Ute Mountaineer Seeks Manager for Aspen Cross Country Center

Ute Mountaineer has owned and operated the Aspen Cross Country Center since 1985. The center sits on the Aspen Nordic Trail System, one of the largest free trail systems in the country, connecting Aspen, Snowmass Village and Basalt. It is the only full-service cross-country ski center in Aspen, offering rentals, retail, lessons, ski tuning and repair, a public waxing room, locker facilities, and expert advice on local trails and Nordic equipment.

Ute Mountaineer is heavily involved in the Nordic community. It partners with the Aspen Valley Ski Club and organizes a free demo and lesson day, the Ute Nordic Cup race series, junior seasonal rentals, and a Team Night where local juniors buy equipment at discounted prices.

Ute Mountaineer is now hiring a Manager for the Aspen Cross Country Center to oversee its winter operations.

Position Overview

The manager hires, trains, schedules and motivates a team of Nordic enthusiasts and instructors. The role also covers the ski school, rentals, retail and shop operations, working with the landlord on facilities issues, and organizing and working local Nordic events.

The Details

• Full-time seasonal, October 20 through March 31, five days per week
• Starting pay $32 to $35 per hour, based on the candidate
• Multi-season commitment preferred
• Year-round employment also available by working at Ute Mountaineer from April through October

Key Responsibilities

Staffing

• Hire achievement-motivated, Nordic-loving staff using established interview processes
• Create a work environment that listens to, and is responsive to, employee needs and ideas
• Schedule and budget payroll according to store needs, weekly, hourly and seasonally
• Provide and organize ongoing training on Nordic product, store procedures, policies, skills and sales
• Evaluate employees and give feedback based on specific behavior and performance, and use it to motivate staff through further training and collaborative behavior modification
• Lead by example in performing all sales associate duties

Sales and Customer Experience

• Listen to and identify customer needs, and sell products that fit those uses, abilities, tastes and budgets
• Provide an engaging in-store and instructional experience that shares the shop’s passion for the sport
• Coach staff on sales training that joins customer needs with the shop’s experience
• Learn Nordic product technology, features and benefits
• Perform retail sales, rentals, shop work and possibly instruction
• Find solutions to customer needs, problems and objections

Store Presentation and Operations

• Create, coordinate and maintain the store merchandising plan and standards, working with staff, buyers and the general manager
• Delegate and oversee retail, rental, repair shop and ski school operations
• Organize and assist in local Nordic events

Requirements

Required characteristics and skills

• Nordic skiing experience
• Commitment to helping people
• Enjoys creating, working with, training and motivating a team
• Comfortable making decisions, asking for help and raising company concerns
• Able to prioritize tasks and follow up to see them completed
• Able to observe behavior, skills and performance, and use those observations to improve the staff and the retail experience
• Flexible with time and tasks
• Patient with, and approachable for, all staff

Preferred

• Prior retail sales experience, ideally in the outdoor industry
• Knowledge of local Nordic trail systems
• Demonstrated managerial experience

What Ute Mountaineer Offers

• Extensive ongoing training on managerial skills, product, procedures, policy and customer service
• Seasonal sales bonus program
• Exclusive employee pricing on outdoor equipment
• Access to rental equipment at Ute Mountaineer and the Aspen and Snowmass cross-country ski centers
• Profit sharing after two years for those who move into year-round full-time employment
• Vacation pay
• Full ski pass
• Subsidy toward Ute Mountaineer group health insurance
• Possible subsidized housing in the Roaring Fork Valley for year-round employees

How to Apply

Download an application at utemountaineer.com/employment. Send the completed application or a resume to paul@utemountaineer.com and maile@utemountaineer.com.