Alpine Director

U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association•Park City, UT

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Alpine Director is responsible for establishing the vision for the US Alpine program and implementing the strategy, culture and programming from development to elite to take USSS to elevated levels of success during this next cycle and beyond. This will be done by working to provide the teams and programs at all levels with the appropriate structure and resources necessary for success at the highest level, in a sustainable way. This important leader must have broad experience at the development and elite levels, a successful track record, combined with a deep passion for alpine and developing talent at all levels. They must have ambition and an inspiring vision for the future of our programs, with excellent communication skills in order to effectively lead at various levels with our broad range of important stakeholders.

Requirements

Lives by US Ski & Snowboard’s values; Grit, Excellence, Team, Fun, Integrity
A minimum of 15 years experience of coaching and leadership roles in Alpine ski racing.
First hand experience developing successful World Cup athletes
First hand experience within alpine development pathways
Excellent at building relationships, being collaborative, listening, and communication skills, both verbal (including public speaking) and written
Extensive multi stakeholder experience
A passion for developing talent at all levels
A good understanding of the full alpine ecosystem in the US and internationally
Must be a strategic and long-term thinker, but also must be detail and task oriented
An attitude and mindset for thinking outside of the box and pushing the boundaries to achieve excellence
Strong time management skills and works well under pressure
Experience of working in the US and Europe

Nice To Haves

Foreign language skills

Responsibilities

Oversee implementation of the best framework, infrastructure, programming, culture and resource allocation for the Alpine programs: A,B,C, Regional Development Program
Drive unity, transparency and collaboration across all Alpine programs, particularly between Regional Development Team and National Team
Establish and monitor near and long term performance measures with regular accountability
Establish team selection criteria, and oversee application of those criteria
Develop and manage all training area relationships, pushing to deliver better opportunities for athletes in the US and oversees
Work directly with the SVP of High Performance and her team to drive an integrated high performance model, fully leveraging all resources available to athletes to further elevate performances
With the Development Director, further develop the Regional Programs across the country developing the next generation of champions. Drive communication and collaboration with key clubs, ensure articulation of the vision and the program and advocate for resources via operating budget and or the endowment.
Assist the Foundation Team in raising funds for the Sport Development Endowment Campaign.
Ensure a culture of emotional safety and proactive communication, transparency, and feedback between the coaches, the athletes, and other stakeholders.
Continue to implement and improve upon Athlete Project Initiatives, such as: athlete liaisons, constructive athlete onboarding and offboarding, team building activities (for both staff and athletes), etc.
Ensure coaches are receiving the personal development they seek
Establish the method of operation, reporting structures, and staff duties for the Alpine department, and facilitate the communications that follow those lines
Manage head coaches and program directors including via regular reviews, sharing of best practices, professional development plans, organizational OKR’s
Responsible for all department employee recruitment including identifying, attracting, retaining, and developing best in the world coaching talent to lead our Alpine teams
Create an inspiring atmosphere that enables empowerment, innovation and initiative to be taken by the Head Coaches, Development Coaches, Regional Directors, Team Managers and Technicians in the performance of specific stated responsibilities. Implement a defined and efficient structure, through which decisions can be made with confidence and support
Communicate effectively with the Head Coaches, Regional Directors and Committee Chairmen to appraise and discuss future strategies, program addition and implementation, staff acquisition, financial planning, and succession planning. Create a collaborative environment that encourages feedback and challenge
Work closely with the Chief of Sport with regard to general program plans, progress and initiatives, to seek feedback on overall planning and performance
Implement continued professional improvement opportunities for each staff member, according to their responsibilities and needs
Ensure that all coaches are certified via the USSS SEA
Coordinate World Cup and Olympic operations
Direct the delivery of the National Development System (NDS), and implement and participate in the system along with the Regional Directors, key club coaches, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff when available
Ensure the NDS drives delivery of the National Training System (NTS), and work directly with the Sport Education department to ensure that the education programs directly support the key goals
Contribute to the development of alpine sport education curriculum and materials, and present education content at relevant seminars
Educate regions in the NTS, and implement its delivery on a regional/national basis
Work closely with the Alpine sport committee Chairman, Regional Directors, Competition Services Director and the FIS alpine committees to develop the policies, guidelines and systems, which govern the operation of the Alpine Program
Maintain a strong working relationship with FIS staff
Communicate closely with Head Coaches to identify any FIS issues, and plan for their successful resolution
Build coalitions with FIS representatives from other nations
Gain appointments of influence within the FIS political structure
Lead the alpine delegation at FIS meetings
Participate as a member of the Nor/Am Committee, FIS Alpine Youth and Children Committee, and Intercontinental Cup Committee
Serve as a member of the Alpine Sport Committee, and direct committee operations including agendas and committee materials
Work directly with the Events Department to ensure that major events support the athletic direction of the alpine program
Educate athletes about the requirements of the team agreement and the team manual
Work with the Media Department to respond to media inquiries, or to direct those inquiries to specific athletes and staff
Oversee the development and management of all alpine budgets
Ensure regular and timely expense reporting from all alpine teams and programs, which conform to the reporting standards established by the CFO
Provide monthly budget updates and financial forecasts with the Director of Finance