Overview:
Montgomery Whitewater, Montgomery Alabama
Chief Experience Officer (CXO)
Wage Range: $95,000 - $150,000
Company Description:
Montgomery Whitewater is a world-class outdoor adventure destination and Olympic caliber whitewater venue located in Montgomery, Alabama. Purpose-built for both recreation and competition, the park features engineered whitewater channels for rafting, kayaking, and flatwater activities, along with ropes courses, climbing, biking and trail access, live events, dining, and community programming. Recognized as one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places, Montgomery Whitewater serves as both a regional tourism driver and a community asset, hosting international sporting events, festivals, corporate outings, educational programs, and family-friendly experiences year-round. The organization is committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences while expanding access to outdoor recreation, adventure sports, and economic growth in the River Region.
Benefits:
Health Insurance
401K
Flexible Time Off
Hours & Work Conditions
This position is primarily Monday–Friday and office-based, but also requires on-site support, including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed. The role often requires working more than 40 hours per week during peak operational periods and events. Occasional heavy lifting and extended periods of standing or walking may be required.
Chief Experience Officer (CXO)
The Chief Experience Officer (CXO) serves as the senior operational and experiential leader responsible for overseeing the integration, execution, and long-term strategic vision of Montgomery Whitewater. The CXO ensures that all guest-facing departments, operational systems, programming, events, and brand standards work cohesively to deliver a world-class experience while supporting the organization’s broader mission, sustainability, and future growth.
This position requires a rare combination of visionary leadership, operational expertise, systems thinking, organizational development, and deep understanding of the outdoor recreation, events, tourism, hospitality, and whitewater industries. The CXO must be capable of understanding both the high-level strategic direction of the organization and the detailed operational processes required to successfully execute that vision.
The CXO works directly with the MCCCD Board, CFO, Human Resources, departmental leadership, external partners, governing bodies, sponsors, and community stakeholders to ensure Montgomery Whitewater continues to operate as a nationally recognized outdoor adventure destination and economic development asset.
Under the proposed organizational structure, the CXO provides leadership and oversight for Brand & Guest Experience, Activities & Education, and Sales, while working collaboratively with the CFO on operational alignment, financial sustainability, site development, and long-term planning initiatives.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
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Organizational Leadership & Strategic Vision
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Lead the execution and continued evolution of Montgomery Whitewater’s long-term vision, operational philosophy, and guest experience standards.
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Develop and implement short-term and long-term strategic plans, including 1-year, 5-year, 10-year, 15-year, and 20-year growth and development initiatives.
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Collaborate with the CFO and Board on future site development, expansion opportunities, attraction planning, infrastructure improvements, operational scalability, and capital improvement priorities.
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Evaluate and help develop future attractions, amenities, guest offerings, programs, and operational enhancements that align with Montgomery Whitewater’s mission, financial sustainability, and long-term growth strategy.
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Ensure all departments operate cohesively with clearly defined systems, workflows, communication structures, accountability measures, and operational standards.
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Build organizational processes that support efficiency, sustainability, safety, scalability, and exceptional guest experiences.
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Serve as a key organizational leader during major operational transitions, growth phases, strategic initiatives, and organizational restructuring efforts.
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Ensure that operational decisions support both immediate execution needs and long-term organizational objectives.
Operational Integration & Systems Management
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Oversee the integration and coordination of all guest-facing departments to ensure seamless operational execution across the site.
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Maintain a comprehensive understanding of how all departments function individually and collectively, including the operational dependencies between scheduling, staffing, maintenance, programming, guest services, sales, events, marketing, retail, food & beverage, education, and site logistics.
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Develop, refine, and implement operational workflows, communication systems, scheduling procedures, SOPs, and interdepartmental coordination processes.
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Lead the development and implementation of systems that improve efficiency, communication, accountability, and guest flow across departments.
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Identify operational inefficiencies and implement scalable solutions that improve both staff operations and guest experience.
