Director of Base Operations

Tamarack Resort•Donnelly, ID

About The Position

This role owns the arrival-to-experience journey, ensuring guests move seamlessly from parking to ticketing, rentals, gear valet, guided activities, and on-snow access with exceptional service, safety, and efficiency. This position oversees ticketing operations, rentals and tune shop, gear valet, guided services, parking and transportation, snow removal, base-area facilities, and ticket access at the gates, and works in close coordination with Retail, Sports School, Mountain Operations, Lodging, Food & Beverage, Events, Golf and Marina Operations, Real Estate, and The Club. The Director of Base Operations plays a critical leadership role during peak periods, weather events, and times of active development. EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE Working at Tamarack is an incredibly rewarding and magical experience. Not only will you be working in a beautiful mountain environment, but you will also receive amazing employee perks like a season pass for you and your family, resort discounts, free childcare and more! Tamarack Resort offers a comprehensive benefits package including free childcare, season passes, employee housing in our brand-new housing units, resort discounts, 401k, health, dental, vision, life insurance, and more! We are passionate about guest service and delivering memorable experiences to all who enjoy Tamarack. Mountains, meadows and lakes are for everyone, and our resort community is no different. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in hiring, training, and career advancement. We celebrate and respect our diverse team members and guests.

Requirements

7–10+ years of senior operations leadership experience in ski resorts, destination resorts, or complex guest environments
Experience managing high-volume guest flow, ticketing systems, access control, or snow operations
Proven ability to lead large seasonal teams
Strong operational judgment and decision-making skills
End-to-end guest flow ownership
Calm, decisive leadership under pressure
Strong financial and labor management
Cross-functional collaboration
Detail-oriented execution with strategic perspective

Nice To Haves

Four-season resort experience
Experience with RFID gate systems and winter storm response

Responsibilities

Base Area & Village Operations
Own daily operations of Tamarack’s base area and village year-round.
Ensure efficient guest flow from: Parking and shuttle arrival Ticket purchase and validation Rentals and tune shop Gear valet and guided activity check-in Ticket access at lift gates and entry points
Expected to be onsite and available during all peak operating periods, including in-season dates, holidays, and events, and no less than five days per week during non-peak seasons.
Coordinate closely with Mountain Operations, Ski Patrol, Lodging, Food & Beverage, Events, Real Estate, and The Club.
Ticketing Operations & Gate Access
Oversee all base ticketing functions, including ticket desks, RFID systems, and lift gate access.
Ensure a seamless, low-friction experience at ticket gates, minimizing delays, errors, and guest confusion.
Partner with Mountain Operations to align staffing, signage, and procedures during peak demand.
Coordinate with Revenue and Marketing on pricing changes, promotions, and product rollouts.
Monitor performance metrics including wait times, labor efficiency, and access issues.
Rentals & Tune Operations
Lead all rental and tune shop operations, ensuring high standards for equipment quality, safety, boot fitting, and turnaround times.
Align staffing, inventory, and systems with visitation patterns and peak demand.
Ensure wait times remain under 20 minutes through proactive planning and execution.
Gear Valet Operations
Oversee Tamarack’s gear valet program as a premium guest experience.
Ensure secure storage, efficient staging, and coordination with lodging and base-area teams.
Maintain wait-time standards and service consistency.
Guided Services
Provide operational oversight for guided services, including: Guided fishing (winter and summer) Zip line operations Other guided activities developed in response to market demand
Own guest check-in, staging, equipment logistics, guide staffing, and safety protocols.
Partner with Marketing, Revenue, Facilities, Mountain Operations, and The Club to launch and scale guided experiences.
Ensure staffing and operating plans maintain wait times under 20 minutes
Parking, Transportation, Snow Removal & Facilities
Oversee parking operations, traffic flow, and shuttle systems.
Own planning and execution of snow removal and ice mitigation across base-area roads, parking lots, walkways, and plazas.
Ensure all guest-facing facilities within the village and base area are neat, clean, organized, and that slip-and-fall risks are appropriately mitigated.
Ensure pedestrian safety, ADA accessibility, and emergency access during winter operations.
Partner with Facilities and Mountain Operations on storm response and weather-related impacts.
Safety, Risk & Emergency Response
Champion a strong safety culture across all base operations.
Ensure compliance with OSHA standards, local regulations, and Tamarack’s Emergency Response Plan.
Serve as a key leader during severe weather events, guest incidents, and base-area emergencies.
Staffing, Leadership & Culture
Recruit, train, and lead year-round and seasonal teams across base operations.
Develop department leaders across ticketing, rentals and tune, gear valet, guided services, transportation, parking, and snow removal.
Flex staffing to meet guest needs wherever they arise.
Implement cross-training so team members can support multiple base operations functions.
Build staffing plans aligned with visitation trends and seasonal demand.
Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and operational excellence.
Budgeting & Financial Management
Develop and manage operating budgets for base operations and guided services.
Monitor labor, expenses, vendor contracts, and snow removal resources.
Identify efficiencies while maintaining guest experience and safety standards.
Contribute to capital planning for base-area infrastructure, equipment, and access systems.
Events & Year-Round Operations
Support summer and shoulder-season base-area operations and resort events.
Ensure base operations scale effectively for event days and peak visitation periods.