About this role
Job Description
Furano Location Manager - Rhythm Rides
Location: Furano
Dates: November through to April
Salary: Monthly salary from ¥652,619 to ¥779,339, seasonal estimate from ¥3,915,714 to ¥4,676,034 plus performance-based incentives and travel allowance.
Please note that the actual amount will vary depending on the actual number of working days, hours, and shift conditions.
Reports to: Head of Rides Operations
Department Scope: Backcountry Touring, Lift-Accessed Backcountry, Backcountry Guest Services
Direct Reports:
• Furano Safety Officer
• Resort Coordinator
• Backcountry Guest Services & Operations Assistant
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 Furano Location Manager is responsible for the leadership, performance and daily delivery of Rhythm Rides' winter operation in Furano. This is a hands-on role that directly coordinates guide operations, backcountry guest services, equipment and operational logistics to deliver safe, efficient and exceptional guest experiences.
The role works closely with Furano Store Operations, which delivers guest backcountry rentals. The Furano Location Manager ensures the store team receives accurate and timely booking, guest and equipment information.
The Furano Location Manager is the primary point of accountability for Furano's operational performance and the senior escalation point for significant staffing, guest, safety and operational matters.
The Furano Location Manager is accountable for safety systems and operational compliance. The Guide Safety Officer has final technical authority over terrain selection, snow and weather assessment, operating limits, and decisions to modify, suspend or cancel guide operations for safety reasons.
Where an operational priority conflicts with a technical safety decision, the Guide Safety Officer's decision takes precedence.
The Furano Location Manager is accountable for:
• Safe, consistent and compliant guide operations
• Exceptional guest experiences
• Effective performance of the guide and support teams
• Strong coordination between Guest Services, guide operations, equipment and Store Operations
• Financial and labour performance
Key Responsibilities and Duties:
Location Leadership
• Lead Rhythm Rides' Furano operation across guiding, backcountry guest services and operational support.
• Set clear priorities that align with the wider Rides strategy and business objectives.
• Build a positive, accountable and collaborative culture that reflects Rhythm's values.
• Work closely with Furano Store Operations and other Rhythm teams toward shared objectives.
• Act as the senior escalation point and represent Furano in Rides leadership and planning meetings.
Team Leadership
• Lead, support and develop the Furano guide, guest services and operations teams.
• Set clear roles, expectations and daily priorities.
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, check-ins and performance reviews.
• Complete staff onboarding, training and performance evaluations.
• Address significant employee performance, conduct or wellbeing matters.
• Monitor engagement, workload and fatigue, and promote open communication and teamwork.
Guide Operations and Service Delivery
• Plan, communicate and lead the daily delivery of Furano guide operations.
• Allocate guides based on qualifications, experience, product needs, guest profiles and operating conditions.
• Review upcoming bookings, guest needs, guide availability and operational requirements.
• Coordinate daily briefings with the Guide Safety Officer, covering weather, snowpack, terrain, hazards, group plans and operational requirements.
• Ensure the Guide Safety Officer's decisions on operating zones, terrain limits and safety priorities are clearly communicated and followed.
• Confirm each group's objectives, guest requirements, guide allocation and communication plan.
• Adjust staffing, transport, guest communication and logistics in response to safety or operating decisions.
• Monitor guide workload, fatigue and readiness.
• Coordinate guest transitions, guide departures, end-of-day debriefs and next-day planning.
• Ensure logbooks, guest notes, incident reports and operational records are complete and accurate.
• Monitor guide performance and ensure experiences meet Rhythm's safety, service and professional standards.
Operational Management
• Coordinate guiding, Guest Services, equipment and operational support across the location.
• Monitor demand, staffing capacity, service quality and operational constraints.
• Ensure the team has the information, resources and support required to operate effectively.
• Ensure policies, procedures and reporting requirements are understood and followed.
• Oversee preseason preparation, peak-period planning and end-of-season operations.
• Maintain appropriate management coverage and ensure facilities, vehicles and equipment are fit for purpose.
• Coordinate vehicles, transport, facilities, lift passes and other daily operational resources.
• Maintain accurate driver licences, authorisations, training and safe-driving records.
• Ensure incidents, damage and maintenance requirements are reported and followed up.
• Coordinate shared facilities and resources with Store Operations and other Rhythm teams.
Safety, Compliance and Technical Authority
• Maintain overall accountability for implementing safety systems and ensuring operational compliance in Furano.
• Ensure operations follow Rhythm policies, resort requirements, guiding procedures, the Safety Management Plan and relevant industry standards.
• Support the Guide Safety Officer in maintaining and implementing guiding safety procedures and emergency plans.
• Ensure the Guide Safety Officer leads daily technical assessments of weather, snowpack, terrain, hazards and operating conditions.
• Recognise and support the Guide Safety Officer's final technical authority over terrain, operating limits and safety-related changes or cancellations.
• Ensure technical safety decisions are communicated and implemented across guides, Guest Services, Store Operations and logistics.
• Ensure guides follow risk-management protocols and decision-making requirements.
• Ensure incidents, hazards and near misses are reported, investigated and followed up.
• Review logbooks and safety observations with the Guide Safety Officer and ensure required actions are completed.
• Escalate significant safety, compliance, legal or reputational risks to senior leadership.
