Description

Position Title: General Manager (GM)

Location: Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park,

Alberta, CANADA

The Lodge is expanding and therefore we are looking to add a member to our Management team. We need additional leadership capacity, so we are looking to add a General Manager. Reporting to our CEO, Bruce Millar, you are someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, inspires those around you, and takes pride in creating unforgettable guest experiences.

About The Lodge at Bow Lake

The Lodge at Bow Lake is an iconic property on the Icefields Parkway located in Banff National Park. The Lodge provides a world class hospitality experience and is known for its warm and welcoming approach to hospitality, its attention to detail, exceptional food experience; all while operating within this UNESCO World Heritage site where The Lodge sees itself as stewards of this special place, caring, salt of the earth, proud and responsible.

Why Work at The Lodge at Bow Lake?

The Lodge at Bow Lake is a privately-owned lodge that is committed to building a world-class Team where each member is critical to our success. If you have an unfailing commitment to excellence, you are well aligned to delivering a world-leading guest experience, are a hands on type of leader and a strong orientation to building high-performing Teams, The Lodge at Bow Lake welcomes your contribution to our enthusiastic team. We reward our people with a competitive salary and benefits, on-site accommodation ( in season) and participation in a management profit sharing pool.

Our Core values are:

Authenticity

We’re transparent in all that we do. We’re genuine operators and never present a façade. We are unabashed about bringing our true selves to the Lodge, and we make every effort to ensure our guests feel they can do the same.

Connection

We consciously build relationships with guests, staff, colleagues and partners. Every relationship is deeply appreciated; nothing is transactional.

Collaboration

We operate as a team. Our people are always willing to pitch in—to lend a hand and go the extra mile for our guests and each other. We’re in this together.

Thoughtfulness

We’re deliberate in our approach to our work and do whatever we can to ensure those around us – guests, team members and visitors—always feel welcomed, appreciated, and important.

Respect

We honour and appreciate the history of the land where we operate and those who were here before us.

Summary of GM Role

The heart of the operation at the Lodge at Bow Lake is it employees and their health and wellness is paramount to the success of the operation. We know that if they are treated well, listened to and provided with a supportive and inclusive environment then they will thrive and our guests will receive the EXCEPTIONAL HOSPITALITY we are known for. The GM’s role is to foster and model that exceptional hospitality and ensure that a culture is cultivated that supports that and our core values are embraced and infuse every critical aspect of the business.

The General Manager (GM) position requires fulltime residency at The Lodge during the operating seasons (Winter & Summer). The GM will work closely with the CEO and the entire team at The Lodge at Bow Lake to ensure that the core operating fundamentals and values are universally understood and adopted across the entire organization. The GM will work with all teams and their members to clearly define expectations, roles, responsibilities, promote collaboration and develop performance metrics and leadership values. They will also ensure the organization delivers to the annual operational budget and the 5-year strategic plan; and attracts the talent to achieve our operational and business goals. The GM role is principally responsible to ensure ongoing growth and success as The Lodge expands and further develops its offerings. This role reports to the CEO and is one of the cornerstone functions within The Lodge.

Primary GM Responsibilities

General

  • Create an Exceptional Guest experience
  • Foster a warm and welcoming environment for both guests and staff while modelling the behaviours most critical for the staff
  • Provide the leadership, direction, execution and measurement of all aspects of The Lodge operation and experience, including:
  • Day-to-day Guest hospitality
  • Staff Mentoring, training and support
  • Infrastructure operation & maintenance guidance and priorities
  • Oversight of the Reservation flow and marketing initiatives and metrics
  • Financial performance
  • Liaise with key stakeholders of the Lodge
  • Manage reporting on the performance of the above and liaise with the CEO and the Board of Directors to ensure the priorities of the business are being addressed and the business is performing optimally
  • Be onsite during the operational seasons
  • Adhere to the policies and procedures that The Lodge has set out
  • Oversee the management of The Lodge Inventory of goods to ensure that the required equipment and supplies are always in place to support the operation.
  • Oversee the management of Provision Co, the café and gallery operation oriented to non-guest visitors to the Bow Lake area.

