Job Description
Privates Manager - Rhythm Rides
Location: Niseko
Dates: November 1st through to 12th April 2027
Salary Range:
Monthly from ¥522,095 to ¥623,475 per month
Seasonal from ¥3132,570 to ¥3,740,850
Plus performance-based incentives
Please note that the actual amount will vary depending on the actual number of working days, hours, and shift conditions.
Travel Allowance: Up to ¥150,000, reimbursed on actual flight cost
Position Type: Seasonal Fixed Term Salary
Reports to: Niseko Operations Manager
Direct Reports: Snowsports Supervisor - Niseko; Private Instructors - Niseko
Department Scope: Private Lessons, and Resort Guiding
About us:
Rhythm is about creating epic experiences for our customers, which starts with our people. We live by our values and put people first. We take pride in creating working and living environments that foster innovation, adventure, and balance. Working at Rhythm is more than a job; it's an experience you will have forever.
The Role:
The Private Lessons Manager - Niseko is fully responsible for the leadership, operation and performance of Rhythm Rides' Private Lessons department, including Private Lessons, and Resort Guiding.
The role owns department staffing, product delivery, team performance, guest experience. It works closely with Kids Programs, Guest Services, Training, Logistics and People & Culture to deliver safe, personalised and high-quality experiences.
The Private Lessons Manager reports to the Niseko Operations Manager and is expected to independently lead the department within approved budgets, policies and operating standards. Matters outside delegated authority or requiring location-wide decisions are escalated to the Niseko Operations Manager.
The Private Lessons Manager - Niseko is accountable for:
- A positive, professional and connected Private Lessons team culture
- Safe, consistent and high-quality private lesson delivery
- Effective instructor allocation, utilisation and workforce performance
- Exceptional guest experiences and effective issue resolution
- Strong staff development, feedback and performance management
- Accurate payroll, operational records and delivery within approved labour targets
Key Responsibilities and Duties:
Team Leadership and Culture
- Lead, support and develop the Private Lessons Supervisor and instructor team.
- Build a positive, inclusive and accountable team culture that reflects Rhythm values.
- Set clear expectations, communicate daily priorities and maintain strong team communication.
- Provide regular coaching, feedback, recognition and performance reviews.
- Own staff performance, conduct, wellbeing and development matters within the department, working with People & Culture and escalating significant issues to the Niseko Operations Manager when required.
Daily Operations and Instructor Allocation
- Own the daily delivery of Private Lessons, and Resort Guiding.
- Review bookings, guest needs, instructor availability, qualifications and operational constraints.
- Allocate instructors to bookings based on guest goals, instructor skills, requests and availability.
- Monitor capacity and make daily adjustments to maximise guest delivery, instructor utilisation and operational efficiency.
- Ensure appropriate management coverage and support peak-period and day-of operational issues.
- Ensure accurate lesson records, schedule changes, payroll inputs and other required operational information.
Guest Experience and Program Quality
- Maintain consistent service and instructional standards across private lesson products.
- Ensure guest goals, preferences and special requirements are understood and communicated to instructors.
- Work with Guest Services to resolve guest issues and complaints, taking ownership of matters relating to private lesson delivery.
- Support serious or complex guest matters and escalate when they sit outside delegated authority.
- Monitor feedback and recurring service issues and implement practical improvements within the department.
- Maintain strong delivery standards for Premium Private products and Resort Guiding experiences.
Workforce and Performance Management
- Manage rosters and work allocation in line with bookings, instructor skills, availability and approved labour plans.
- Monitor instructor workload, utilisation, fatigue, engagement and team wellbeing.
- Ensure work is allocated fairly and according to qualifications, guest needs and business demand.
- Complete and document staff performance feedback and seasonal reviews in line with company requirements.
- Own department recruitment, onboarding and return-staff planning in collaboration with the Niseko Operations Manager and People & Culture.
- Review payroll accuracy and resolve routine pay or scheduling discrepancies within required deadlines.
Training, Safety and Staff Development
- Ensure instructors complete required onboarding, operational training and safety briefings.
- Work with Training leadership to identify and deliver instructor-development priorities for the department.
- Provide on-snow coaching, observation and feedback to maintain lesson quality and support instructor progression.
- Ensure operations follow Rhythm policies, resort requirements, lesson procedures and relevant safety standards.
- Ensure incidents, hazards and near misses are reported and followed up through the appropriate process.
