Senior Vice President of Operations

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in major U.S. gateway cities including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a growing Caribbean and Latin America footprint. The hospitality forward company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate has a proven record of developing its diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts with contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, London, Miami, and Seattle. www.highgate.com.

Overview

THE ROLE

The Senior Vice President of Operations will report to the EVP of Operations and will take a leadership role in driving company growth and profitability. This person will maximize operating results of the company-managed business comprised of 500 full & select service hotels encompassing multiple brands across markets nationwide. He/she will play a significant role in both growing the portfolio and building a strong third-party management business.

The Senior Vice President of Operations will be a source of new ideas and collaborative creativity to solve business problems, developing people, and should be capable of accepting additional challenges as the company continues to grow. Specific to this the Senior Vice President of Operations will:

• Position the organization to absorb additional growth through acquisitions while preserving Highgate’s strong sales and service culture and fine-tuning operational effectiveness.
• Although the primary responsibility is hotel operating results, and guest and employee service, the Senior VP of Operations will work in close cooperation with the other key leaders in the pursuit of new affiliated acquisitions and unaffiliated third-party management business.
• Work closely with brand representatives to ensure strong relationships and standards are achieved and opportunities maximized.
• Participate in the capital process planning and the budgeting process.
• Provide periodic reporting of key metrics and take a leadership role during periodic owner/investor presentations.

Responsibilities

THE PERSON

The successful candidate will be a collaborative, strategic thinker with a passion for achieving both extraordinary returns on investments and providing exceptional guest experiences. Specific to this the successful candidate will have:

• Successfully managed full service, focused service and/or extended stay hotel portfolios evidenced by strong guest experience and financial performance.
• Demonstrated expertise/experience with major brands including Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Starwood and IHG full service and focused service properties and processes.
• The ability to excel in a fast-paced, non-bureaucratic organization.
• Experience   in acquisitions, property turn-arounds, repositioning and renovations through PIP compliance.
• Obvious personal leadership abilities recognized at all levels of their current organization. Seen as a problem solver and leader with solutions and ideas who routinely engages direct reports in open and creative discussion when dealing with major operational issues.
• Upbeat, open, visible communication skills, a person known to bring humor, energy and integrity to the business and community arenas.
• Recognition within his/her current company as a person of the highest integrity, ethical grounding and professional bearing.
• An undergraduate degree required, masters degree preferred.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This role offers the opportunity to help grow a financially strong, independent hospitality subsidiary. A competitive compensation package including salary, bonus and a full array of benefits, including medical, dental, life, vision, employer matched 401(k), paid vacation, holidays, and sick time.