Vail Resorts

Manager: Ski Patrol

Vail Resorts • $70K — $100K *
Hospitality & Recreation
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 8+ years of Patrol or similar experience
  • 3-4 years of supervisory experience
  • Current OEC or EMT certification
  • Advanced to Expert skiing ability
  • Strong knowledge of ski area operations and mountain safety
  • Strong communication, organizational, and decision-making skills
  • Familiarity with department-level budget oversight

Responsibilities

  • Lead Patrol operations ensuring safety and efficiency
  • Recruit, hire, train, and develop patrol team members
  • Oversee daily operations, emergency responses, and readiness plans
  • Ensure compliance with policies and risk management practices
  • Monitor safety performance and implement improvement initiatives
  • Manage departmental budgets and equipment inventories
  • Build relationships with local emergency responders and agencies

Benefits

  • Year-round employment
  • Full-time hours available
  • Opportunities for leadership development
  • Participation in strategic planning
  • Access to continuous improvement initiatives
  • Work within a culture focused on accountability and professionalism
  • Engagement with various resort operations and events
Full Job Description
Job Summary:

The Patrol Manager is responsible for Patrol operations on the mountain. This role will oversee responsibility for daily patrol functions and provides strategic operational leadership for guest and employee safety, emergency medical response, incident management, risk mitigation, training, staffing, compliance, and patrol culture.

The Patrol Manager leads patrol teams to ensure safe, professional, and guest-focused operations while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and leadership development. This position works closely with Mountain Operations leaders, resort operations teams, risk management, Environmental Health & Safety, and external emergency response agencies to maintain the highest standards of safety and operational excellence.

This position must be committed to providing the highest standard of service and a willingness to support all operations. The role will be committed to leadership development and operational continuity. Success in this role is measured through strong safety performance, employee engagement, regulatory compliance, operational readiness, leadership development, and exceptional guest service.

Job Specifications:
  • Starting Wage: $70,019.00 - $100,028.00 + Annual bonus
  • Employment Type: Year Round
  • Shift Type: Full Time hours available
  • Minimum Age: At least 18 years of age
  • Housing Availability: No

Job Responsibilities:

Culture
  • Leads first and foremost with the Vail Leadership Competencies and Values, using the behavioral anchors as a guidance on leadership style
  • Competencies: Re-Imagine, Outfront, Drive, Develop, Connect, Passion
  • Values: Serve Others, D Right, Drive Value, Do Good, Be Safe, Have Fun
  • Supportive and persuasive of change;
  • Guides others towards successful adoption of change and clarifies the reasons, proactively helping others deal with the effects in a positive manner that builds the team
  • Drive a positive patrol leadership culture by holding patrollers accountable to performance and behavioral standards of the Company
  • Positively support the combined patrol culture by supporting new procedures that work towards this goal
  • Work constructively to bring solutions to the leadership table while vocally supporting agreed upon new changes with the patrol teams
  • Recognize and reward employees for the positive behaviors and operational excellence
  • Values based on their relative contribution to the team and overall organization
  • Actively support behaviors that show respect for others on the team, and take necessary actions to correct any behaviors that do not show respect for the team

Operational:
  • Lead Patrol operations across the resort, ensuring safe, efficient, and guest focused operations.
  • Recruit, hire, train, develop, and evaluate patrol leadership and front line team members while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, professionalism, and teamwork.
  • Oversee staffing plans, daily operations, emergency medical response, lift evacuation readiness, incident management, and overall operational preparedness.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies, applicable regulations, medical protocols, and risk management practices.
  • Oversee patrol training, certification tracking, leadership development, and emergency preparedness programs to maintain a highly skilled and operationally ready workforce.
  • Partner with senior leadership at the resort to coordinate safe and effective resort operations, support special events, and drive cross resort collaboration.
  • Monitor safety performance, investigate incidents, identify trends, and implement continuous improvement initiatives that are aligned with the patrol center of excellence to enhance guest and employee safety.
  • Develop and manage departmental operation and capital budgets, equipment inventories, vehicle and rescue assets, and other patrol resources.
  • Build and maintain effective relationships with local emergency responders, healthcare providers, law enforcement agencies, and other external partners.
  • Serve as a member of the patrol and/or mountain operations team, contributing to strategic planning, organizational initiatives, and operational excellence across the resort.
  • Work in line with the Patrol Center of Excellence to support and align with enterprise standards and practices.
  • Travel is expected for training and support critical operations across the enterprise
  • Demonstrates proven understanding and willingness to partner with mountain operations teams, including but not limited to: snowmaking, slope maintenance, risk management, terrain parks, lift maintenance, race crew, lift operations, mountain safety, mountain dining, special events, and transportation.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Communications:
  • Communicate individual and team performance in relation to job duties and behavioral expectations to senior leadership while documenting performance when necessary
  • Communicate team goals, daily expectations and progress to front-line patrollers, improving the department's metrics and measurements throughout the season

Legal:
  • Immediately inform, consult and take part in conducting necessary investigations of employee complaints, upon HR or senior leadership advisement;
  • Ensure proper documentation and follow up of patroller attendance, requested FMLA, ADA or other requested accommodations with input from HR and the senior leadership
  • Identify employee issues and take applicable action to resolve inappropriate behaviors immediately, involving key stakeholders in any decision when necessary


Job Requirements:
  • 8+ years of Patrol or similar experience.
  • 3-4 years of Patrol or similar supervisory experience.
  • Current OEC or EMT, based on minimum resort requirements.
  • Advanced to Expert skiing ability.
  • Strong knowledge of ski area operations and mountain safety practices.
  • Strong communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.
  • Previous department level budget oversight.
  • Microsoft Office and Teams proficiency.
  • Must be able to speak, read, and write fluently in English.
  • High School diploma or equivalent
  • Must be a minimum of 21 years of age

Preferred:
  • Experience managing multiple locations or large operational teams.
  • Experience managing budgets and labor resources.
  • Experience with emergency management planning and incident command.
  • Snowmobile, Tracked UTV experience.
  • Associate or bachelor's degree in emergency management, risk management, public safety, business, recreation management or related fields.
  • Previous VR Software experience, Gensuite, Coupa, Workday, etc

About Vail Resorts

Vail Resorts is a mountain resort company that operates ski resorts and hotels in North America. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. Vail Resorts' ski resorts include Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Stowe, Okemo, Mount Sunapee, and Whistler Blackcomb. The company also operates hotels and other lodging properties in these locations. Vail Resorts has a market capitalization of over $10 billion and generated over $2 billion in revenue in 2020.
Learn more about Vail Resorts
Size
6,100 employees
Market Cap
$9.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$7 million
Founded
1992
5 Year Trend
+5.8%
Revenue
$1.5 billion
NASDAQ

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