Skagway Program Manager
Location: Skagway, Alaska (March 15 – October 15); location is flexible for the remainder of the year
Employment Type: Full-time, seasonal management position
Reports To: General Manager and Company Owners
Companies: Chilkat Guides, Ltd. and Alaska Mountain Guides Adventures, Inc. — cruise and independent programs
Position Summary
The Skagway Program Manager oversees and manages all Skagway-based programming for Chilkat Guides, Ltd. and Alaska Mountain Guides Adventures, Inc., across both cruise and independent offerings (full current listings at www.skagwayexcursion.com). The role exists to carry out the company's mission of providing clients with a safe, enjoyable, and educational wilderness experience: the Skagway office facilitates every day program through scheduling, sales, cruise ship correspondence, and ensuring guides complete their jobs and associated paperwork.
The Program Manager leads a seasonal team of 35–50 guides, drivers, dock staff, and administrators — working through a direct report, the Skagway Operations Manager (second-in-command), who in turn manages the team managers (Rock & Zip Manager, Hike & Float Manager, Guest Services Manager, HSFF Assistant Manager, and Office Manager) — and reports directly to the General Manager and company owners. This role also helps manage the Haines Skagway Fast Ferry (HSFF).
Key Responsibilities
Skagway Staffing & Management
- Ensure summer cruise positions — both guiding and administrative — are staffed appropriately, coordinating with the Haines Program Manager on hiring needs.
- Manage 35–50 summer employees in Skagway (guides, drivers, maintenance, and administration).
- Serve as the direct supervisor of the Skagway Operations Manager, the second-in-command for Skagway cruise operations, who in turn manages the team managers (Rock & Zip Manager, Hike & Float Manager, Guest Services Manager, HSFF Assistant Manager, and Office Manager) and helps run day-to-day operations, staff disciplinary actions, and housing oversight.
- Manage department/site managers for each specific tour operation (Rock & Zip, Hike & Float, Guest Services/Dock, etc.), ensuring they provide regular reports and have the resources they need.
- Help manage the Haines Skagway Fast Ferry (HSFF), including coordinating schedules, the HSFF Assistant Manager, and logistics between Skagway and Haines.
- Review and finalize the Skagway weekly report to ownership, with support from the Operations Manager.
- Manage timesheets and payroll, including review of guide hours and overtime prior to each payroll cycle.
- Oversee overall scheduling and coordinate with site-specific managers to facilitate weekly guide meetings.
- Organize guide appreciation events, dinners, and activities.
Interdepartmental Coordination
- Work closely with the Haines Program Manager on guide training, allocation of shared resources, sales efforts, and staffing.
- Coordinate with the Long Trip operations team, supporting Skagway-based operations and guide scheduling.
- Coordinate with accounting and other intercompany departments; support additional initiatives or projects as needed.
- Support sales and long-trip programming during the off-season where possible.
Cruise Line Relations & Sales
- Interface with cruise line executives and shore excursion staff to support cruise programming as necessary.
- Organize and participate in FAM (familiarization) trips and cruise-related meetings and expos.
- Manage offerings with cruise lines and independent sellers to maximize occupancy and quality of programming, including maintaining independent seller relationships.
- Support sales of all cruise programming through marketing, targeted allocation management, and shore excursion relationships; manage sales/marketing personnel for Skagway cruise programming.
- Help structure and build seasonal allocations and proposals in coordination with the Haines Program Manager, and manage ongoing adjustments to allocations and space requests.
Program Development & Budget
- Support and manage cruise program development initiatives and changes; help develop larger company projects tied to Skagway.
- Manage expenses in accordance with budgetary outlines, and steer sales efforts to realize revenue budgets and forecasts.
Office Management & Daily Operations
- Handle ship correspondence by email and telephone, and email Daily Summaries to all ships in port at the end of each day.
- Maintain an active presence at program sites and on the pier.
- Oversee dock repping and settlement as needed, working closely with the Guest Services/Dock Manager to ensure dock transfers happen appropriately; manage Ship Settlement and settlement sheet distribution.
- Organize and verify completion of waivers and guide paperwork throughout the day and at day's end.
- Manage Skagway office petty cash in coordination with the General Manager; organize weekly office meetings; maintain the Outlook Skagway calendar.
- Learn and coordinate the company's database and scheduling software between the Skagway and Haines offices.
Training & Incident Response
- Ensure yearly guide training is efficient and effective, equipping guides with the tools to lead the highest-quality and safest programming.
- Ensure training and daily operations stay in sync with established company policies and procedures.
- Manage incident response communications with cruise lines to protect guest safety, maintain relationships, and manage liability.
Permitting, Properties, Vehicles & Public Relations
- Manage all annual permitting for company program sites and for parking at the cruise ship docks, ensuring renewals and required documentation are submitted on time each year.
- Appropriately manage Skagway company properties, allocating and tracking maintenance needs and helping manage larger property projects.
- Appropriately manage Skagway use of company vehicles, allocating and tracking maintenance needs.
- Maintain good public relations with the Skagway community.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Prior tourism experience preferred; outdoor recreation or guiding background is a strong plus.
- Strong work ethic, punctuality, and organization.
- Great, positive attitude and professional demeanor at all times, on and off duty.
- Comfortable speaking to large groups of people and able to handle multiple, simultaneous groups of guests.
- Must possess, or be willing and able to acquire, a Class B Commercial Driver License (CDL).
- Team player — works well across departments with site managers, the Haines office, guides, and ownership, and pitches in wherever the season needs it.
- Budgeting, scheduling, and vendor/purchase-order management experience helpful.
- Flexibility to work 40+ hours per week during the height of the cruise season (early/mid-June through late August), with limited time off during that period.
What to Expect
Skagway training provides the foundation for the season: staff receive an Employee Manual and complete company-specific paperwork before arrival, then finish remaining U.S. employment paperwork on arrival in Skagway. Employees represent the company at all times, whether on-site with guests or around town, and are expected to hold themselves to a high standard of professionalism and appearance — name tag, AMG/CG uniform shirt and/or jacket, guide/hiking or Carhartt-style pants, and closed-toed shoes.
AMG-provided housing is located in the center of Skagway. Guide housing consists of shared rooms with up to six employees across two downtown houses, which share a yard with horseshoe pits, cornhole, and a BBQ area; the mid-town Green House is a quieter, senior-staff option typically available after three or more seasons with the company. Where possible, office staff and management are housed separately from guides (private RV trailer, where available, or a single room in a guide house). No pets are allowed on AMG property without management approval.
Employees are required to purchase a staff equipment kit (for office/management roles, a Black Diamond rain shell and softshell jacket embroidered with the company logo), the cost of which is deducted from pay mid-summer. The company also offers pro-deal access to discounted outdoor gear through partners such as Black Diamond, Mountain Hardwear, and Sierra Designs — a valued perk that is monitored for appropriate use. Employees are responsible for arranging their own travel to and from Skagway; building in a few extra days on either end of the season is recommended, since Alaska weather can delay flights and ferries.
The season is long and, at its peak, demanding — but the pace eases considerably once the ships stop calling. Winters bring a lighter workload, flexible location, and room to breathe before the next season's planning ramps back up.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Skagway, AK 99840
