Resort Manager, Sylvan Lake Area - Custer State Park Resort

Xanterra Travel Collection•State Game Lodge, SD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Resort Manager is the senior operating leader for Sylvan Lake Lodge and is accountable for the overall performance of the resort complex, including lodge rooms, hillside and specialty cabins, restaurant and lounge operations, the Sylvan General Store, watercraft rentals, employee housing, and associated guest and operating areas. The role owns financial results, labor performance, guest experience, operational execution, property condition, safety, and leadership effectiveness. The manager partners with Custer State Park Resorts’ park-wide functional leaders to implement company standards, strategies, and operating requirements at the property. The Resort Manager builds and develops the property’s leadership team, sets clear expectations and accountability, and works to deliver Xanterra’s Legendary Hospitality while maintaining Sylvan Lake Lodge’s distinct positioning. The role leads improvements to service delivery, product quality, property presentation, amenities, and consistency across the guest experience. This is a full-time position in the Sylvan Lake area of Custer State Park. Employee housing is provided. The role includes manager-on-call responsibilities, with leadership coverage during evenings, weekends, holidays, emergencies, and other periods as business needs require. The Resort Manager also supports seasonal operations and major park events, and performs other duties and projects as assigned by the General Manager.

Requirements

At least five years of progressive hospitality leadership experience, including demonstrated responsibility for multi-department operations.
Proven ability to lead and develop leaders within a complex, multi-department hospitality operation.
Strong business and financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, P&L analysis, labor management, expense control, and identifying opportunities to improve profitability.
Ability to establish priorities, communicate expectations clearly, hold leaders accountable, and drive measurable results.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including translating financial, operational, labor, and guest feedback into effective action.
Strong relationship-building and communication skills, including the ability to work effectively across functional departments and with external partners.
Ability to make sound operating decisions and resolve complex issues in a fast-paced, geographically dispersed resort environment.
Ability to balance short-term operational demands with longer-term guest experience, employee, financial, and property objectives.
Strong organizational and time-management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Commitment to continuous improvement, leadership development, guest service, safety, and operational excellence.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience with property management, POS, scheduling, payroll/timekeeping, and other hospitality operating systems.
Demonstrated experience managing financial performance, labor, guest satisfaction, and leadership teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a Resort Manager, Hotel Manager, Director of Operations, Assistant General Manager, or in a comparable property leadership role.
Experience in seasonal, destination, resort, lodge, park, or similarly complex hospitality operations.
Experience leading seasonal employees and working within an employee housing environment.
Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, business administration, or a related field; equivalent relevant leadership experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

Provide visible, hands-on leadership for the complete Sylvan Lake Lodge operation and establish a culture of accountability, collaboration, guest service, and continuous improvement.
Build and develop the resort leadership team; set expectations for financial performance, guest service, labor management, safety, employee engagement, and operational execution.
Develop managers and supervisors through coaching, feedback, accountability, and ongoing leadership development.
Partner with Human Resources and functional leaders on recruiting, hiring, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, development, and returning seasonal employee strategies.
Create an engaged, service-focused culture and help employees understand how their performance contributes to the success of Sylvan Lake Lodge and Custer State Park Resorts.
Partner with park-wide functional leaders to implement established strategies, standards, and programs, and remain accountable for property-level results.
Participate in manager-on-call responsibilities and provide leadership during evenings, weekends, holidays, emergencies, and other periods as business needs require.
Direct the integrated daily operation of Sylvan Lake Lodge and ensure departments work effectively together.
Maintain high standards for product quality, guest service, cleanliness, operating readiness, and property presentation through regular presence throughout the resort.
Uphold Sylvan Lake Lodge’s identity while ensuring consistency with Custer State Park Resorts and Xanterra operating and service standards.
Improve the lodge’s upscale positioning through enhancements to service delivery, product quality, property presentation, amenities, and consistency across guest touchpoints.
Monitor guest feedback, GuestRevu results, and other guest experience measures; identify trends and ensure effective improvement actions are taken.
Engage with guests and support resort leaders in resolving significant guest concerns promptly, professionally, and empathetically.
Maintain resort presentation and operational readiness across guest rooms, cabins, public areas, restaurants, retail areas, grounds, signage, employee areas, and other guest-facing facilities.
Coordinate with other Custer State Park Resorts locations, Central Reservations, Sales, Activities, and other departments to provide an integrated park-wide guest experience.
Own the financial performance of the resort complex, including revenue, labor, operating expenses, and profitability, and work toward budget and forecast expectations.
Review financial and operating results, identify material variances, and develop and execute corrective actions with department and functional leaders.
Identify and implement opportunities to grow revenue, improve productivity, control costs, and increase profitability while maintaining guest experience and quality standards.
Own resort-level labor performance and ensure staffing and schedules align with forecasted business levels, service expectations, productivity standards, and budget.
Monitor labor hours, overtime, productivity, and labor cost, and make appropriate adjustments as business levels change.
Partner with department leaders and Finance to develop annual operating budgets, forecasts, and business plans.
Ensure leaders understand their financial responsibilities and are accountable for performance in their areas.
Use financial, operating, labor, and guest data to identify trends, anticipate challenges, and make timely business decisions.
Maintain accountability for the condition, appearance, cleanliness, and operating readiness of the resort complex.
Partner with Facilities and Engineering on work orders, preventive maintenance, capital needs, life-safety requirements, and care of resort structures and assets.
Inspect guest, operating, and employee areas and ensure deficiencies affecting safety, guest or employee experience, or property condition are addressed.
Ensure employee housing assigned to the resort is well-managed, safe, maintained, and operated in accordance with housing policies and the Community Commitment.
Lead seasonal opening and closing readiness, coordinating opening, closing, winterization, staffing, inventory, and property-readiness requirements across departments and Facilities.
Identify longer-term property, equipment, facility, and capital needs and communicate priorities through established planning processes.
Ensure operations comply with Xanterra policies and procedures, the SDGFP concession contract, and applicable health, liquor, fire, safety, and other regulatory requirements.
Establish a culture of safety, risk awareness, and personal accountability throughout the resort.
Partner with Environmental, Health & Safety and other functional leaders on inspections, incident response, corrective actions, emergency preparedness, and risk reduction.
Ensure resort leaders understand and consistently execute applicable operating, safety, food service, alcohol service, and emergency requirements.
Maintain productive working relationships with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and other appropriate operational partners.
Lead seasonal ramp-up and ramp-down, ensuring the resort is staffed, supplied, trained, and prepared for changing business levels.
Support major events and high-demand periods, including the Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival, and ensure the lodge fulfills assigned operational responsibilities.
Anticipate unusually high visitation or operational complexity and ensure staffing, communication, inventory, facilities support, and contingency planning are in place.
Partner with park-wide leaders on seasonal operating plans that balance guest demand, financial performance, employee needs, and property requirements.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned by the General Manager.