Resort Manager, State Game Lodge Area - Custer State Park Resort

Custer State Park Resort is located in one of South Dakota's most iconic destinations in the heart of the Black Hills. Spanning nearly 71,000 acres, the park is home to nearly 1,400 bison, breathtaking granite formations, scenic drives, abundant wildlife and endless opportunities for outdoor adventure. 

We’re hiring a Resort Manager to Live. Work. Explore. in Custer State Park Resort!

The Resort Manager serves as the senior operating leader for the State Game Lodge area and has full accountability for the overall performance of State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge, including lodge rooms and cabins, restaurants and lounges, retail, Jeep Safari operations, weddings, banquets, group business, special events, employee housing, and associated guest and operating areas. Located in the Black Hills of western South Dakota, Custer State Park is an exceptional destination known for its remarkable natural beauty, rich history, and iconic attractions. The park offers an authentic outdoor experience while remaining conveniently close to Rapid City and the many amenities, communities, and attractions of the greater Black Hills. State Game Lodge is one of the park’s defining historic treasures and its primary resort hub. The lodge served as President Calvin Coolidge’s “Summer White House” in 1927 and later hosted President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. Creekside Lodge complements the historic lodge with modern accommodations and is central to the strategy to expand year-round business.

The Resort Manager is accountable for financial results, labor performance, guest experience, operational execution, property condition, safety, leadership effectiveness, and the successful planning and execution of the annual Arts Festival. The Resort Manager leads the integrated operation in partnership with Custer State Park Resorts’ park-wide functional leaders, builds and develops the area’s leadership team, establishes clear expectations and accountability, and ensures company standards, strategies, and operating requirements are successfully executed. The role is also responsible for helping develop and grow year-round leisure, group, wedding, banquet, event, and other business at State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge while delivering Xanterra’s Legendary Hospitality and preserving the distinctive historic character of the State Game Lodge area. 

• Employee housing provided
• Retail, Lodging and Travel Discounts
• Planned employee trips and activities
• $350 Referral Bonus Program

• Provide visible, hands-on leadership for the complete State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge operation and establish a culture of accountability, collaboration, guest service, safety, and continuous improvement. 

• Build and develop a high-performing resort leadership team with clear expectations for financial performance, guest service, labor management, safety, employee engagement, property stewardship, and operational execution. 

• Develop the capabilities of managers and supervisors through coaching, feedback, accountability, succession planning, and ongoing leadership development. 

• Partner with Human Resources and functional leaders on recruiting, hiring, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, development, and returning seasonal employee strategies. 

• Create an engaged, service-focused culture in which employees understand how their individual performance contributes to the success of the State Game Lodge area and Custer State Park Resorts. 

• Partner with park-wide functional leaders to execute established strategies, standards, and programs while maintaining accountability for successful implementation and results at State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge. 

• Participate in manager-on-call responsibilities and provide leadership during evenings, weekends, holidays, emergencies, and other periods as business needs require.

• Direct the integrated daily operation of State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge and ensure all departments work together effectively to provide a seamless resort experience. 

• Establish and maintain high standards for product quality, guest service, cleanliness, operating readiness, and property presentation through regular presence throughout the resort area. 

• Uphold the distinct historic identity of State Game Lodge and the modern lodging experience of Creekside Lodge while ensuring consistency with Custer State Park Resorts and Xanterra operating and service standards. 

• Monitor guest feedback, GuestRevu results, and other available guest experience measures, identify trends and opportunities, and ensure effective action is taken to improve performance. 

• Personally engage with guests and support resort leaders in resolving significant guest concerns promptly, professionally, and empathetically. 

• Maintain a high standard of presentation and operational readiness across guest rooms, cabins, public areas, restaurants and lounges, retail areas, event venues, grounds, signage, employee areas, and other guest-facing facilities. 

• Coordinate with other Custer State Park Resorts locations, Central Reservations, Sales, Catering, Revenue Management, Marketing, Activities, and other departments to provide guests and groups with an integrated park-wide experience. 

• Ensure weddings, banquets, group programs, Jeep Safari operations, signature events, and other complex business are effectively coordinated across operating departments. 

• Own the financial performance of the State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge complex, including lodging, food and beverage, retail, activities, weddings, banquets, groups, and events, and ensure established revenue, labor, operating expense, and profitability expectations are achieved. 

• Review financial and operating results regularly, identify material variances, and work with department and functional leaders to develop and execute corrective action. 

• Identify and implement opportunities to grow revenue, improve productivity, control costs, and increase profitability while maintaining established guest experience, historic stewardship, and quality standards. 

• Own resort-level labor performance and ensure staffing and schedules align with forecasted business levels, service expectations, productivity standards, and budget. 

