Grounds and Equipment Manager

Job Description

Why This Role Matters:
The Grounds & Equipment Manager plays a pivotal role in safeguarding a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ensuring the safety of guests and colleagues, enhancing the guest experience, developing team members, managing operational risks, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of grounds and equipment operations at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

Reporting to the Director of Engineering, the Grounds & Equipment Manager provides strategic leadership, planning, and operational oversight for all exterior property operations, seasonal programs, and assets at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. This role is responsible for leading a diverse team, managing resources, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance, and delivering exceptional guest and colleague experiences. The successful candidate is a people-focused leader with a strong understanding of multi-season operations in a highly regulated alpine environment, including landscaping, snow management, and vehicle and equipment operations.

Start Date: September 2026
Contract Type: Permanent

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Management

• Provide visible, inspiring leadership to the Grounds team, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and engagement.
• Define and communicate the vision for the Grounds department, translating it into actionable operational plans.
• Lead full-cycle people management, including recruitment, onboarding, training, coaching, performance management, and terminations in alignment with Fairmont policies and CBA agreements.
• Ensure all team members maintain current training and certifications, coordinating ongoing professional development.
• Manage operating budgets, payroll, and resources, ensuring cost control and optimal allocation.
• Collaborate effectively with internal departments to ensure smooth coordination of exterior operations with guest and colleague needs, without directing the work of other teams.
• Build leadership capacity within the team through mentoring, delegation, and structured development plans.
• Promote colleague engagement, inclusion, and alignment with Fairmont service standards.

Operational Oversight

• Direct and coordinate all daily Grounds operations, ensuring work is safely planned, prioritized, and executed efficiently.
• Lead snow removal operations across hotel and residence areas, including planning, staffing, and coordination during active weather events.
• Oversee summer operations, including landscaping, lawn care, floral displays, gravel removal, and line painting.
• Manage all commercial fleet and equipment, ensuring availability, compliance, reliability, and proper maintenance.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance, CVIP inspections, seasonal tire changes, and both on-site and off-site repairs.
• Monitor budgets, forecasts, and labor plans to meet seasonal and operational requirements.
• Ensure all Grounds colleagues are trained, qualified, and supported to perform their roles safely and effectively.
• Conduct daily reviews of safety conditions, weather impacts, and operational risks, implementing mitigation measures as required.

Program Management

• Oversee the planning and execution of major seasonal features, including natural ice rinks (~120,000 sq. ft.), Ice Castle, and Ice Bar structures.
• Serve as the site champion for Motive Fleet Management, ensuring compliance, maintenance tracking, and continuous improvement across all assets.
• Maintain exterior property conditions to ensure guest and colleague safety, proactively mitigating seasonal hazards in coordination with external vendors.
• Lead “one-season-ahead” operational planning, reviewing end-of-season needs, including servicing, repairs, replacements, and readiness requirements.
• Ensure environmentally responsible landscape management aligned with alpine horticulture best practices and National Park regulations.

Safety, Risk & Compliance

• Act as a visible safety leader, ensuring compliance with Alberta OHS, Parks Canada regulations, and Fairmont Health & Safety programs.
• Develop, communicate, and enforce safe work practices (SOPs) for all Grounds operations.
• Maintain accurate documentation related to safety, inspections, training, and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

Required

• Proven success in a managerial or senior supervisory role with direct people leadership responsibility.
• Experience in budget management, operational planning, and resource allocation.
• Strong safety leadership and experience enforcing regulatory and organizational safety standards.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with other departments to achieve operational goals.
• Valid Alberta Class 5 driver’s license.

Preferred / Considered an Asset

• Experience in multi-season grounds, infrastructure, or exterior operations.
• Knowledge of snow removal, landscaping, and heavy equipment management.
• Technical proficiency to lead, train, and support operators without being a hands-on operator.
• Familiarity with luxury hotels, National Parks, or similarly regulated environments.

You may be required to work on holidays, weekends, overnights and other non-day shifts. Submission of your application to Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise indicates that you are able to meet these requirements as needed.

Working Conditions

• High-visibility, high-altitude alpine environment.
• Requires calm, decisive leadership under extreme and rapidly changing weather conditions, including winter temperatures down to -40°C.

Additional Information

Job Perks & Benefits:

• Subsidized staff accommodation provided on-site for full time status employees
• One complimentary meal per shift in our staff cafeteria (additional meals can be purchased for $8/meal)
• Comprehensive benefits package (Medical, Vision & Dental) including extended benefits like; Mental Health (up to $5,000/year), Orthodontics (up to $2,500/year), Fertility Drugs and Gender Affirmation (Lifetime maximum of $10,000) for full time permanent status employees
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with employer matching up to 5% of annual earnings for full time permanent status employees
• Employee travel program with discounts on room rates as well as on food & beverage at Fairmont & Accor properties world-wide
• Access to the Mountain Explorer Travel Program - Discounted room rates including 50% off all food & beverage at Fairmont Resorts in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper & Whistler (subject to availability)
• Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and over 5,000 properties with Accor

Visa Requirements: Must be legally authorized to work in Canada. The hotel is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.

Apply Today: Whether you're just launching your career or looking for a new adventure, we invite you to visit www.lakelouisejobs.com to learn more about Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and the extraordinary opportunities that exist within our resort!

We encourage you to let us know if you require any accommodations through the application or recruitment process, and we will work with you to meet your needs. Persons who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application or interview process may contact, in confidence: [email protected]

Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: 

At Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, we believe that the strength of our team lies in its diversity. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that respects the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and talents of the individual. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are dedicated to providing equal access to opportunities. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

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