain playground for Greater Denver, Boulder County, and Colorado's northern Front Range. Eldora is located just outside of the charming mountain town of Nederland, Colorado, about 20 miles west of Boulder and less than 50 miles from downtown Denver.
Eldora strives to deliver Colorado’s Front Range the most memorable outdoor adventures to locals and out-of-town visitors. Eldora Mountain Resort employs up to 700 employees at peak season and has 680 acres of lift-accessible terrain for skiing and snowboarding, including a Woodward Mountain Park experience, and a world class Nordic Center.
The Ski Patrol Director oversees all aspects of the Eldora Professional and Volunteer Ski Patrol and Mountain Safety departments. This includes overall department performance, staffing, training, budgeting, scheduling, employee safety, culture, interdepartmental relations, and guest service. This position manages and assigns all Ski Patrol operations to ensure Eldora is maintained in a safe, well organized, efficient, and enjoyable environment. The Ski Patrol Director is responsible for executing safety initiatives, overseeing medical aid, leading all aspects of snow safety and avalanche mitigation work, rope rescue, lift evacuation, avalanche rescue, and incident investigation.
The Ski Patrol Director reports to the Director of Mountain Operations and works within the Mountain Operations team to execute daily operations, common goals, planning, and future initiatives.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Successfully recruit, hire, train, motivate, and develop high performing Ski Patrol and Mountain Safety teams. Develop leaders and improve leadership to grow future patrol/mountain safety leadership teams.
Provide leadership in guest and employee safety initiatives to reduce/eliminate worker and guest injury.
Create and oversee departmental budgets and track spending.
Know and actively enforce Colorado Skier Safety Act and Eldora policies.
Manage & delegate incident reporting, payroll, scheduling, & purchasing.
Develop and maintain all Patrol procedures, plans, and policies.
Create and foster positive work culture and resilience among staff.
Provide direct oversight and manage Incident Investigation team including recruiting and training of team members.
Evaluate performance of all staff members, including disciplinary actions as needed
Winter mountain set up and daily monitoring of conditions and maintenance including terrain openings and closures, signage, ropes, and padding. Spring tear down and clean up.
Maintain all pertinent permits and government agency relationships and applications.
Management of outside agency agreements and relations such as Boulder County Search and Rescue, Boulder County Sheriffs Office, Nederland Fire, and Ambulance agencies.
Daily weather and avalanche forecasting, snow safety and avalanche hazard reduction work.
Control and management of explosives and explosives permits
In-depth knowledge of medical, legal, and risk management issues.
Intimate knowledge of the mountain including trails/terrain, traffic flow patterns, communication systems, roads, snowmaking infrastructure, potential hazards, etc.
Leads and delegates all aspects of patrol training and skill development.
Brings awareness and training in managing traumatic exposure and formation of stress injuries
Regular communication with Mountain Operations teams and work towards common goals
Acts as Manager on Duty as determined by Senior Mountain Operations Director & General Manager.
Is a champion of Play Forever, Powdr’s corporate responsibility commitment to protect the environment and support our community in Eldora’s everyday operations.
Skills & Qualifications
Expert skiing ability (sorry no snowboards). Able to ski all terrain in all snow conditions and be able to work in adverse winter weather conditions for extended periods of time.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Positive leadership skills with positive attitude and enthusiasm.
Complete knowledge of the Colorado Skier Safety Act regarding all duties of ski area operators, ski area boundaries, terrain closures, signage, hazard marking, etc.
Current knowledge of tramway board regulations and evacuation techniques and equipment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and technology applications.
Advanced organizational and team building skills
Education, Experience, Certificates, Licenses:
Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience
Previous ski patrol experience, preferably in a supervisory role
Valid Colorado EMT or OEC AND CPR certification.
Pro Level 1 or 2 Avalanche certificate
Blasters license or ability to gain license in one years’ time
Valid Colorado Driver’s License meeting the minimum standards required by Eldora’s insurance carrier.
Prior leadership and supervisory experience
Work Environment & Physical Demands
Physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to ensure individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Ability to reach, crouch, kneel, stand, bend, and be on your feet and ski boots for extended periods of time. Required to stand, sit, and walk; talk and hear; taste and smell; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance.
Often required to use the computer. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distant vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Ability to lift and carry people and objects weighing up to 150 lbs, and occasionally pushing or pulling toboggans with injured skiers/snowboarders weighing up to 300 lbs.
Frequent use of skis, poles, toboggans, and controls.
Required to walk on slippery and uneven surfaces.
Frequent exposure to wet and/or humid conditions; high precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; extreme cold; extreme heat; risk of electrical shock; explosives; and vibrations.
Noise level in the work environment is often loud.
Frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts.
Small and large working area environments
Compensation and Benefits: Proposed hiring rate of $65,000-80,000/year, depending on experience.
Benefits: This position is Full-Time / Year-Round and includes an outstanding benefit package. This position is eligible to enroll in company medical, dental, vision, flexible spending, HSA, life/disability options; season pass for employees/dependents and privileges at several other resorts. Several discount programs (i.e., food & beverage, retail/rental, tickets, etc.) also available.
POWDR-Eldora Mountain, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and that race/color/religion/sex/sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability/protected veterans or any other applicable status protected by state or local law, are not taken into account in any employment decision. We offer competitive benefits, employee housing, and a unique work atmosphere. All of our job opportunities are located at Eldora Mountain Resort in Boulder County, Colorado. 20 miles west of Boulder, CO. We are situated in the heart of Colorado's front range playground. All candidates must fill out an application to be considered for employment. All employees must align with the Play Forever program which implements our core values through support and execution Powdr’s corporate responsibility commitment to protect the environment and support our community in Eldora’s everyday operations. This will be posted for a minimum of 3 days or until the position is filled.