Resort Manager, State Game Lodge Area - Custer State Park Resort

Internal Career Site•Custer, SD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Resort Manager is the senior operating leader for the State Game Lodge area at Custer State Park Resort, with overall accountability for State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge. The role oversees lodge rooms and cabins, restaurants and lounges, retail, Jeep Safari operations, weddings, banquets, group business, special events, employee housing, and associated guest and operating areas. State Game Lodge is a historic resort hub, while Creekside Lodge provides modern accommodations and supports the area's year-round business strategy. The Resort Manager is accountable for financial results, labor performance, guest experience, operational execution, property condition, safety, leadership effectiveness, and planning and execution of the annual Arts Festival. The role leads the integrated operation in partnership with park-wide functional leaders, develops the area leadership team, and ensures company standards, strategies, and operating requirements are implemented. The manager also helps grow year-round leisure, group, wedding, banquet, event, and other business while delivering Xanterra’s Legendary Hospitality and preserving the State Game Lodge area's historic character. This is a full-time, year-round position based in Custer State Park, South Dakota. Employee housing is provided. The manager participates in manager-on-call responsibilities and provides leadership during evenings, weekends, holidays, emergencies, and other periods as business needs require.

Requirements

At least five years of progressive hospitality leadership experience, including responsibility for multi-department operations.
Proven ability to lead and develop leaders in a complex, multi-department hospitality operation.
Strong business and financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, P&L analysis, labor management, expense control, and profitability improvement.
Ability to set priorities, communicate expectations, hold leaders accountable, and drive measurable results.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including applying financial, operational, labor, and guest feedback to action.
Strong relationship-building and communication skills, including effectiveness across functional departments and with SDGFP and 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 operating demands with longer-term guest experience, employee, financial, year-round business, event, and historic-property objectives.
Strong organizational and time-management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
Commitment to continuous improvement, leadership development, guest service, safety, historic stewardship, and operational excellence.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience with property management, POS, scheduling, payroll/timekeeping, and other hospitality operating systems.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Lead the complete State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge operation and foster accountability, collaboration, guest service, safety, and continuous improvement.
Build and develop the resort leadership team through clear expectations, coaching, feedback, accountability, succession planning, and leadership development.
Partner with Human Resources and functional leaders on recruiting, hiring, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, development, and seasonal employee strategies.
Partner with park-wide functional leaders to implement established strategies, standards, and programs and remain accountable for results in the State Game Lodge area.
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 operations of State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge and maintain high standards for product quality, guest service, cleanliness, operating readiness, and property presentation.
Monitor guest feedback and GuestRevu results, identify trends, take action to improve performance, and personally assist with resolving significant guest concerns.
Coordinate with other resort locations and departments—including Central Reservations, Sales, Catering, Revenue Management, Marketing, and Activities—to provide an integrated park-wide experience.
Ensure weddings, banquets, group programs, Jeep Safari operations, signature events, and other complex business are coordinated across operating departments.
Own financial performance across lodging, food and beverage, retail, activities, weddings, banquets, groups, and events; meet revenue, labor, expense, and profitability expectations.
Review financial and operating results, address variances, and implement opportunities to grow revenue, improve productivity, control costs, and increase profitability.
Manage resort-level labor performance, aligning staffing and schedules with forecasts, service expectations, productivity standards, and budgets; monitor hours, overtime, productivity, and labor costs.
Partner with department leaders and Finance on annual budgets, forecasts, capital priorities, and business plans; hold leaders accountable for their financial responsibilities.
Use financial, operating, labor, and guest data to identify trends, anticipate challenges, and make timely decisions.
Develop and execute annual operating plans for year-round business, including demand generation, operating calendars, staffing, service levels, programming, revenue, occupancy, and profitability targets.
Maintain accountability for the condition, appearance, cleanliness, preservation, 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 buildings, equipment, grounds, and infrastructure.
Inspect guest, operating, event, housing, and employee areas and ensure deficiencies are addressed; ensure employee housing is safe, maintained, and managed under established policies and the Community Commitment.
Lead seasonal opening, closing, and winterization readiness, while supporting the approved year-round operating model.
Identify longer-term property, equipment, facility, preservation, and capital needs and communicate priorities through established planning processes.
Ensure compliance with Xanterra policies and procedures, the SDGFP concession contract, and applicable health, liquor, fire, food service, alcohol service, safety, and other regulatory requirements.
Promote safety, risk awareness, and personal accountability; partner with Environmental, Health & Safety and other leaders on inspections, incident response, corrective actions, emergency preparedness, and risk reduction.
Maintain productive working relationships with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and other appropriate operational partners.
Lead planning and execution of the annual Arts Festival with SDGFP and internal departments, covering operating plans, site readiness, staffing, guest flow, vendors, food and beverage, retail, safety, communications, contingencies, and post-event review.
Support operations for other major park events and high-demand periods, including the Buffalo Roundup; lead seasonal ramp-up and ramp-down and support approved year-round operations.
Plan for high-visitation or complex operating periods, including staffing, communications, inventory, facilities support, traffic and guest flow, and contingencies.
Partner with park-wide leaders to balance guest demand, financial performance, employee needs, event requirements, and property stewardship.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned by the General Manager.