Director of Front Office

DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION

As a member of the management team, Director of Front Office will be responsible for all front office operations to include Bell Staff, Telephone Operations, Guest Services/Front Desk, Golf Operations of our 9 hole course and Parking. As a department director you will orchestrate and lead managers and associates to successfully execute all front office operations, including guest arrival and departure procedures. Strives to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction and maximize the financial performance of the department.

More specifically, these responsibilities will include:

Business results:

• Daily pick-up analysis, strategy adjustments and reporting
• Manage and oversee strategy for all 3rd party distribution
• Provide weekly dynamic forecast of expected results, variances and budget comparisons
• Responsible for assessing, analysing and pricing strategies
• Analyse overall monthly hotel performance and provide summary report with recommendations to improve long term strategies
• Ensure web site booking process is maintained up-to-date and functional
• Ensure hotel personnel is fully competent in the use of all systems
• Prepare outline for and support the annual revenue budget process.
• Find and implement ways to increase revenue
• Review and analyze STR data on a weekly and monthly basis with Hotel Revenue Management Teams
• Produce accurate forecast on weekly and monthly basis (frequency determined by hotel controller)
• Develop and update Strategic Sales Plan with the Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM)
• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.
• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
• Supervises and manages employees. Manages all day-to-day operations. Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence.
• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.
• Ensures recognition of employees is taking place across areas of responsibility.
• Communicates performance expectations in accordance with job descriptions for each position and monitors progress.
• Celebrates successes and publicly recognizes the contributions of team members.
• Attends and participates in weekly hotel operations meetings, sales and catering meeting (BEO meetings), weekly strategy meeting, weekly credit meetings, weekly rooms divisions meetings, and any other required meetings throughout the hotel.

Guest Satisfaction:

• Provides services that are above and beyond for guest satisfaction and retention.
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Supervises and managing employees. Managing all day-to-day operations. Understanding employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence.
• Acts as the "Service Champion" for the Front Office and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service, and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Strives to improve service performance.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Ensures that all Front Office areas have an atmosphere that is conducive to the overall guest experience.
• Reviews comment cards, guest satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and/or managers.

Maintaining Guest Services and Front Desk Goals

• Achieves and exceeds goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the guests on a daily basis.
• Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Keeps Front Office team focused on the critical components of operations to drive guest satisfaction and the desired financial results.
• Conducts department meetings and continually communicates a clear and consistent message regarding the Front Office goals to produce desired results.
• Reviews staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs and financial objectives are met.
• Understands the impact of Front Office operations on the Rooms area and overall property financial goals.
• Manages department controllable expenses to achieve or exceed budgeted goals.
• Ensures compliance with all Front Office policies, standards and procedures.
• Ensures property policies are administered fairly and consistently, disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Standard and Local Operating Procedures (SOPs and LSOPs).

Managing and Conducting Human Resources Activities

• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge and skills.
• Provides guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Establishes challenging, realistic and obtainable goals to guide operation and performance.
• Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an "open door" policy, and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.
• Ensures employees are treated fairly and equitably.
• Manages employee progressive discipline procedures for Front Office Staff.
• Administers the performance appraisal process for direct report managers.
• Interviews and hires managers and hourly employee team members with the appropriate skills and in a timely manner to meet the business needs of the operation.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Informs and/or updates the executives, the peers and the subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner.
• Identifies and analyzes Front Office operational challenges and facilitates the development of solutions to prevent reoccurrence.

Leadership:

• Demonstrates commitment to Westmont Hospitality operating principles and philosophies
• Holds self and others accountable for achieving results
• Addresses conflict in a timely manner
• Contributes to team results
• Deals with change effectively
• Makes decisions, including employees/team, and commits to a course of action with available information

Generating Talent:

• Hires the best people available. Hires for talent, diversity and balance of skills. Supports interviewing tools to ensure hiring decisions are based in the candidate's job related talent, skills and competencies. Maintains succession planning.
• Develops, implements and maintains departmental orientation and training certification programs for employees to receive the appropriate new hire training to successfully perform their job
• Uses all available on the job training tools for employees; implements and manages training initiatives and conducts training when appropriate; ensures self and direct reports have completed appropriate training classes
• Manages employees progressive discipline procedures for areas of responsibility. Ensures each hotel's policies are administered fairly and consistently. Ensures disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Standard and local operating procedures.
• Ensures regular on-going communication is happening in all areas of responsibility to create awareness of business objectives and communicate expectations, recognize performance and produce desired business results. Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

The Director of Front Office will report to the Director of Operations.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 4+ years hotel management experience of Department Head or above.
• Full Service Hotel Experience
• The candidate will have the ability to create a profitable culture of accountability and have a proven track record of building a cohesive team while facilitating the accomplishment of goals.
• Requires proven managerial skill as position involves frequent decisions, meeting of deadline, negotiations of contracts of vendors, analytical ability and the planning, organization development and coordination of large scale work projects.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication and listening skills.
• Ability to read and communicate verbally and in writing and prepare complex occupancy reports
• Strong computer skills in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint with an understanding of the Marriott systems preferred.
• Complex mathematical skills and considerable skill in the use of Excel Spreadsheets and/or calculator to prepare complex mathematical calculations without error, i.e. budgets, forecasting.
• Hotel operating systems such as PMS, Marsha, Opera, Speedlight, Go-Concierge or any other related Hotel systems.
• Must have financial management skills including the ability to understand P&L statements, manage operating budgets, forecasting, and scheduling.

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

As a leader at the Manhattan Beach Marriott, the candidate must exemplify the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and discretion. The individual should be highly confident of their abilities and be considered a detail-oriented person who can tackle complex assignments. The candidate should be highly numerate and analytical. S/he will need to be a consummate team player with excellent interpersonal and communication skills up and down the organizational chart. The candidate must be a leader, directing a group towards a common vision.

Source: Hospitality Online