• Monitor labor performance, including hours, overtime, productivity, and labor cost, and ensure appropriate adjustments are made as business levels change. 

• Partner with department leaders and Finance in the development of annual operating budgets, forecasts, capital priorities, and business plans for the resort area. 
• Ensure leaders understand their financial responsibilities and are held accountable for performance within their areas of responsibility. 
• Use financial, operating, labor, and guest data to identify trends, anticipate challenges, and make timely business decisions. 
• Develop and execute annual operating plans for year-round business at State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge, including demand generation, operating calendars, staffing, service levels, programming, revenue, occupancy, and profitability targets. 

• Maintain overall accountability for the condition, appearance, cleanliness, preservation, and operating readiness of the State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge complex. 

• Partner with Facilities and Engineering on work orders, preventive maintenance, capital needs, life-safety requirements, and the appropriate care of historic structures, modern lodging assets, equipment, grounds, and infrastructure. 

• Regularly inspect guest, operating, event, housing, and employee areas and ensure deficiencies affecting safety, guest experience, employee experience, historic integrity, or property condition are appropriately addressed. 

• Ensure employee housing assigned to the resort area is well-managed, safe, appropriately maintained, and operated in accordance with established housing policies and the Community Commitment. 

• Lead seasonal opening, closing, and winterization readiness while ensuring Creekside Lodge and designated State Game Lodge operations are prepared to support the approved year-round operating model. 

• Identify longer-term property, equipment, facility, preservation, and capital needs and communicate priorities through established planning processes. 

• Ensure resort operations comply with applicable Xanterra policies and procedures, the SDGFP concession contract, and applicable health, liquor, fire, food service, alcohol service, safety, and other regulatory requirements. 

• Establish a strong culture of safety, risk awareness, and personal accountability throughout the resort area. 

• Partner with Environmental, Health & Safety and other functional leaders on inspections, incident response, corrective actions, emergency preparedness, and risk reduction. 

• Ensure resort leaders understand and consistently execute applicable operating, safety, food service, alcohol service, and emergency requirements within their departments. 

• Maintain productive working relationships with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and other appropriate partners affecting State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge operations. 

• Lead the planning and execution of the annual Arts Festival in coordination with SDGFP and internal departments, including operating plans, site readiness, staffing, guest flow, vendors, food and beverage, retail, safety, communications, contingency planning, and post-event review. 

• Support resort needs for other major park events and high-demand periods, including the Buffalo Roundup, and ensure the State Game Lodge area fulfills its assigned operational responsibilities. 

• Lead seasonal ramp-up and ramp-down while supporting the transition to and execution of approved year-round operations at State Game Lodge and Creekside Lodge. 

• Anticipate periods of unusually high visitation or operational complexity and ensure appropriate staffing, communication, inventory, facilities support, traffic and guest-flow planning, and contingencies are in place. 

• Partner with park-wide leaders to ensure seasonal and year-round operating plans balance guest demand, financial performance, employee needs, event requirements, and property stewardship. 

• Perform other duties and projects as assigned by the General Manager. 

• Proven ability to lead and develop leaders within a complex, multi-department hospitality operation. 

• Strong business and financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, P&L analysis, labor management, expense control, and identifying opportunities to improve profitability. 

• Demonstrated ability to establish priorities, communicate expectations clearly, hold leaders accountable, and drive measurable results. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate financial, operational, labor, and guest feedback into effective action. 

• Strong relationship-building and communication skills with the ability to work effectively across functional departments and with SDGFP and other external partners. 

• Demonstrated ability to make sound operating decisions and resolve complex issues in a fast-paced, geographically dispersed resort environment. 

• Ability to balance short-term operational demands with longer-term guest experience, employee, financial, year-round business, event, and historic-property objectives. 

• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. 

• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, leadership development, guest service, safety, historic stewardship, and operational excellence. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience with property management, POS, scheduling, payroll/timekeeping, and other hospitality operating systems. 

• Minimum of five years of progressive hospitality leadership experience, including demonstrated responsibility for multi-department operations. 

• Previous experience in a Resort Manager, Hotel Manager, Director of Operations, Assistant General Manager, or comparable property leadership role preferred. 

• Experience in seasonal, year-round, destination, resort, lodge, park, event, or similarly complex hospitality operations strongly preferred. 

• Demonstrated experience managing financial performance, labor, guest satisfaction, property condition, and leadership teams. 

• Experience leading seasonal employees and working within an employee housing environment preferred. 

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, business administration, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant leadership experience will be considered. 

Please note that job descriptions are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities associated with the job.  Other job-related duties and responsibilities may be assigned from time to time.