Please limit your applications to 1 per winter season. We will transfer your application to other position based on our business needs and your qualifications.
The Winter season runs from December through to early April, weather permitting.
Job Description
Whitefish Mountain Resort (Winter Sports, Inc.)
Title: Ski or Snowboard Instructor (SS 515, 520, 525)
Department: Ski & Ride School
Status: Full Time (FTS), Part Time Seasonal (PTS), or Intermittent (IT), Hourly + Incentives
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Updated: July 2023
Job Summary:
Teach ski and/or snowboard lessons to guests, focusing on students' goals while emphasizing safety, fun, and learning. The administrative offices and instructor locker area are located on the second floor of the Skier Services building, near the Base Lodge. Much of the work is conducted in the lesson Meeting Area slope-side of the Base Lodge, beginner lifts and terrain in the surrounding area, and all mountain slopes and terrain.
Job Relationships:
- Reports to: Instructor Supervisors, Snow Sports Director, & Snow Sports Business Manager
- Employees Supervised: None, unless supervisory responsibilities are assigned
Job Specifications:
- Minimum of 2 years of high school education
- Must be able to ski or snowboard at an intermediate or above level
- Great customer service skills, ability to communicate well, and good adaptability required
- Previous ski industry or teaching experience preferred
- Level I or above certification through PSIA/AASI or equivalent organization preferred; expected to obtain within the first season if instructor does not have certification upon hiring
- Must be available for work during the Christmas/New Year’s week, the week surrounding President’s Day, and consistent days of the week throughout the local Program season (early January – mid-March)
- Knowledge of Whitefish Mountain Resort, Big Mountain, and Flathead Valley preferred
- Acceptable information regarding criminal history background (Post offer – Pre hire)
Instructor Group Classifications:
- Entry Level: Non-certified
- Group I: Level I certified
- Group II: Level II certified
- Group III: Level III certified
Certifications are PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America), AASI (American Association of Snowboard Instructors), or equivalent organization (such as ISIA). Additional details on the instructor classifications can be found in the Instructor Manual. To be hired at a wage and status above entry level, you must be able to provide proof of current certification (in good standing) and the year obtained.
Specific Duties:
- Effectively instruct large groups (9+ students)
- Demonstrate the Ski & Snowboard School’s teaching progression, skiing or snowboarding model, and PSIA/AASI concepts
- Maintain group return and private request rates, and teach ability levels indicative of instructor’s group placement
- Experienced instructors assist with supervising school groups
- Group 2 & 3 instructors assist as needed with supervising line-up, breakups, and programs
- Group 3 instructors assist with and provide training clinics to their peers in the primary discipline
- Practice skier responsibility and risk management in teaching and skiing
- Know details of ski and ride school offerings and pricing, and general Resort information
- Diligently and accurately complete daily timecards
- Coordinate scheduling with the supervisor; ready for any work assignments when scheduled to work; follow direction of supervisors
- Perform extra assigned duties: marketing, meeting groups, tours, help out at the sales desk, and other miscellaneous functions relating to the ski school or other departments
- Participate in required early season training annually; additional training may be required by your supervisor(s); participation in optional clinics preferred
- Attend periodic staff meetings when scheduled
- Encouraged to cross-over and be trained to instruct other disciplines
- Have a positive attitude and enthusiasm for their work and Whitefish Mountain Resort
- Provide consistent professional and courteous treatment of customers, staff, and fellow employees; maintain a positive working relationship with instructors and other departments
- Maintain a professional and neat appearance
- Work within the framework of company and department policies and procedures and be supportive of the same to co-workers and guests
- Meet or exceed all criteria outlined in the Instructor Manual & WSI Employee Handbook
Ski/Board & Play Leads: 2-4 experienced children’s instructors will work in this position 2-4 days per week, while being available for instructing at other times. Responsibilities include:
- Check-in: greeting and connecting well with families, collecting information, answering questions
- Managing lesson assignments with staff scheduled by a Supervisor
- Overseeing the grouping of kids (ages 3-6) by ability and age; connecting instructors and students
- Keeping track of each child’s details (full vs half day, lunch, their instructor, other notes)
Daily job assignments, promotions, pay increases, and group classifications are based on the following criteria: certification, performance (performance rating may take precedence over group rating in job assignments), experience, lesson return/request rate, timeliness/dependability, and ability to teach varying ability levels and other disciplines.
Work Environment:
- Ability to lift items weighing 20 pounds repeatedly and up to 50 to 80 pounds occasionally
- Ability to climb stairs to access work space
- Requires individual to bend, stoop, and stretch repeatedly
- Ability to work under varying weather conditions, often extreme in nature
- Job may require working weekends, holidays, and overtime during peak demand times
- Non-smoking environment
Safety & Wellness:
All team members must be on constant alert for any unsafe conditions and work behaviors. This will involve, but not be limited to, periodic inspections of work and public areas. Follow-up notification will be done to correct the condition or practice at the earliest possible opportunity.
This job description is to be considered a general outline of the duties and responsibilities of this position and is subject to changes and revisions by WSI management at any time. Responsibilities are listed as guidelines only and the job is not necessarily limited to these specifications.