Job Title: Senior Director of Lodging Operations

Department: Lodging Location: Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah Reports to: Chief Hospitality and Commercial Officer

Position Type: Full-Time, Year Round, Senior Leadership Team

About Sundance

Founded by Robert Redford, Sundance Mountain Resort is a place where art, nature, and recreation live in harmony. We believe that hospitality is more than a business-it is an expression of authenticity, creativity, and stewardship. Every guest should leave feeling not only cared for but also inspired by their time here.

The Role

We are seeking a Senior Director of Lodging Operations to lead the opening and ongoing stewardship of The Inn at Sundance, a collection of privately owned cottages managed through the Sundance Mountain Resort rental pool, and our Spa & Wellness division. This is not a traditional hotel management role. It is a calling for someone who thrives in boutique, independent luxury environments-a leader who understands how to blend refined service with authentic connection.

The right candidate will have hands-on experience leading high-touch, small-scale luxury hotels or resorts, ideally with fewer than 150 keys, combined with expertise in homeowner relations and spa/wellness programming. They will bring both operational excellence and a passion for guest experience that goes beyond process-to storytelling, design, and atmosphere.

Key Responsibilities

• Guest Experience Leadership
  • Shape and deliver an innkeeping philosophy rooted in authentic, intimate, and personalized hospitality.
  • Anticipate guest needs and create moments of delight that feel effortless yet thoughtful.
  • Guide the arrival/departure journey, ski valet & boot room, curated concierge program, guest experience center, and evening lounge.
  • Champion Spa & Wellness as a cornerstone of the Sundance experience, ensuring treatments, programming, and spaces reflect our ethos of restoration, artistry, and nature-inspired healing.
• Operational Excellence
  • Oversee daily operations of The Inn, approximately 100 privately owned cottages in the rental pool, and the Spa & Wellness division.
  • Ensure seamless coordination across housekeeping, front office, guest services, homeowner services, and amenities.
  • Balance consistency of service with the unique character of each lodging experience-Inn, cottage, or spa.
  • Implement and refine SOPs that enhance, not dilute, the personality of Sundance.
• Homeowner Relations
  • Build strong, trust-based relationships with cottage owners whose homes are managed through the resort.
  • Provide clear communication, transparent performance reporting, and thoughtful stewardship of their assets.
  • Ensure homeowners feel both the business value of partnership and the pride of contributing to the Sundance guest experience.
• Team Culture & Leadership
  • Lead, inspire, and coach teams across lodging, guest services, and wellness that embody Sundance values: authenticity, creativity, connection, and environmental stewardship.
  • Recruit, train, and mentor staff with a "boutique luxury mindset"-where individuality and service artistry matter as much as efficiency.
  • Foster a culture of empowerment, where employees anticipate needs and delight in exceeding expectations.
• Financial & Strategic Stewardship
  • Partner with the executive team on pricing strategy, RevPAR performance, homeowner revenue optimization, and boutique comp-set positioning.
  • Balance profitability with the ethos of small-scale, high-touch luxury-ensuring financial results without compromising soul.
  • Contribute to Act II initiatives, helping shape the next chapter of Sundance hospitality.

Qualifications:

• Proven leadership in independent or boutique luxury hotels/resorts (ideally <150 keys).
• Experience with vacation rental or short-term rental homeowner relations, ideally in a luxury resort context.
• Background in spa and wellness operations with an eye toward experiential programming.
• Demonstrated success in operational leadership, team development, and financial performance.
• Hands-on style: equally comfortable engaging with guests in the lounge or spa as refining P&L strategy.
• Passion for art, nature, sustainability, and authentic hospitality-aligned with Sundance's mission and heritage.

Preferred Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field; Master's degree a plus.

Benefits:

• Benefits package that includes: subsidized medical, dental, vision, 401k, short and long term disability, basic life insurance, & paid time off policy.
• Employee discounts on dining and resort amenities
• Season Pass for you, +1 and dependents

Why Sundance?

This role is more than managing a hotel. It is becoming the Innkeeper of a property that embodies artful living, mountain adventure, and soulful connection. The Inn at Sundance is intimate in scale, yet expansive in vision-a place where leadership means being present, imaginative, and deeply human.

Disclaimer:

This is a general description of this job. All employees of SUNDANCE MOUNTAIN RESORT. will be required to perform any task that is asked of him/her within legal and ethical parameters and company policy.