Director of Hotel Operations

Reports to: General Manager, position is exempt
WHO WE ARE Hotels done differently. It’s not just a slogan it is who we are in everything we do. We believe in the power of People, Place and Character; ensuring our properties are a place where individuals are valued and celebrated as a tribute to the neighborhoods and the people of the communities in which we operate; elevating our associates’ pride in who they are, where they live and who we serve. The Detroit Foundation Hotel has transformed the historic Detroit Fire Department Headquarters into a 100 room independent hotel that adds another piece to the ongoing Detroit renaissance puzzle. The hotel draws on the Motor- City's unparalleled past while proactively moving the city to its next incarnation as a national cultural, business and artistic touch- point. Featuring an inviting ground- floor restaurant, The Apparatus Room, the hotel partners with local distillers, brewers, farmer s and other edible sundry purveyors to deliver and authentic Detroit experience. The hotel is managed by Aparium who was founded in 2011 by Chicago hospitality executive and entrepreneur Mario Tricoci and luxury hotel veteran Kevin Robinson. The duo saw a clear need for a company that could bring c-suite service and accommodations to underserved, yet distinct and important cities, while maintaining and celebrating the unadulterated character of each. Driven by the belief that all hospitality experiences should be fueled by the poetics of their surroundings, Aparium was born with an intense focus on unearthing the amazing moments unique to every city. WHO YOU ARE You are humble and understand the need to work side by side with others; and you take feedback to make things better seriously. It is quite natural for you to walk into a hotel and want to fluff every pillow you see, judge the level of cleanliness or ask the front desk what type of system they are using. You get excited about how amenities are packaged; a guest service story created by an employee’s intuition and can strip a bed faster than the best housekeeper. Your career experience is eclectic and dynamic. You have great pride in having worked your way through a variety of rooms division department head roles. You have a special place in your heart for the people and teams you have worked with and developed during your career. You get excited for crunch response training and know that success comes through collaboration and teamwork. You are comfortable with casual sophistication and realize the concept of luxury has evolved to be approachable and not cookie-cutter. THE ROLE The Director of Hotel Operations reports to the General Manager. It is critical the person in this position possesses a diverse knowledge of Rooms Division operations and is willing to dive into the day-to-day operation, while balancing and directing the long-term goals of the hotel. All leaders of Aparium are required to work hand in hand with their teams. We are a young company that is in hyper-growth, so having the ability to be a soldier is as critical as being a general. As the Director of Hotel Operations, you will support and lead the Rooms Division. You will develop and lead the pre-opening and post-opening planning to ensure innovative guest experiences, delivery of outstanding guest service, and build a dynamic team. Your presence should be as regular in the lobby and floors as it is in the office.
You will also actively develop trusting and transparent relations with your peers on the Executive Committee and associates of the hotel. As a leader within Aparium Hotel Group you will work with a phenomenal group of peers who insist that you are collaborative, humble, experienced and open-minded – no egos are allowed. WHAT YOU WILL DO Uphold and model the company’s principles of People, Place and Character; and ensure your team also models the way our values drive collaboration, intuition and translocal hospitality Active participant in the interviewing, hiring, training, scheduling, coaching, and motivating Rooms Division associates to create an environment that nurtures ideas and develops future talent for succession planning in the Hotel Operation Demonstrate passion and aptitude for all aspects for a guest’s experience, handling all guest interactions with the highest level of hospitality and professionalism, accommodating special requests whenever possible; serve as the shepherd of all on-property experiences and able to uncover the details that will add a special touch for guests and associates that turn into a fond memory Participate in and/or leads daily briefings, weekly Rooms leadership meetings, and monthly departmental staff meetings to further develop ideas and objectives with the Rooms Division team while simultaneously providing constructive feedback and strategizes to overcome and correct any previously missed opportunities Assigns associates to complete the needed activities for the day and inspects their accomplishments; and monitors associate activities to ensure standards are achieved, and associates feel supported and valued to meet and exceed guests’ needs Observe conditions of all physical facilities and equipment in the hotel operation and work in collaboration with other operating divisions and any third-party vendors to establish detailed cleaning and preventative maintenance programs to ensure appearance and life of all furniture, fixtures and equipment throughout the hotel; Lead all matters related to the safety, security, satisfaction and well-being of hotel guests and associates; respond swiftly and effectively in any hotel emergency of safety situations; and verifies all associates are trained and following proper emergency procedures and responses Fluent in operational metrics, KPI’s and P&L’s and demonstrates critical thinking skills by connecting those with operational observations; provides coaching and corrective action that targets root causes of issues and the highest priorities in the operation of the Rooms Division Participate in all Executive Committee meetings to provide thoughtful and insightful suggestions and feedback in order to give a voice to the Rooms Division at the highest leadership level to demonstrate commitment to the success and innovation of the hotel Works directly with outside contracted companies to assure quality and timeliness of work while prioritizing the guest experience and developing long term partnerships Champion Aparium divisional and hotel wide initiatives and best practices (e.g., Lobby Ambassador, Property Walks, and Manager on Duty programs) by ensuring you take the time to communicate and/or train on the purpose of purpose of each initiative. Communicate regularly with the General Manager to provide updates and align on priorities, discuss plans, and request for any additional resources to support the operations; and any additional tasks and responsibilities as requested by the General Manager in support of a successful operation HOW YOU WILL LEAD Exemplify leading by example by working directly with each member of your team and be willing to coach and counsel with gentle correction and critical but constructive feedback Openly collaborate with all departments in the hotel to provide an exemplary guest experience; be comfortable in debating ideas before implementing a decision that will impact operations property-wide, as we do not work in silos Be respectful in your daily interactions with your direct managers, direct reports, and your peers; be an example of the utmost professionalism and a pillar in your community Highly analytical in thought and recommendations; although will never act like the smartest person in the room; and continually seek out the facts; can express a point of view without it be driven by an ego Engages others in general conversation tactics to build rapport quickly; and can lead and adapt communication and presentation tactics to engage audience; displays adaptable interpersonal skills for a wide range of audiences and stakeholders Approaches fact finding and discovery missions in a collaborative effort; values input and experiences of others that creates additional insight to uncover deeper issues that need to be addressed or removed as a barrier to implementation Passionate in driving results of their effort and others; can influence others to take direction to execute on strategy through tactical methods; and is comfortable in prioritizing their work and that of others Comfortable in being a “general” in identifying strategic needs, yet can be a “soldier” to ensure the implementation of a strategic plan is implemented Prioritizes and organizes their own work when necessary by working flexible or extended hours to accommodate increased workload; can flex to the needs of an opening hotel and short-notice needs WHAT YOU WILL NEED Passion for the People, Place and Culture of our community, love of Guest Service also required Minimum of five (5) years’ experience of customer service management responsibility, within upscale, lifestyle or luxury hospitality companies Adaptable interpersonal skills to communicate and address all associate levels of the hotel Professional proficiency of the English language in reading, writing and verbal communication Intermediate skills in Microsoft Excel and Word to create spreadsheets or proposals Pre-opening experience as an operating division head or department head preferred Due to the cyclical nature of the hotel industry, associates may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the hotel

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