Guest Experience Coordinator

Alaska Mountain Guides & Chilkat Guides

The Skagway Guest Experience Coordinator team’s main responsibility is to carry out the company’s mission of providing clients with a safe, enjoyable, and educational wilderness experience. The Skagway office facilitates the operation of all our day programs via scheduling, sales, cruise ship correspondence, and ensuring guides complete their jobs and the paperwork it entails. 

Company Overview:

Alaska Mountain Guides 

Alaska Mountain Guides is the premier outdoor adventure guide service in Southeast Alaska. Day trips out of Skagway and Haines include rock climbing, ziplining, hiking, kayaking, and canoeing. AMG also offers multi-day expeditions and instructional courses across the globe. 

Chilkat Guides 

Guiding Alaskan rivers since 1978, Chilkat Guides has been a leader in river guiding for over three decades. Hike and float the historic Chilkoot Trail, raft through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, or experience the culture and history of the Tlingits in their mother village of Klukwan on one of our day trips. Chilkat Guides also offers multi-day rafting adventures on some of North America’s most wild and remote rivers. 

Essential Job Functions 

• Assisting the Operations Manager in running daily operations. 
• Creating and executing guide schedules. 
• Ensuring guides are on task and on time. 
• Dispatching tours via office radio. 
• Allocating additional space to ships when sales dictate. 
• Promptly responding to all cruise ship emails. 
• Departure Allocations -- adjust allocations to maximize sales. 
• General Administration support. 
• Support projects and additional responsibilities as needed. 
• Must possess the desire to continually improve his/her knowledge and skills. 
• Must at all times be clean, well groomed, courteous, honest, and reliable. 
• Must possess a positive attitude that is friendly, considerate, strong, and energetic. 
• Must be willing to work as a strong team member, assisting in the maintenance of group morale. 
• The office team reports to the Office Manager and Operations Manager. 

Experience Required to Perform Job Requirements 

• Prior tourism experience preferred. 
• Must possess strong work ethic. 
• Must be punctual. 
• Must be organized. 
• Must have great, positive attitude. 
• Must be able to handle multiple, simultaneous tasks. 

General Questions:  

This summary guide you through what are likely some initial questions you might have regarding the following: Employee Training, Professionalism, Training Courses, Mid-Season Operations, Living Space and Rent Structure, Program Equipment, Standard Dress Requirements, Pro-Deals, Pets, Travel and Logistics. These items are all outlined in detail in the Employee Manual. Please feel free to direct any questions to the AMG office by email or phone.  

Professionalism  

AMG employees represent the company whether they are working with clients, packing in the warehouse, or off the clock and hanging in town. AMG expects employees to always conduct themselves in a professional manner and provide a leading example in the community for the type of behavior associated with the quality guide service that employs them. We live and work in small Alaskan communities, poor/inappropriate behavior will quickly establish a bad reputation for an individual and reflect poorly on the company as a whole.  

Living Space and Rent Structure  

We offer employee housing options in Haines & Skagway; the two towns are separated by about 15 miles off ocean along the northern end of the Inside Passage. Despite being in close proximity, the towns are separated by mountains and glaciers requiring a 5+ hour drive through Canada to connect between towns. During the summer months, daily transfers along the fjord via fast ferry take about 45 minutes to get between towns, thus it is possible for guides to commute between towns for work. Haines is the base of our expeditions programs while Skagway operates numerous daily climbing, zipline, hike, and rafting programs. Expedition guides most often live in Haines and may occasionally travel to Skagway to support climbing and other programs.  

Skagway housing consists of three houses, most rooms are shared occupancy. The bedspace in Skagway housing is reserved primarily for employees who will be involved with daily rock climbing, ziplining, rafting, and hiking tours. Expedition guides who will not be supporting these Skagway programs should plan on living in Haines.  

Additional Notes:  

• Bedding and personal items are not included  
• Rent deductions are made twice a month with 50% of the month’s rent deducted from the 1st and 2nd paycheck. 
• Rent is prorated for the first month, rent for the last pay period will be deducted in full even if you vacate housing early. 
• Employees must vacate housing within 72 hours of their final shift unless other arrangements have been approved by management. 
• Pets- No Cats, No Dogs. First season employees may not bring pets. Any other pets must be approved by management. Approval may be rescinded if your pet causes problems or is not friendly towards humans or other animals. 
• Failure to abide by rules outlined in the employee manual and housing agreement may result in immediate expulsion from employee housing. 

Additional Job Responsibilities  

Employees will be called on to participate in a variety of activities associated with the climbing and adventure park sites and operation, as well as residential upkeep. Routine maintenance at the climbing and zip sites includes course and route inspections, maintenance and route cleaning, documentation of inspections, trail work, and area development. Daily operations also include vehicle cleaning and washing as well as other maintenance. 

Employees may be called on to share driving responsibilities and potentially other part-time office duties. Driving is an important part of the program and guides will be expected to not only be safe and abide by all local and state driving regulations but also to be entertaining for our guests. The drive to and from the climbing/zip site is an opportunity to enhance the guest’s experience by providing historical and interesting information about the city, its history, the beautiful outdoors surrounding us, and other types of trips and programs that the guests can participate in the future with AMG. Please see the requirements for CDL driving in above CDL description. 

Employees may also be called on to participate in Haines-based long trip programs at any time. The opportunity to gather additional experience in any of these programs is a privilege. One of the key elements of the AMG and IWLS structure is the use of staff from Skagway for programs generally originating in Haines. The ability to be flexible with schedules and adapt to changes, sometimes with short notice, is a requirement and expectation of your employment. 

Standard Dress and Professional Appearance 

Alaska Mountain Guides requires guides to maintain a professional image at all times. As outlined in the Guide Manual, you will be issued guiding equipment and clothing that will be required to be worn at all times while working. Personal pants will be neat and clean without stains, holes or other frayed areas.  

The standard Skagway uniform is your name tag, tucked in AMG uniform shirt and/or guide jacket with guide or Carhartt style pants and closed toed outdoor shoes/boots.  

AMG requires staff to be clean with appropriate hygiene and appear professional while working. There are showers available in both of the guide houses and there are no excuses for not meeting these standards. 

Pro-Deals  

AMG provides the opportunity for employees to have access to top end outdoor merchandise and equipment at discounted rates. AMG is pleased to work with Black Diamond, Mountain Hardwear and Sierra Designs to meet many of our program needs. These programs are a privilege and considered a perk of the job. Abuse of these opportunities is taken very seriously and will result in loss of privileges and disciplinary action. Specific details will be outlined upon arrival in Skagway.  

Travel and Logistics  

Employees are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from Skagway, AMG will assist wherever possible in helping outline necessary steps in travel plans. Please make arrangements with a few days on either end of the season for mishaps. Alaska weather can delay planes/ferries bound from Juneau or make driving conditions difficult or impassable.  

Please plan to arrive in Skagway at least the day prior to your first day to training (unless directed to head to Haines for orientation); this will give us all time to prepare for the upcoming events.  

We encourage staff to learn as much about our area before arrival and will continue to encourage guides to improve their naturalist abilities to better themselves and the experience we offer our guests.    

We hope this overview has helped to provide an initial understanding of the responsibilities and company overview. Please don’t hesitate to contact our office for additional information and assistance with any questions!