Backcountry Equipment and Rental Coordination
• Coordinate guest equipment requirements across Guest Services, Guide Operations and Furano Store Operations.
• Ensure Store Operations receives accurate and timely booking details, guest information and equipment requirements.
• Communicate changes, cancellations and special requirements promptly.
• Confirm touring equipment and avalanche-safety packs are prepared and available for each tour.
• Ensure guides identify equipment issues or guest concerns before departure.
• Maintain oversight of Rhythm Rides' guide, safety and operational equipment.
• Ensure guide safety, rescue, first-aid and communication equipment is checked, maintained and ready for use.
• Ensure damaged, missing or unsafe equipment is reported and removed from service.
• Share guest feedback and operational issues with Store Operations and support future equipment planning.
Furano Store Operations is responsible for guest fitting, rental transactions, inventory control and maintenance of guest rental equipment. The Furano Operations Manager provides the information and operational coordination required for successful delivery.
Backcountry Guest Services and Guest Experience
• Lead the daily delivery of Furano backcountry guest services.
• Ensure bookings, guest profiles, contact details and special requirements are accurate and complete.
• Provide clear information about products, meeting points, equipment and operating requirements.
• Coordinate with guides on guest ability, goals, expectations and safety considerations.
• Align sales and bookings with guide availability, operational capacity and current conditions.
• Manage capacity, availability and operational restrictions, and communicate changes promptly.
• Oversee guest check-in and transitions between Guest Services, Store Operations and guides.
• Resolve guest issues and complaints promptly and professionally.
• Monitor feedback and recurring service issues and ensure improvements are implemented.
• Improve booking conversion and guide utilisation without compromising safety or service quality.
Workforce Planning and Business Performance
• Plan staffing with senior leadership based on bookings, operational needs and labour budgets.
• Allocate work fairly according to qualifications, skills, guest needs and business demand.
• Monitor workload, fatigue, engagement and retention across the location.
• Ensure timesheets and payroll approvals are accurate and completed on time.
• Monitor revenue, wages, operating expenses and profitability.
• Ensure staffing and operational decisions remain within approved budgets.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, capacity, utilisation and revenue.
• Balance guest experience, staff wellbeing, safety and commercial performance in decision-making.
Training and Development
• Develop and deliver Furano preseason onboarding and operational training.
• Ensure training covers local terrain, procedures, guest care, equipment and emergency response.
• Work with guide training and technical leaders to align development with Rhythm's guide pathway.
• Monitor guide performance and progression throughout the season.
• Provide coaching and development opportunities and address individual or team training needs.
• Maintain required training, certification and performance records.
Program and Business Development
• Support the review and development of Furano products and programs.
• Work with Rides senior leadership on new business opportunities.
• Ensure the guide leadership team contributes operational and technical expertise to product development.
• Confirm new products have appropriate staffing, training, procedures, systems and guest communication before launch.
• Use guest feedback, team feedback and business performance to guide improvements.
• Support the development of winter experiences in Furano and remain informed about relevant industry and competitor trends.
Relationships and Collaboration
• Maintain effective relationships with Furano resort partners and local stakeholders.
• Work with Resort Relations to ensure resort requirements and affiliation conditions are understood and followed.
• Represent Rhythm professionally in operational discussions with resort partners.
• Collaborate with Retail, Rentals, Marketing, Sales, Finance, People and Culture, and other Rhythm departments.
• Build effective working relationships between the Furano team and the internal departments that support the operation.
• Escalate sensitive partner, compliance or reputational matters through the appropriate leadership channels.
Key Measures of Success
Success in this role will be measured through:
• Safe, compliant and effective daily operations
• Achievement of Rides Furano business objectives
• Guest satisfaction and effective complaint resolution
• Effective implementation of the Guide Safety Officer's technical decisions
• Clear separation between technical safety authority and operational decision-making
• Accurate guide briefings, logbooks, incident reports and safety records
• Strong coordination between guides, Guest Services, Store Operations and equipment preparation
• Revenue, labour, profitability and payroll performance
• Staff engagement, development and retention
• Positive collaboration with internal teams, resort partners and local stakeholders
What you need to succeed:
Qualifications and Experience
• Management experience within a guide operation, or guest-experience operation
• Strong experience leading backcountry guide operations, guest services or rental operations
• Avalanche Operations Pro 1 and Wilderness First Responder
• Experience managing staff, daily allocations, guest issues and operational logistics.
• Experience with workforce planning, labour control, payroll, and business performance reporting.
• Strong knowledge of Furano resorts & backcountry areas, local operations and guest expectations is preferred.
• Valid Japanese or recognised international driver licence; snow-driving experience is preferred.
Skills and Attributes
• Strong leadership, coaching and team-management capability.
• Excellent organisation, planning and operational decision-making.
• Clear and professional communication with guests, staff and resort partners.
• Strong guest-service judgement and complaint-resolution skills.
• Ability to balance service quality, safety, staff wellbeing and commercial performance.
• Confidence managing changing priorities and resolving problems under pressure.
• Strong administrative skills and confidence using booking, scheduling and payroll systems.
• Collaborative, accountable and committed to a positive team culture.
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.
From ¥652,619 to ¥779,339 Monthly