Learning and Development Manager

Situated in Downtown’s Second Street District, Austin Proper Hotel & Residences is the newest luxury lifestyle hotel in Austin, just steps from Lady Bird Lake, the legendary Austin City Limits music venue and nearby boutiques. With inspiring interiors by Kelly Wearstler and culinary offerings in collaboration with MML Hospitality, Austin Proper offers 238 rooms and suites, a dedicated spa and fitness center, and 14,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces, including a rooftop pool deck offering small-batch tequilas and majestic lake views. Anything less just wouldn’t be Proper.

Job Overview

Reporting to the Director of People & Culture, the Learning & Development Manager helps drive company values and philosophy and ensures all learning and development activities are linked to the hotel’s strategic priorities. This role works with the property leadership team to identify and address colleague and organizational development needs. The position is responsible for ensuring effective training is in place to enable the achievement of desired business results. Training programs focus on a variety of topics, including but not limited to onboarding, culture, compliance, guest service and leadership development. The Learning & Development Manager conducts needs assessments, designs and develops training programs, facilitates the delivery of both custom and corporate training programs and measures the effectiveness of learning and development to ensure a return on investment.

Key Responsibilities

Developing Training Program Plans & Budgets

• Identifies performance gaps and works with leaders to develop and implement appropriate training to improve performance
• Ensures all training and development activities (department specific and general property training) are linked to the hotel’s strategic priorities
• Makes any necessary adjustments to training methodology and/or re-trains as appropriate
• Aligns current training and development programs to effectively impact key business indicators
• Establishes guidelines so colleagues understand expectations and parameters
• Develops specific training to improve service performance
• Drives brand values and philosophy in all training and development activities
• Incorporates guest satisfaction as a component of the learning plan with a focus on continuous improvement

Administering Colleague Training Programs

• Promotes and informs colleagues about all training programs
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations
• Helps colleagues identify specific behaviors that will contribute to service excellence
• Ensures colleagues receive on-going training to understand guest expectations
• Uses effective training methods to ensure colleagues have a good understanding of guest satisfaction and can demonstrate guest satisfaction skills
• Observes service behaviors of colleagues and provides feedback to managers and/or individuals

Evaluating Training Programs Effectiveness

• Monitors and tracks training participation
• Meets regularly with participants to assess progress and address concerns
• Partners with operational leaders to assess if colleagues demonstrate effective technical and leadership skills
• Reviews guest satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement
• Measures transfer of learning from training courses to the operation
• Ensures adult learning principles are incorporated into training programs

Managing Training Budgets

• Participates in the development of the Learning & Development budget and Plan
• Manages budget in alignment with People & Culture and property financial goals
• Manages department controllable expenses to achieve or exceed budgeted goals

Additional Responsibilities:

• Informs and/or update the executives, the peers and the subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner
• 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
• Order and purchase equipment and supplies
• Supports other People & Culture and hotel-wide activities

Company Overview

Proper Hospitality is made up of a diverse group of passionate individuals who share a common love for hotels and the art of hospitality. Our philosophy is simple: There is a right way to do things and anything less just isn’t proper. We are seeking out the “best of the best” from inside and outside of the industry to work alongside us as we grow a new kind of lifestyle Hospitality Company inspired by a centuries-old tradition. The work is challenging and fast-paced, but rewarding above all.

Proper Hospitality provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other federal/state protected category.

Proper Hospitality will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local Fair Chance Hiring Ordinances.