Guest Services Manager (temporary)

POSITION SUMMARY  

The Hospitality Manager leads the Guest Services team in anticipating and responding to guest needs and creating an inclusive, positive, guest-friendly environment from pre-arrival through departure. The Hospitality Manager oversees a team of 15-20 staff members and coordinates guest transportation and volunteers. This role's main goal is to ensure exceptional levels of customer service for our guests and align with the Kripalu mission and values, with a focus on Sacred Hospitality. This position includes weekends and holidays. 

 ACCOUNTABILITIES  

• Create and maintain exceptional, consistent, and reliable guest service standards, including setting and exceeding measurable service benchmarks.
• Manage the operations of the Front Desk, to ensure that guests are greeted warmly and professionally, that guest flows and processes are streamlined, and that that the Front Desk team is energized and well prepared.
• Ensure that the physical Entry Experience for guests is safe, pleasant, and welcoming, by ensuring that Front Desk staff are maintaining neatness of the Front Desk area and lobby and by partnering with leaders in Housekeeping and Facilities to address any concerns for entry way from the outside and through the inside touchpoints for guest arrivals. 
• Partner with relative department directors to create and achieve Guest Service objectives by contributing guest service information and recommendations to goals and strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing guest service standards and training; monitoring accuracy; resolving problems and making recommendations for improvements.
• Manage, coordinate, and continually evaluate Front Desk, transportation, and volunteer areas, including individual staff members.
• Hire and manage personnel who have a natural talent with people and who are aligned with Kripalu’s mission, culture, and Sacred Hospitality. Train, develop, and empower employees to engage with customers, create quality experiences, and own and immediately resolve customer concerns in an organized and positive manner.
• Input and manage the execution of the budget, optimizing operational spending and staffing levels. Oversee timely and accurate payroll functions for the department.
• Effectively and efficiently resolve guest concerns and complaints. Keep records and report on guest complaints and resolutions that occur at the Front Desk. 
• Review and analyze all written and verbal guest feedback, especially but not exclusively Kripalu’s guest evaluations, and including specified social channels relevant to customer service, to make continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective staff training in Sacred Hospitality service standards and maintain effectiveness in executing weekly standard communications.
• Keep open channels of communication with Registrations and Healing Arts management to ensure a seamless guest booking experience.
• Review night-audit process and reports to ensure accurate closings and to review and close house accounts for the timely collection of revenue.
• Ensure that all administrative policies and procedures are effectively created and maintained.
• Ensure that Guest Services employees are trained for, and can execute, all safety, emergency, and child-care protocol.
• Partner with Area Director to continuously evaluate all areas of the organization that touch the guest experience and work strategically with all departments to develop and improve a seamless guest experience of the highest quality.
• Oversee guest transportation contracts and services.
• Lead regular staff meetings for Guest Services staff.
• Act as the Resort Suite expert in Guest Services and report/work through issues with the Hospitality Systems Manager.
• Serve as a member of the Leadership team and Operations team.

 CORE COMPETENCIES  

• Possesses strong core ethics, integrity, and values consistent with Kripalu’s organizational principles.
• Builds effective relationships, identifies internal and external customer expectations, sees issues from their point of view; offers practical, mutually beneficial recommendations, solutions, and ideas.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and abilities necessary to perform required job elements to established standards.
• Learns and adapts quickly in new situations resulting in successful performance.
• Accepts responsibility for own actions.
• Embraces experiences as learning opportunities.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE  

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality or business administration, or equivalent years of experience.
• 3-4 years’ experience as a direct supervisor (hospitality industry preferred).
• Valid Driver's License
• Strong management skills with previous experience in overseeing hiring, coaching, and disciplinary processes.
• Proven ability to build effective, lasting relationships with guests and staff through leadership, superior spoken and written communication, listening, and interpersonal skills.
• Impeccable character: keeps confidentiality and skillfully and gracefully resolves issues.
• Attention to detail and ability to strategize, plan, implement and solve problems.
• Extensive experience with Microsoft programs, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Experienced with hospitality software preferred.
• Strong orientation towards Kripalu's mission and core values.
• Must be available to work some evenings and weekend hours.