The average salary of a paintball field manager is somewhat hard to come-by, especially since the postings for them last a good couple of weeks due to popular demand for such a job.
How popular?
You could say in comparison, job openings at paintball fields fill at a pace on par with movie theaters.
Everyone wants a job at a theater simply because of the atmosphere. Paintball fields are no different.
So, how much does/can a field manager make? A recent job posting by Westworld paintball can give us an idea.
Field Manager (Scottsdale)
compensation: $26000 – $36000 DOE
We are looking to fill a full-time management… http://t.co/efbGhX7OEd— Westworld Paintball (@WestworldPB) September 2, 2014
26 – 36k is a pretty good salary for a field manager! Of course, the typical rules of thumb apply: the bigger the field the better the salary, which is often dependant on the fields location.
Mega-fields like Challenge Park Xtreme or Hollywood Sports Park will likely be at the top of the scale as far as salary goes.
Employees I have talked too, including some refs, have mentioned they also get partial ownership. While ownership is pretty slim, it still is a great perk that serves as added motivator to get you excited about growing the field.
Westworld’s requirements for a managerial position look to be in-line with the typical managerial job. The added benefit of course being you get to spend your day at a paintball field.
- Prior retail/management experience
- Prior training/supervising experience
- Lift 50 lbs (stacking paint cases I imagine)
- Supervise the daily activities of the field
- Sell merchandise/handle products
- Maintain/enforce company standards
- Hire/train/schedule employees for work
- Manage field maintenance
- Existing paintball knowledge (haha, major plus there I would think! Westworld doesn’t have this marked as mandatory, which is interesting)
- And more… but that should give you an idea.
Similar job postings seem to be in-line with these requirements and salary. Here’s a snapshot of the posting, which started on their facebook page.
If you are looking to work at a field, is there anything else you should know?
Paintball experience is always a plus, but like the posting above implies -it isn’t always nexessary. The best managers sometimes come as outsiders, but with them come an outsiders perspective. They often can get in the heads of a newbie better than a seasoned vet. This is a symptom of overexposure to an area -you become so aquanted to it that you forget what it’s like to see it for the first time.
It happens to best of us.
If you can keep that ‘beginners perspective’, putting that championship-speedballer-mentality aside for a bit, you have a much better chance connecting to the rec-player. This will improve your chances of being considered as a future employee!
Anything else? It doesn’t hurt to know the pains of owning a paintball field. You will be working with higher-ups (hopefully the owner), so understanding where you fit in the business will help you not only connect with the boss, but also help you manage the field more effectively.
Maybe even advance you through the ranks quicker?
For working mostly weekends, being a manager of a paintball field sounds like a pretty good deal, don’t you think?
Are you looking to work as a field manager? OR have experience working as one? Let’s hear about it in the comments below!