Director of Guest Services

Director of Guest Services

Albany, NY

Job Summary: The Director of Guest Services is responsible for ensuring the operation of the Front Office and Uniformed Services, in an attentive, friendly, efficient, and courteous manner, providing all guests with quality service prior to and throughout their stay, while maximizing room revenue and occupancy. 

Duties & Functions

Primary:

• Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous, and service-oriented manner. 
• Maintain regular attendance in compliance with Hilton standards, as required by scheduling, which will vary according to the hotel's needs. 
• Maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming, which include wearing the proper uniform and name tag when working. 
• Always comply with Hilton standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations. 
• Respond attentively, courteously, and efficiently to all guests’ requests, problems, complaints, and/or accidents presented at the Front Desk or through reservations, comment cards, letters, and/or phone calls. Follow up to ensure guest satisfaction. 
• Motivate, coach, counsel and discipline all Guest Services personnel according to AFP Management SOP's. Ensure compliance to Embassy Suites by Hilton Standard training, using the steps to effective training according to Hilton standards. 
• Prepare and conduct all Guest Services interviews and follow hiring procedures according to AFP Management SOP. 
• Develop employee morale and ensure training of Guest Services personnel. Ensure sign-off on all Job Skills for Guest Service Staff.
• Maximize room revenue and occupancy by reviewing the status daily. Analyze rate variance, monitor credit reports, and maintain close observation of daily house count. Monitor the selling status of the house daily, i.e., flash report, allowances, etc. 
• Participate in the required M.O.D. program as scheduled. 
• Review Guest Services staff's worked hours for payroll compilation and submit to HR on a timely basis. 
• Prepare employee Schedules according to business forecasts, payroll budget guidelines, and productivity requirements. 
• Ensure that no-show revenue is maximized through consistent and accurate billing
• Maintain AFP Management SOPs regarding purchase orders, vouchering invoices, and checkbook accounting.
• Work closely with accounting on follow-up items, i.e., returned checks, rejected credit cards, employee discrepancies, etc.
• Operate all Front Office computer system aspects, including software maintenance, report generation and analysis, and simple programming.
• Assist in the preparation of revenue and occupancy forecasting.
• Maintain lobby and front desk presence during peak times and as needed. 
• Manage and organize large tum days (including group check-ins or check-outs).
• Monitor and support the corporate Guest Recognition Program. 
• Know the hotel's rate tower and rate quoting standards. 
• Understand and implement room merchandising restrictions. 
• Maintain safety deposit boxes according to AFP Management SOP. 
• Monitor out-of-order, out-of-service, discrepant, and showrooms. 
• Manage sell-out opportunities, review arrivals, report checks on rooms’ inventory, and control guest relocation according to the Hotel's SOP. 
• Block special requests as needed, such as VIPs, special needs rooms, connecting, etc. 
• Ensure correct and accurate cash handling at the Front Desk.
• Follow and enforce all AFP Management hotel credit policies.
• Be familiar with all corporate-sponsored programs such as airline mileage, Upgrades, or V.I.P. programs and the standards and procedures for each. Ensure that staff is knowledgeable in understanding and implementing corporate programs. 
• Establish and maintain a key control system. 
• Focus the Guest Services Department on their role in contributing to the SALT 
• Monitor all V.I.P.s, special guests, and requests. 
• Maintain required pars of all front office and stationery supplies.
• Review daily Front Office work and activity reports generated by Night Audit.
• Review the Front Office logbook and Guest Request log daily. 
• Maintain an organized and comprehensive filing system with documentation of purchases, vouchering, schedules, forecasts, reports and tracking logs. 
• Attend meetings/training as required by management. 
• Perform other duties as requested by management.

Education & Experience: 

• At least 4 years of progressive experience in a hotel or related field
• 2-4-year college degree and at least 1 year of related experience; or a 2-year college degree and 2 or more years of related experience. 
• Supervisory experience is required. 
• Must be proficient in Windows Word, Excel, Delphi, OnQ Preferred
• Must have a valid driver's license from the applicable state. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Long hours are sometimes required. 
• Light work involves exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.
•  Ability to stand during the entire shift.

Mental Requirements:

• Must be able to convey information and ideas.
• Must evaluate and select alternative courses of action quickly and accurately.
• Must routinely meet deadlines.
• Must be able to multitask
• Must be effective in handling problems in the workplace, including anticipating, preventing, identifying, and solving problems as necessary.
• The ability to assimilate complex information, data, etc., from disparate sources and consider, adjust, or modify it to meet the constraints of the need is essential.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying the concerns and issues raised by co-workers and guests.
• Must be able to work with and understand financial information and data, as well as basic arithmetic functions.  

We're an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

EEOC and

In accordance with New York State’s Pay Transparency Law (New York State Labor Law Section 194-b) which requires private employers with four (4) or more employees to include a range of pay for all advertised jobs, promotion, or transfer opportunities.   This position pays $65,000-$75,000 annually based on experience.

Salary : $65,000 - $75,000