Assistant Manager - Airport Lounge

The Airport Lounge Assistant Manager is a hands-on manager role and will be very active in daily service operations at the new premium lounge opening in the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR). The Assistant Manager will have responsibility for daily operations and service staff including front desk hosts, lounge attendants, food service assistants, and cleaners in the lounge. The Assistant Manager needs to have a strong eye for detail, provide overall excellent service standards and lead the team. They will report directly to the General Manager and may be asked to assist with duties that fall under the General Manager.

This is a seven-day operation; candidates must be available to work weekends and holidays when needed.

The Successful Candidate Should Possess:

• Hospitality Focus: focus on guest satisfaction and providing memorable first in class experiences. Generous, friendly, and warm spirited.
• Guest Experience: Maintains a friendly, cheerful, and courteous demeanor at all times ensuring highest level of guest experience. The ability to anticipate and meet the needs of guests, delivering best in class products and services with the commitment of continuous improvement. This includes seeking to meet guest needs, expectations, and demands quickly and effectively; remaining calm and professional when dealing with difficult guests; reviewing complaints from internal/external guests and taking action to remedy the complaint; and treating the guest as valuable.
• Decision Making: The ability to make a good decision or lead a good decision-making process. The understanding when to decide, when to consult subordinates or peers and bring in a collaborative approach to the process, and when to step back to let others decide.
• Communication and Influence: Requires verbal and written communication skills to convey information that will be complex, and/or to others who may have limited knowledge of the subject in question. Role will require intermediate negotiation, influence, cooperation, tact, ability to articulate clearly, use of correct grammar, cultural context, and diplomacy, etc.
• Team Building: The ability to inspire, motivate, and guide others to foster team commitment, spirit, pride, and trust. This includes clearly communicating and reinforcing goals of team, unity, cooperation, and excellence.
• Integrity / Honesty: Behaving in an honest, fair, and ethical manner through all words and actions. Modeling high standards of ethics.
• Developing Others: The ability to motivate and inspire others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and opportunities to learn through formal and informal instruction.
• Technical Credibility: Full use and application of standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques in area of expertise. Focuses primarily on own area of specialty. Exposure to related disciplines.
• Analytical Thinking: The ability to systematically gather information from a variety of sources, analyze information, identify implications of data, and draw appropriate conclusions. Draws appropriate conclusions, generates viable alternative solutions to a question or a problem, and evaluate the consequences of choosing each alternative.
• Continual Learning: Assess and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses and pursues self-development.

Job Responsibilities:

• Manages overall day to day operations of the account ensuring the standards of excellence are met
• Assists in the responsibility for all operational activities including quality improvement, sanitation, infection control and all facility-related activities
• Consistently deliver exceptional guest experiences to guests
• Maintains excellent relationships with guests and clients as well as other departments
• Ensures compliance with proper sanitation and cleaning standards
• Operates within the budget and identifies new ways to improve the business
• The airport lounge is a seven-day operation; some weekends and holidays will be included in the work schedule
• Conducts HR functions including recruiting and hiring
• Direct the activities of up to 30 team members at any given time
• Oversees team training and development
• Motivate, coach, mentor and develop frontline (hourly) and management staff
• Ensure the completion of training programs, including all required certifications
• Achieve company and client financial targets and goals
• Uphold and elevate high standards regarding health, safety, and cleanliness
• Ensure Hyde Park Hospitality standards are met including compliance with company food and safety programs
• Fill in during the absence of the General Manager
• Comply and ensure your team follows all TSA and local airport authority regulations
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications And Experience:

• Management experience in fine dining, hotel, or other upscale hospitality venue of 1 – 3 years
• Demonstrated leadership abilities with creating and growing a successful team
• Possess the ability to manage multiple priorities, demonstrate professional communication skills, and exhibit a passion for a high-level of guest service
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with a range of audience including front line employees, clients, and corporate management
• Requires ability to maintain a presentable and polished appearance in keeping with service standards in a best-in-class environment
• Excellent communication and computer skills are needed, including knowledge of MS Office products
• Ability to follow all lawful safety, health, and liquor rules and regulations
• Must be able to pass and obtain security background check and clearance to work in airport environment
• Specific physical characteristics and abilities are required to perform the work, such as above-average agility and dexterity and long periods of walking, standing, bending or carrying moderately heavy items
• Maintaining current state approved alcohol certifications and food handlers / food safety manager certifications as required
• Other duties as needed

Pay Rate: $24.00-$26.00 per hour

Location: On-site

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Benefits:

• Medical Insurance (Health, Dental, Vision)
• Disability Insurance
• Vacation and PTO
• 401K Plan with generous Company Matching
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee Corporate Discounts for nationally recognized products and services (childcare, electronics, entertainment, hotels, home, groceries, restaurants, auto, travel, and pets)

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Hyde Park Hospitality (HPH) is a young—but dynamic and fast-growing—company built on deep roots in the food business. HPH earned Crain’s Fast 50 Award in 2024 for being one (ranked 30th) of the fifty fastest growing businesses in the Chicago-area! We provide services ranging from airport concessions, management staffing, brand licensing, to contracted food and facilities management. With a 75% diverse senior management team, HPH values diversity and welcomes everyone with necessary qualifications and experience, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, and any other protected status, to apply. Learn more about us at hph-us.com.