Head Race Coach

The Hermitage Club is a private, member-owned ski club located on Haystack Mountain in Southern Vermont. We provide a premier alpine experience defined by exceptional terrain, minimal lift lines, and a personalized, high-quality approach to skiing and riding. Our mission is to cultivate a lifelong passion for snowsports through excellence in instruction, coaching, and member experience.

Job Description

The Head Race Coach is responsible for leading and delivering high-level, development-focused ski-racing instruction to youth and teen athletes. This role requires strong leadership, advanced certification, and extensive experience in athlete development, program execution, and race operations.

The Head Race Coach plays a critical role in shaping program direction, mentoring, coaching staff, and ensuring a high-performance, athlete-centered training environment. This position oversees daily training quality, supports race-day execution, and contributes to long-term athlete development pathways.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily training sessions and ensure high-quality coaching across all race groups.
• Assess athlete ability and oversee appropriate group placement based on development goals.
• Design and implement structured training plans aligned with US Ski and Snowboard standards
• Deliver advanced technical and tactical coaching across GS, SL, and free-ski development
• Oversee course setting, venue management, and training environment quality
• Support race-day operations, including setup, inspection, timing coordination, and teardown
• Mentor, supervise, and support coaching staff development
• Tracking data on athletes’ progression, providing feedback, and collaboration on goals with parents.
• Uphold all Hermitage Club policies and Snowsports Team standards

• Track athlete progression, provide feedback, collaborate on goals, and communicate clearly to foster a positive, engaging, and professional experience for athletes and families.
• Support the overall member experience through responsiveness, professionalism, and program knowledge, both on and off property, when traveling to sanctioned Hermitage Club events.
• Represent The Hermitage Club with a high standard of hospitality and service.

Safety & Supervision

• Supervise athletes on lifts, trails, and in training venues.
• Manage athlete well-being, including warm-ups, breaks, hydration, and fatigue awareness.
• Ensure proper setup and maintenance of all training environments in accordance with safety standards.
• Ensuring release of students in accordance with policies and procedures
• Compliance with The Hermitage Club helmet policy

Team Collaboration

• Work closely with the Snowsports Management Team on program execution and improvements.
• Contribute to staff training and ongoing professional development.
• Coordinate staffing needs with coaches and support staff to ensure proper coverage on-hill.
• Assist in broader Snowsports operations as needed.
• Ability to work effectively within a team environment

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum age of 21
• Active US Ski and Snowboard Level 200 Coaching Certification
• Ability to demonstrate advanced racing techniques across all disciplines
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills
• Availability on weekends and holidays
• Travel days to local race events.
• Successful completion of a background check
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Must have own equipment

Preferred Attributes

• Experience as a head coach or a leadership role within a race program
• Strong understanding of long-term athlete development models
• Experience mentoring coaches and leading staff training
• Flexibility to support varied training needs, group changes, and schedule adjustments

Physical Demands & Work Environment

• Ability to ski, stand, and remain active for extended periods
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50+ lbs regularly, often on steep and uneven terrain
• Ability to work outdoors for prolonged periods in winter alpine conditions, including inclement weather