Vice President of Guest Experience Technology

Our mission is to create the Experience of a Lifetime for our employees, so they can, in turn, create the Experience of a Lifetime for our guests. We own and operate the most renowned destination resorts in the world as well as regional and local ski areas outside major cities, and connect them all through one unrivaled network. We are looking for ambitious leaders, innovators and creators to join our talented team. If you’re ready to pursue your fullest potential, we want to get to know you!Candidates for year-round positions are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will be accepted up to 90 days after the posting date, or until the position is filled (whichever is first).Job Summary:The Vice President of Guest Experience Technology is responsible for leading and managing 60 members of the IT Teams responsible for Digital Technology, Enterprise Data Engineering, and Marketing and Guest Experience Applications. They will partner with our Omni-Channel, Digital Marketing, and Marketing Analytics teams to create a digital ecosystem that delivers the Vail Resorts brand experiences, drives engagement, and contributes to the financial targets for our mountain resorts.Marketing applications and Digital Technology include transforming and overseeing the Vail Resorts Digital Technology function through the evolution of our digital guest experience, including eCommerce platforms, A/B testing, site-tracking capabilities, user experience, My Epic App,­­­ and much more. Enterprise Data Engineering includes transforming and overseeing the Vail Resorts Marketing Technology Business Intelligence and Data Enablement function through the evolution of our enterprise data journey.This role will be responsible for developing, socializing and leading multi-year application modernization efforts to ensure stability and scalability while adding incremental business value aligned with our business objectives. Candidates must bring deep experience with leadership over custom software engineering and enterprise-level production support and compliance. The ideal candidate will be one who can influence diverse stakeholders throughout the business and at the executive level while also being a strong and influential leader who can lead a team of senior leaders that oversee project managers, business analysts, developers, and consultants.Job Specifications:

Outlet: Corporate

The budgeted range starts at $230,000 - $260,000 + annual bonus + equity. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience

Shift & Schedule Availability: Full Time, Year Round

Other Specifics: Hybrid - Remote

Job Responsibilities:

Business Strategy, Innovation, Stakeholder Management

Develop an understanding of our business and collaborate closely with our various stakeholders to identify and influence opportunities to drive business value through technology innovation with a focus on the evolution and modernization of our Application Ecosystem

Bring new ideas, methods, and approaches to business partner ideation, business process re-imagination and technology innovation

Inspire trust and build strong relationships across locations, functions, business units, and levels across the enterprise

Technology Strategy, Alignment, Governance

Drive the development of a multi-year functional and technical product roadmap for the modernization of our applications

Ensure the product roadmap is aligned with our business objectives, stakeholder expectations, and the enterprise architecture across the rest of the application ecosystem

Facilitate prioritization and governance discussions in a dynamic and fluid business environment to ensure our resources are appropriately allocated to the top priorities of the company

Financial Management

Develop, socialize, and execute IT capital plans, enhancements, and modernization with a focus on delivering business value with defined ROI’s with each capital investments

Collaborate with business partners on application related Capital Projects to provide accurate Capital Assessments, Business Cases and ROI’s

Develop annual operating budgets and provide accurate monthly forecasting throughout the Fiscal Year

Effectively manage all Capital and Expense budgets and forecasts

Risk and Compliance

Work closely with our External Auditors, Internal Audit department, and IT Risk and Compliance team to proactively anticipate and address business and IT risks and internal and external compliance requirements associated with the application

Ensure all SOX and PCI compliance responsibilities are met and verified through our annual audit processes

Provide support, analysis, and recommendations for any internal audits related to the application

Leadership, Employee Engagement

Demonstrate a passion for our culture, mission, values, vision, products and services.

Lead by example and inspire others to follow

Develop clear and measurable action plans and show continuous improvement in employee engagement as measured in our annual employee engagement surveys

Performance Management, Employee Development, Process Improvement

Set clear business and performance goals and provide timely and relevant feedback for the team to drive a culture of personal development and team accountability for consistent, high-quality results

Drive continuous improvement and capability maturity throughout the entire software development life cycle and the various team disciplines that include project management, business analysis, user interface design and development, application architecture, application design and development, integration, quality assurance, and solution delivery

Ensure all team members are supported by their leaders in the creation and pursuit of Career Plans and Individual Development Plans

Cultivate talent and develop an environment that will attract and retain the best, and serve as a mentor to those in and outside of the Team

External Networking, Vendor Management

Develop a strong external network of industry leaders, peers, consulting partners and third-party software and services providers

Identify, select, and manage consultants and staff augmentation partners leveraged to add required skills and capacity to support the Roadmap and Project Portfolio

Negotiate contracts, master services agreements, statements of work, licensing and support agreements and the procure-to-pay process for engagements with external vendors

Job Requirements:

15+ years of progressive experience in commercial and custom software application development and product management

10+ years’ experience managing eCommerce, website development and/or digital customer experience innovation

8+ years of experience managing a complex portfolio of projects across a diverse set of stakeholders

8+ years of experience managing an application with SOX, PCI, and Information Protection responsibilities

6+ years of experience presenting and influencing strategic and tactical plans to executive level stakeholders in IT and in the business

6+ years managing teams of project managers, business analysts and developers

6+ years managing enterprise level software development projects with vendor partners

Demonstrated ability to design, develop, and execute an enterprise level, multi-year modernization of a critical application

Ability to analyze online trends, data, and leverage site statistics and performance to influence strategy and roadmap

Well-versed in cloud-based data platforms and managed services, data visualization and machine learning capabilities.

Well-versed in Software Development Life-Cycle methodologies

Microsoft Application Development, Integration, and Reporting and Analytics Technology Stack

Consistent track record of leadership and business innovation through technology solutions.

Comfortable working across a large, matrixed organization and capable of driving technology alignment with a business strategy.

Demonstrated leadership in building high-performing teams and leading change.

Strong business and financial acumen, including direct Capital and Expense budget oversight

Bachelor's Degree in Technology or related field required

Preferred Skills:

Experience in application user interface design and user experience

Experience designing and developing point of sale applications

Experience in Travel, Hospitality and/or Resort industries

The expected Total Compensation for this role is $230,000 - $260,000 + annual bonus + equity. Individual compensation decisions are based on a variety of factors.Job Benefits

Ski/Mountain Perks! Free passes for employees, employee discounted lift tickets for friends and family AND free ski lessons

MORE employee discounts on lodging, food, gear, and mountain shuttles

401(k) Retirement Plan

Employee Assistance Program

Excellent training and professional development

Full Time roles are eligible for the above, plus:

Health Insurance; Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, and Vision Insurance plans (for eligible seasonal employees after working 500 hours)

Free ski passes for dependents

Critical Illness and Accident plans

Vail Resorts offers a ‘Hybrid’ work environment where employees living within 50 miles of the Broomfield office work on-site Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and have flexibility to work off-site on Mondays and Fridays. Employees living outside of a commutable distance can work remotely from British Columbia, Washington D.C., and the 16 U.S. states in which we currently operate. This includes: California, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington State, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.Please note that the ability to work in person or off-site, and the particulars related to such work, are subject to change at any time; and, accordingly, the Company reserves the right to change its policies and/or require in-person/in-office work or off-site work at any time in its sole discretion.Vail Resorts is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law.Requisition ID 504141Reference Date: 08/08/2024Job Code Function: Applications