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Ensure operational decisions align with organizational brand standards, financial goals, safety requirements, and long-term strategic priorities.
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Support departmental leadership in creating operational systems that are proactive rather than reactive.
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Work collaboratively with departmental leadership to ensure operational processes remain organized, scalable, and sustainable as the facility grows.
Examples of operational integration responsibilities may include:
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Coordinating the rollout and execution of rafting schedules and activity calendars by ensuring all operational dependencies are accounted for prior to schedule release.
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Working with Activities & Education leadership to evaluate operational feasibility, staffing requirements, guest demand, and implementation strategies for new activities, educational programs, products, features, or amenities.
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Collaborating with Activities & Education leadership and the CFO on programming strategies, pricing structures, operational feasibility, guest demand, and long-term sustainability for activities, educational offerings, events, and experiences.
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Collaborating with the CFO on pricing strategies for activities, programs, experiences, and operational offerings to ensure alignment between guest value, operational costs, and organizational sustainability.
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Working with Guest Services leadership to improve guest flow, waiver systems, check-in procedures, communication systems, staffing structures, and overall front-end guest experience.
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Assisting with the implementation and optimization of technology systems, including electronic waivers, ticketing systems, booking systems, operational software, and guest communication platforms.
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Collaborating with Brand & Guest Experience and Retail leadership on the layout, organization, merchandising, operational functionality, and guest usability of retail and outfitter spaces.
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Working with Food & Beverage leadership to ensure restaurant operations, catering, and event food service align with overall guest experience and operational expectations.
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Coordinating operational impacts and communication surrounding major events, site buyouts, competitions, festivals, and high-volume attendance periods.
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Ensuring all guest-facing departments maintain consistency in communication, professionalism, presentation, and experiential quality.
The examples listed throughout this job description are intended to illustrate the type and level of leadership, operational integration, strategic planning, and experiential oversight expected of the position, but should not be interpreted as a complete or exhaustive list of responsibilities. The CXO role is inherently dynamic and requires continuous collaboration across departments to address operational needs, organizational growth, guest experience improvements, strategic initiatives, and evolving business priorities.
Brand, Guest Experience & Marketing Oversight
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Provide direct oversight and strategic leadership for the Brand & Guest Experience Department, including marketing, communications, public events, content development, community outreach, IT coordination, and brand integration.
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Ensure brand consistency and experiential quality across all guest touch points, including digital platforms, signage, events, guest communications, programming, partnerships, and physical site experience.
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Lead high-level public relations, media strategy, crisis communications, stakeholder messaging, and external communications efforts.
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Oversee organizational storytelling, public positioning, and regional/national brand development initiatives.
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Collaborate closely with marketing and communications staff to execute campaigns that support tourism, economic development, event promotion, pass sales, sponsorships, and organizational growth.
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Ensure the physical environment, wayfinding, signage, environmental design, and operational presentation align with Montgomery Whitewater’s brand standards and desired guest experience.
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Maintain and cultivate relationships with tourism entities, media partners, community organizations, government stakeholders, sponsors, and strategic partners.
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Oversee integration of brand standards into operational decisions, programming, guest communications, partnerships, and on-site experiences.
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Work collaboratively with departmental leadership to ensure the guest experience remains cohesive across all physical and digital touch points, including arrival experience, check-in flow, communications, signage, retail presentation, food & beverage operations, event execution, activity participation, and overall site atmosphere.
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Assist in evaluating and improving environmental design, guest flow, experiential consistency, and operational presentation throughout the facility.
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Collaborate with operational leadership to ensure new features, amenities, attractions, partnerships, and guest offerings align with Montgomery Whitewater’s overall brand identity and guest experience standards.
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Ensure the operational execution of the brand aligns with the organization’s longterm positioning as a world-class outdoor recreation and experiential destination.
