Operations Manager Terrapin Adventures

Description & Details:

Duties & Responsibilities

Staff Development & Training & Scheduling

• Creates fun and safe work environment.  Sets the mood for the company by reflecting a positive enthusiastic tone.

• Hires and fires all staff with assistance from Chief Experience Officer following general company guidelines on qualifications focusing on hiring and maintaining engaged personnel who are passionate about what they do at TA and display this everyday with a positive attitude.

• Maintains appropriate staffing schedule for safe and efficient operation.  Sets appropriate numbers of inside and outside staff to be responsive to demand, provide high quality guest interactions and allow staff to not be burned out, and lets staff perform in a timely, accurate and positive manner that keeps service excellent.  Coordinates inside staff with Guest Relations Manager.  Constantly is looking ahead (two plus weeks) to anticipate needs for adjustments in staffing and scheduling and resource allocations.

• Develops technical skills of staff and tests them and documents this training and proficiency at least semi-annually.

• Makes sure staff are properly oriented and understand TA’s policies and procedures and that they have the tools to do their jobs (e.g. access to shared documents, training, access to group calendars etc. and that these new employee steps are documented)

• Develops interpersonal and team building skills of staff including how to plan for groups, assess which activities would be appropriate for group, how to debrief effectively, how to run different elements and exercises, how to adapt on the fly, how to communicate in advance, during and post group event, and how to keep the group engaged.  Runs at minimum, quarterly training sessions.

• Develops educational content for guests and disseminates this to guides to share during guest’s visits on local flora and fauna, historical facts, environmental concepts.

• Makes sure that other managers do their jobs and tasks in an accurate and timely fashion.

• Makes sure TA is compliant with State and Federal employment law

Finance & Operations

• Is responsible for keeping overhead (staffing, supplies, maintenance) at target levels or better.

• Makes sure that daily details of office run smoothly

• Makes sure the recreation, group and special event schedules are correct and filled out at least 3-6 months in advance.

Facilities & Equipment & Maintenance

• Assess the safety functionality of all adventure equipment daily.  Makes sure all equipment is accounted for each day.  Does quarterly count of all gear and identifies new gear/equipment needs to be purchased

• Makes sure that all course elements, gear, and equipment are inspected and recertified if appropriate by outside vendors according to specific schedules.

• Identifies and makes sure maintenance projects done accurately and timely to minimize downtime and cost.  This may be done internally or through outside vendors.

• Coordinates with Guest Relations Manager on safety and functionality of all office apparatus daily. 

• Ensure that equipment inventory is maintained, that we have appropriate levels of equipment and back ups and we order necessary replacements to ensure safe and full operation.

• Ensure that facilities (rooms, sheds, store) equipment (harnesses, lanyards, carabiners, helmets, bikes, kayaks, tubes, pfds, ladders, alfs, belay ropes)are clean and presents well and does not have imperfections that guests will suspect as not safe or looks unsightly and is well organized and labeled.

• Makes sure that course is clean of trash, safe and in good working order with no overgrowth causing concern

Safety

• Monitor and provide a safe and fun environment for all guests and that everyone adheres to company safety procedures

• Maintain and review incident report logbook.  Makes sure that all incidents are reported and followed up with guests, staff and appropriate insurance carrier (workers comp, general liability or medical/accident policy)

• Ensures that course and equipment inspected daily, rigorously on a quarterly basis, and by ACCT vendor semi-annually.  Identifies, documents, and follows up on all items needing attention in a timely manner.

• Teaches and records staff proficiency in rescues, first aid and dealing with emergencies making sure all staff have current CPR/first aid certification at minimum, can perform rescues, and are comfortable with addressing most common injuries that occur on course and on tours.

Guest Relations

• Leads guests on adventures, tours and team building programs

• Builds strong relationship with guests explaining eco-tourism aspects

• Communicate with guests and staff in a professional and respectful manner that instills trust, support and creates lasting memories

• Acts as a positive ambassador whenever asked about company and its product offerings

• Answers phones, completes maintenance logs, makes reservations, registers guests, conducts business transactions, and collects fees for tours, food, store sales

• Works in office, reservations, orientation of guests, and ancillary sales.

• Ensures that we communicate with all guests pre & post visit to prepare them for experience and ask how was your visit/cross sell for repeat business.

Business Development and Planning

• Promotes the business by attending events, calling prospective clients, and helping distribute material about TA

• Constantly is looking ahead and anticipating potential problems or situations needing clarification and/or addressing so that operations goes smooth for groups, recreation guests, special events.

• Constantly is looking to and suggesting ways to add/improve our course, tours, programs, special events and image in the community.  Develops/suggests new program, elements, equipment, games to keep our adventure center fresh and appealing.

• Knowledge of equipment, courses, geography, geology, history, ecology, and wildlife of area

• Leads guests on tours and programs

• Maintains all adventure and office apparatus ensuring that equipment is clean, orderly and accounted for each day

• Creating memories by taking pictures of guests on tours and equipment

• Reconciles daily deposits to log of guest activity

Required Experience & Qualifications:

• Skills in climbing, belaying, mountain biking, kayaking, working with ropes, sailing, using GPS systems for geo-caching, fishing

• Friendly and passionate about working in outdoor adventure eco-tourism industry

• Very good at communicating to guests & staff in a confident and amicable manner

• Well organized, able to juggle multiple activities and detailed oriented

• Works well with staff at creating a safe, fun and enjoyable workplace

• Enjoys working and teaching people new skills and is patient with those who do not pick up skills quickly

• Comfortable leading groups ranging in age from children to older adults

• Able to assess and diffuse difficult situations

• Physically able to teach and rescue guests from precarious situations including lifting guests and performing first aid

• On the fly problem solver

• Able to work a variety of shifts

• Is creative and fosters creativity & camaraderie amongst staff

• Able to constructively deal with conflict and provide regular and documented feedback to staff

• Takes initiative and follows through on deadlines and assigned projects.

• Has an attention to detail that can be described as constantly asking what if ... and how can we do things better.  Operations Manager needs to see course as though he was a guest.

• High School graduate with prior outdoor, adventure and business background. College background preferred.

• Previous experience as outdoor guide, outdoor equipment sales preferred

• Previous experience in leading guests on ropes challenge course, climbing wall, and team building exercises

• Previous supervisory experience desired

• Comfortable using computer including Microsoft Office applications and Internet

• Comfortable using general office equipment including computers, phones, printers, cash register etc.

Other Criteria & Key Points

• Must be available to work weekends.

• Salaried position with good benefits and significant bonus for meeting goals

• Preferable certification and training certificates as guide, instructor and first aid rescue responder

• Demonstrates a keen understanding of guest relations and excellent customer service while being business minded with an eye on the bottom line

• Takes initiative with respect to all aspects of business including human resources, operations, risk management, facilities etc.

• Able to look at operations with discerning eye like our guest