Front Desk Manager

Description

SUMMARY:

Our successful Front Desk Manager has a “hands-on” approach while maintaining responsibility for directing and administering all front office operations to include Front Desk, Reservations, and Night Audit. This position is held accountable for maintaining established costs and quality standards.  This role organizes and delivers effortless and seamless movement of guests in and out of our hotel and provides exceptional levels of guest service throughout the guests’ stay.  Additional responsibility for ensuring that our team members are given the proper training, support and direction in order to provide relevant Forbes/AAA 4 Star/Diamond service to our guests during their experience with us. 

WHAT YOU GET TO DO:

• Greet guests; create a memorable experience that exceeds our Forbes/AAA, 4 star/diamond service goals.
• Anticipate guests’ needs and provide appropriate service, responding to guest issues and concerns.
• Be knowledgeable in all areas of Shore Lodge and Whitetail Club and ensure staff members also maintain a high level of knowledge through training, independent information gathering, and experiencing resort services and amenities.
• Maintain accurate and complete information regarding the local area, hotel, amenities, directions, activities and vendors.
• Understand the timing of the check-in/out process, its impact on the guest experience, and correctly train, monitor and communicate timing to the staff.
• Hire, train, schedule and supervise team members and evaluate the job performance of each employee.
• Manage all aspects of the Front Office operation to ensure financial success, including revenue management, payroll and expense controls, and variance tracking and reporting against approved budgets.
• Consistent awareness of all safety, state and federal sanitation and security procedures relevant to the department and property. Ensure departmental staff are familiar with and adhere to them as well.
• Daily review of occupancy levels, reservations, group business and special requests or functions and their potential effect on the operations while maximizing room revenue and occupancy.
• Actively communicate promotional packages with team members in an effort to increase room nights as needed, to positively affect profits, revenues and guest experiences.
• Maintain a presence at the desk/lobby during hours of operation, answer multiple phone lines and direct calls as necessary.
• Ensure all daily/weekly/monthly reporting and time sensitive needs are supplied to appropriate parties when required (accounting, historical records, financials, payroll, email, HR needs, schedules, guest needs, etc).
• Update daily group information; maintain and be familiar with future group files. Monitor and prepare group requirements and relay necessary information to affected departments and individuals.
• Efficient with PMS, loading of all reservations, including group, loading of rates/packages, testing of all systems that are required to insure accuracy and/all reservations responsibilities.
• Maintain required front desk inventories and stock levels.
• Maintain a positive teamwork environment by managing, leading, working and communicating in a courteous and professional manner with all guests, co-workers and vendors.
• Lead by example, maintaining a polished and professional appearance and fostering departmental teamwork and collaboration.
• Cover Front Desk Agent Shifts and Night Audit as required.
• Assist Guest Services and Housekeeping departments when and where needed.
• Maintain the cleanliness and appearance of Front Desk area.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

WHAT YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and/or equivalent experience.
• 3 years of relevant experience in hospitality management.
• 2 years of experience working at a luxury hotel property.
• Knowledge of Hotel PMS systems, and MS Office applications.
• Proven ability to multi-task while maintaining a high degree of organization and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to define and solve problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions and to present information and findings to the management team.
• Experience in managing with budget constraints, tracking and reporting Income Statement variances to budget.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• 2 years of experience working at an independent/boutique hotel property preferred.
• Knowledge of the GDS, OTAs, and third-party reservation systems such as Travel Click.
• Prior experience using a POS system.
• Experience with hotel revenue management functions preferred.