Staffing

  • To help attract, incent, motivate and retain key employees of The Lodge, and ensure that Build a Culture within the staff where they are committed to the Lodge operation and providing an Exceptional Experience for our guests
  • To help build operating principles, policies and procedures for staff
  • Establish clear and concise roles and responsibilities and performance criteria for all Staff and to communicate with Staff regularly on how they are performing
  • To work with the CEO and the Board to establish incentive compensation for key members of The Lodge Team that are critical to the success of The Lodge operation
  • To work with the Chef to ensure high quality food with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients are at the core of the food experience at the Lodge and to establish clear budgetary and food expectations.

Hospitality and Customer Service

  • To interact with The Lodge guests and ensure that we are providing the experience that is at the core of what we do while addressing the varying and unique needs of The Lodge guests
  • Assist guests to ensure they have a safe and comfortable experience while at The Lodge
  • To ensure the safety and well-being of all Lodge Staff and Guests at all times.

Financial Performance

  • To work with the CEO and Board on establishing revenue, margin and profitability objectives of The Lodge
  • Ensure an effective and transparent reporting framework that measures against our objectives
  • In conjunction with the Lodge Controller create an annual financial budget for Lodge operations to be approved by the Board and against which performance will be measured
  • Optimizing the seasonality opportunity, dynamic pricing and length-of-stay opportunities of The Lodge
  • Working with the Provision Co. manager with regards to Menu selection, inventory management, staffing and financial performance.

Lodge Reservations

  • Ensure The Lodge has the necessary tools in place for the effective and efficient tracking of Guest reservations; software, booking engine, etc.
  • Guidelines and policies are in place and followed in order to manage reservations.
  • Oversight of The Lodge reservations system and that guest communications are aligned with The Lodge goals and vision
  • Coordinate the winter ski programs.

Marketing

  • To interact with The Lodge Marketing team to ensure:
  • Effective marketing campaigns, supported by strong analytics
  • Strong key market awareness and differentiation and adherence to the brand established for the Lodge
  • Maximizing and building the Lodge’s book of repeat customers
  • Promotional events like ‘Legends of the Rockies’ with a strong emphasis on our outdoor authenticity
  • Investigate, assess and implement new business opportunities such as corporate and wedding events
  • Strong ADR performance
  • The Lodge’s web presence is communicating the Lodge Vision appropriately
  • Utilize social media (Instagram, Facebook & TikTok) and the website to deliver compelling content and foster a loyal community.

Infrastructure Management

  • Create and regularly update a Capital Maintenance plan for the Lodge
  • Oversee the regular maintenance, repair and problem troubleshooting of The Lodge’s buildings and infrastructure and dialogue with the head of Maintenance about these priorities;

External Stakeholder Liaison

  • Cultivate relationships and exercise dialogue with all suppliers and stakeholders
  • To liaise with Parks Canada and to be vigilant on upholding the expectations of an operator in a world-class UNESCO location.

Requisite Skills/Experience

  • A strong background in delivering an exceptional Guest Experience
  • Personable and positive social disposition with strong communication skills
  • A natural problem-solving orientation
  • Emotionally resilient
  • Operates with a sense of urgency; manages with a sense of calm.
  • 5+ years of hospitality experience in a boutique/intimate operation, preferably in a leadership role
  • Strong leadership skills with the ability to build a high-performing Team and create a staff culture which is inclusive, supportive and hardworking
  • Strong financial comprehension, including Cashflow forecasting and Budgeting, Balance Sheets, Income Statements and Capital Planning management

GM Compensation

The Lodge rewards its entire Staff with competitive compensation. Compensation for this role is comprised of Salary, Accommodations (food and housing) at The Lodge and Performance-Based variable compensation, as well as generous vacation allotment during those periods when The Lodge is not operational.

Qualified & Interested Candidates

Candidates must have Canadian Citizenship.

Please send your resume to the Attention of Human Resources at The Lodge at Bow Lake at the following email address: hr@bowlake.ca