Business Performance and Program Improvement
- Monitor bookings, revenue, wages, instructor utilisation, payroll accuracy and private lesson performance.
- Manage daily staffing and operational decisions within approved labour and service targets.
- Identify opportunities to improve capacity, efficiency, utilisation and guest experience.
- Own department-level product, process and service improvements and provide recommendations to the Niseko Operations Manager on significant changes.
- Support the implementation of approved product changes, procedures and seasonal priorities.
Cross-Department Staff Leadership
- Instructors and guides may be rostered across different Rides departments according to business demand, qualifications and operational requirements.
- The Private Lessons Manager is the Primary Manager for staff allocated to the Private Lessons department and retains overall responsibility for their seasonal experience, performance, wellbeing, development and formal reviews.
- When a staff member works in another department, the Receiving Manager has operational authority for that shift or product delivery, including briefing, task allocation, safety requirements, product standards and immediate feedback.
- The Private Lessons Manager actively gathers feedback from Receiving Managers and includes relevant cross-department performance in coaching, development and formal reviews.
- Significant or recurring performance, conduct, wellbeing or development matters remain with the Primary Manager, with input from managers who have supervised the employee in other departments.
- Managers are expected to resolve routine cross-department staffing matters directly and escalate significant resource or priority conflicts to the Niseko Operations Manager.
- Staff must have clear communication about their Primary Manager and who holds operational authority for each assigned shift.
Collaboration and Role Boundaries
- Work closely with the Kids Programs Manager, Guest Services, Training, Logistics, People & Culture and the Niseko Operations Manager.
- The Private Lessons Manager owns department staffing, rosters, instructor allocation, product delivery, guest outcomes, people leadership and business performance.
- The Niseko Operations Manager owns location-wide priorities, significant cross-department resource decisions and escalated matters outside the Private Lessons Manager's delegated authority.
- The Head Alpine Trainer or other approved supervisor may provide delegated operational cover when assigned.
- Product strategy, significant policy changes and location-wide decisions remain with senior leadership and the appropriate management function.
Key Measures of Success:
- Strong team culture, engagement and instructor retention
- Safe, consistent and high-quality private lesson delivery
- Guest satisfaction and effective complaint resolution
- Instructor utilisation, labour and payroll performance
- Accurate staffing, allocations and operational records
- Effective staff coaching, development and performance management
- Strong collaboration across the Lessons Department and Guest Services
What you need to succeed:
Qualifications and Experience
- Management or supervisory experience within a snowsports school or comparable lesson operation.
- Strong experience leading and developing ski or snowboard instructors.
- Broad knowledge of private ski and snowboard lesson operations and guest service.
- Minimum Level 3 (ISIA Stamp) ski or snowboard instructor qualification, or equivalent.
- First Aid certification and a valid Japanese or recognised international driver licence.
Skills and Attributes
- Strong people leadership and the ability to build a positive, accountable team culture.
- Confident managing daily operations, instructor allocation and staffing priorities.
- Excellent guest service, communication and conflict-resolution skills.
- Strong judgement with the ability to balance guest experience, team wellbeing and business performance.
- Organised, proactive and comfortable with booking, scheduling, payroll and performance systems.
- Flexible, collaborative and comfortable working in a fast-paced seasonal operation.
The Perks and Benefits:
As a Rhythm employee, you’ll experience the same legendary hospitality we extend to our guests. We’re passionate about looking after our crew, and here are just a few of the perks you’ll enjoy when you join our team:
- Live, Work, and Play in Paradise: Immerse yourself in one of the world’s top mountain resorts.
- Work with a Legendary Crew: Join a team that’s passionate, fun-loving, and deeply connected to the industry.
- Subsidised Staff Accommodation: Affordable housing options and housing assistance to help you settle in.
- Epic Social Scene: From team ride days and department dinners to staff parties, events, and day trips, our social calendar is packed with opportunities to connect and unwind.
- Wellness and Lifestyle Benefits: Access the Rhythm Wellness program, enjoy free snowsports or bike demos, and take advantage of generous store discounts for you, your friends, and your family.
At Rhythm, we work hard, but we play even harder. If you know anyone who’s worked with us before, they’ll tell you this isn’t just a job- it’s an experience of a lifetime. Our fun, supportive culture is the heart of everything we do because people like you make Rhythm what it is
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