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Ensure that both large-scale strategic initiatives and small-scale experiential details contribute cohesively to Montgomery Whitewater’s overall guest experience, operational functionality, and brand standards. This may include oversight and collaboration related to environmental presentation, site atmosphere, signage, landscaping, guest flow, retail presentation, wayfinding, aesthetics, amenities, programming, operational systems, future attractions, and overall experiential consistency throughout the facility.
Activities, Programming & Guest Experience Oversight
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Provide strategic oversight and operational leadership for the Activities & Education Department, including water sports, land sports, education, SWR programming, and guest services.
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Work collaboratively with departmental leadership to develop activity schedules, operational calendars, staffing structures, and guest capacity planning.
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Collaborate with departmental leadership and the CFO on programming strategies, operational planning, pricing models, guest demand analysis, scalability, and longterm sustainability of activities, educational offerings, special programs, and experiential products.
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Assist in evaluating and implementing new recreational offerings, instructional programs, training initiatives, educational experiences, and operational enhancements.
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Ensure activities and guest services align with brand standards, operational goals, safety standards, staffing capabilities, and guest experience expectations.
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Support the development of operational systems that improve guest communication, booking flow, scheduling, staffing coordination, and operational readiness.
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Work closely with Guest Services leadership to improve the overall guest arrival, check-in, orientation, waiver, and onboarding experience.
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Collaborate with operational leadership on the integration of new technologies, systems, operational procedures, and guest service improvements.
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Ensure coordination between operational departments during periods of high attendance, major events, competitions, weather impacts, and operational disruptions.
Events, Sponsorships & Industry Relations
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Oversee the recruitment, development, execution, and growth of major events, competitions, festivals, and programming initiatives.
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Maintain relationships with national and international governing bodies, sports organizations, athletes, sponsors, tourism partners, and industry stakeholders.
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Lead strategic planning and operational coordination for large-scale sporting events, international competitions, and high-profile organizational initiatives.
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Support sponsorship development efforts, partnership strategy, fundraising initiatives, and contract development related to events and organizational partnerships.
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Collaborate with Sales, Brand & Guest Experience, and Activities & Education leadership to maximize programming impact, attendance, operational readiness, and guest satisfaction.
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Assist in identifying new event, educational, recreational, and experiential opportunities that align with the organization’s mission and growth strategy.
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Coordinate cross-department operational planning for major events and organizational initiatives to ensure successful execution and guest experience consistency.
Sales & Revenue Collaboration
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Provide oversight and strategic direction for the Sales Department and support alignment between sales initiatives and operational capabilities.
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Collaborate with sales leadership on group sales strategies, partnership opportunities, tourism initiatives, sponsorship integration, and revenue-generating programs.
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Ensure communication and coordination between Sales, Events, Activities, Guest Services, Food & Beverage, and Marketing departments.
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Assist in developing operationally feasible sales offerings, packages, experiences, and organizational partnerships.
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Work collaboratively with the CFO and Sales leadership on pricing strategy, revenue optimization, package development, and long-term growth opportunities.
Food & Beverage & Hospitality Collaboration
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Work collaboratively with Food & Beverage leadership to ensure restaurant operations, catering services, concessions, hospitality experiences, and private events align with Montgomery Whitewater’s overall guest experience standards and operational philosophy.
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Assist in evaluating guest flow, service standards, operational integration, atmosphere, event execution, and experiential consistency related to food and beverage operations across the site.
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Collaborate with Food & Beverage and Events leadership to improve operational coordination during festivals, competitions, private events, group functions, and high-volume operational periods.
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Provide input regarding experiential quality, layout functionality, guest usability, environmental presentation, and operational coordination of hospitality-related spaces.
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Work collaboratively with the CFO and departmental leadership on evaluating future hospitality opportunities, food & beverage enhancements, catering capabilities, and revenue-generating guest amenities.
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Ensure food & beverage operations integrate cohesively into the broader Montgomery Whitewater guest experience and brand standards.
