2024/25 Lodge - Attendant

Position Description – Lodge Attendant

Ultimate Hikes are the exclusive operators of multi day guided walks on the famous Milford & Routeburn Tracks.

The tracks are New Zealand's most iconic of the Great Walks, and along with the Greenstone Track, showcase the majestic nature of Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks.   We combine the opportunity to inhabit these great locations and challenging hiking tracks with the comfort of private lodges and unique hospitality in the most remote of locations.

Over the season we employ a range of people who work together to make our guided walks the most memorable experience for our guests.

Purpose

Lodge Attendants are responsible for providing housekeeping and hospitality on a day-to-day basis, as required to maintain a remote lodge complex. You will be part of a close-knit team providing a high standard of service across the lodge.

Location

The role is based at one of the remote lodges on the Milford or Routeburn Tracks.  The lodges, except Mitre Peak Lodge, are inaccessible by road.

Hours of work

The role is seasonal and you will work approximately eight to nine hours per day, which will include working at weekends and evenings. Some days may involve working longer hours due to operational requirements.

Relationships

The role reports to the Lodge Manager/Relief Lodge Manager at your lodge.

Key responsibilities

Lodge Attendants play a significant role in Ultimate Hikes successfully providing an excellent experience for our guests while on track. We expect our Lodge Attendants to approach each working day in a positive and enthusiastic manner. Lodge Attendant’s tasks include but are not limited to:

Housekeeping & hospitality

• First impressions are important. Provide a welcoming lodge environment for our guests with high standards of service, meals and housekeeping, while exceeding company expectations in terms of quality and delivery
• Duties include but are not limited to general cleaning, laundry, servicing bedroom units, cleaning bathrooms, bed making and vacuuming
• Assist in the lodge kitchen as required, including meal preparation and service, dishes and kitchen clean up
• Assist in the operation of the lodge bar, adopting Host Responsibility guidelines, serving drinks and accurately charging guests’ accounts
• Relate to and easily communicate with a wide range of people and personalities in a professional manner
• Assist the Lodge Manager in ensuring that the lodge is a safe, harmonious, enjoyable work place environment for staff

Health & Safety

• All staff must comply with the Safety Management System when working
• Adhere to Food Control Plan and liquor sale compliance requirements at all times
• Attend regular Health & Safety meetings at the lodge
• Identify and report hazards within the workplace.  Comply with all procedures
• Ensure that equipment is safe and in working condition

Other

• Work as rostered, adapt to roster changes when required, and complete timesheets in an accurate and timely way. Be prepared to work split shifts with varying hours and duties as required
• Fit into a close-knit lodge team, show tolerance of others, and work in a positive and mature manner

Person Specifications

This part of the position description defines the key elements of our Lodge Attendants. These descriptors of what success would look like will assist Ultimate Hikes in a variety of ways including:

• Setting a benchmark for lodge work
• Assisting in the identification and recruitment of our lodge teams
• Assisting in the retention of our team over multiple seasons

To keep the Success Profile simple, a framework comprising three components has been created.  The details of each component are outlined in the following pages.

Person specification

What I have done (experience)

To be successful as a Lodge Attendant, it is expected that the individual will have been exposed to experiences that shape their future responses to often challenging situations.

Essential experience:

• A passion for providing exceptional hospitality
• Experience in housekeeping
• Ability to work efficiently within set time frames when completing the various tasks and duties
• Experience working in a collaborative team environment
• Ability to control outward behaviour especially under pressure
• You must have the right to work in New Zealand

The following would also be an advantage:

Desirable experience:

• Fluent in a foreign language, in particular Korean or Japanese
• Working in a remote area or location would be an advantage
• Working for Ultimate Hikes or an affiliated Trojan Holdings company

What I know (knowledge)

Our lodge staff will need to know their stuff! This will ensure they deliver excellence and will contribute to their personal credibility.

Essential skills:

• Good level of physical fitness
• Good communication skills
• Willingness to seek out feedback and apply new learning and skills
• Ability to control outward behaviour especially under pressure
• Have a great attitude, be a team player, take initiative and be willing to go the extra mile to help someone or get a job done

Desirable skills:

• First aid certificate
• A trade or hospitality background

What am I capable of (personal characteristics)

These competencies define clusters of behaviours, knowledge, and motivations that are related to success or failure within the role of a highly performing Lodge Attendant, and ones that we would like you to aspire to. 

Essential performance characteristics of all roles in Ultimate Hikes

Specific characteristics

Ultimate Hikes are guardians of the environment we operate in. We are leaders in the safety and education of visitors to the region and we are responsible for the health, safety and wellbeing of the people who live and work there on our behalf.

We take this commitment very seriously and pledge that everything we do will be in keeping with our own Tiaki Promise - caring for people and place.