Financial & Organizational Collaboration
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Work collaboratively with the CFO to align operational priorities with financial sustainability and organizational goals.
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Participate in budget planning, operational forecasting, capital project planning, pricing strategy discussions, and resource allocation initiatives.
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Assist in evaluating the operational and financial feasibility of new attractions, programs, events, partnerships, and infrastructure improvements.
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Ensure operational initiatives are financially responsible, strategically aligned, and scalable for future growth.
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Support sponsorship integration, partnership opportunities, and revenue-generating initiatives that enhance organizational sustainability.
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Collaborate with the CFO on long-term operational planning, organizational development, and strategic growth initiatives.
Departmental Leadership & Team Development
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Lead, mentor, and support department directors and managers across assigned divisions.
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Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, professionalism, and guest-focused decision making.
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Assist in developing organizational structures, staffing strategies, leadership development pathways, and departmental growth plans.
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Ensure departmental goals align with overall organizational objectives and operational standards.
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Work collaboratively with Human Resources to support recruitment, onboarding, sta development, performance management, and organizational culture initiatives.
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Encourage cross-department communication and operational coordination to improve efficiency and organizational effectiveness.
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Provide leadership that encourages operational alignment, interdepartmental collaboration, systems-based thinking, accountability, innovation, and long-term organizational sustainability across all divisions.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required.
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Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in operations, guest experience, tourism, outdoor recreation, hospitality, events, destination management, sports management, experiential marketing, or a related field.
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Extensive experience leading complex operational environments with multiple interconnected departments and workflows.
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Experience in large-scale event development, operational planning, tourism initiatives, brand management, or destination-based entertainment strongly preferred.
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Experience with outdoor recreation facilities, whitewater operations, adventure tourism, sports governing bodies, or experiential destinations strongly preferred.
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Demonstrated ability to think strategically while also understanding and managing operational details and execution.
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Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, build systems, improve processes, and manage organizational growth.
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Exceptional communication, organizational, leadership, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
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Ability to manage high-level strategic initiatives while simultaneously navigating detailed operational demands.
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Experience working with sponsors, government stakeholders, tourism entities, nonprofit organizations, boards, or public-private partnerships preferred.
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Strong understanding of guest experience design, operational flow, brand standards, and organizational integration.
Preferred Characteristics, the ideal candidate:
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Is both visionary and operationally disciplined.
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Understands how guest experience, operations, branding, programming, staffing, infrastructure, and financial sustainability work together as a unified system.
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Can build long-term organizational strategy while also understanding the detailed processes required for daily execution.
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Is highly organized, detail-oriented, and systems-focused.
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Possesses strong emotional intelligence and leadership capabilities.
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Thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments requiring adaptability and strategic thinking.
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Understands the complexity of operating a purpose-built outdoor adventure destination.
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Is capable of balancing innovation, operational sustainability, financial responsibility, and organizational growth.
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Understands how to develop scalable systems while maintaining high experiential standards.
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Values both visionary thinking and operational execution.
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Possesses the ability to understand both the macro-level organizational vision and the detailed operational processes necessary to successfully execute that vision.
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Has experience building, developing, scaling, or evolving complex operational systems within a destination-based or experiential environment.
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Understands the importance of organizational cohesion and how operational decisions in one department directly impact other areas of the organization.
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Is capable of balancing creativity, experiential design, operational practicality, financial sustainability, and organizational growth simultaneously.
Reporting Structure
The CXO reports directly to the Montgomery County Community Cooperative District (MCCCD) Board and works collaboratively alongside the CFO and Human Resources leadership within the organizational structure.
The CXO oversees the following primary divisions:
- Brand & Guest Experience
- Activities & Education
- Sales
The CXO also works collaboratively with the CFO on organization-wide operational alignment, strategic planning, future development, operational scalability, pricing strategies, and guest experience integration across all departments.
Interested applicants should click the APPLY button to submit a resume.
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