Assistant Director of Front Office

Company: Highgate Hotels
Location: Honolulu
Posted on: May 16, 2022

Job Description:

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in major U.S. gateway cities including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a growing Caribbean and Latin America footprint. The hospitality forward company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate has a proven record of developing its diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts with contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, London, Miami, and Seattle. www.highgate.com.

Location

This 645-room hotel is perfectly located on Honolulu's famous Kalakaua Avenue, where it is just steps to the beach and an arm's reach to the best dining, shopping, and entertainment in the area. Guests can borrow the hotel's own towels and beach chairs to spend the day by the sea, or choose to lay out by the hotel's pool with a tropical drink from nearby Tiki's Grill and Bar. And for the adventurous, the Aston Waikiki offers a on-site activities desk ready to curate a number of fun experiences.

Overview

The Assistant Director of Front Office is responsible for ensuring the operation of the Guest Service Managers (OEM), in an attentive, friendly, efficient, and courteous manner, providing all guests with quality service prior to and during their stay, while maximizing room revenue and occupancy. This position will partner with the our third-party vendors to ensure quality service is provided throughout the entire hotel.

Responsibilities

* Respond to all guests' requests, problems, complaints and/or accidents presented at the Front Desk or through reservations, comment cards, letters and/or phone calls, in an attentive, courteous and efficient manner. Follow up to ensure guest satisfaction.
* Motivate, coach, counsel and discipline all Guest Services Managers according to Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
* Carry a cell phone at all times.
* Prepare and conduct all Guest Services Managers interviews and follow hiring procedures according to Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
* Develop team morale and ensure training of Guest Services Managers.
* Maximize room revenue and occupancy by reviewing status daily. Analyze rate variance, monitor credit report and maintain close observation of daily house count. Monitor selling status of house daily, i.e. flash report, allowances, etc.
* Attend daily and monthly Rooms Merchandizing meetings.
* Participate in required M.O.D. program as scheduled.
* Review Guest Services Managers' worked hours for payroll compilation and submit to Payroll on a timely basis.
* Prepare Schedule according to business forecast, payroll budget guidelines and productivity requirements.
* Ensure that no-show revenue is maximized through consistent and accurate billing.
* Maintain Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s regarding Purchase Orders, vouchering of invoices and checkbook accounting.
* Ensure that Wage Progress, Productivity and the Ten Day Forecast are completed on a timely basis according to Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
* Maintain a professional working relationship and promote open lines of communication with managers, employees and other departments.
* Work closely with Accounting on follow-up items, i.e., returned checks, rejected credit cards, employee discrepancies, etc.
* Operate all aspects of the Front Office computer system, including software maintenance, report generation and analysis, and simple programming.
* Monitor proper operation of the P.B.X. console and ensure that employees maintain Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s in its use.
* Ensure staff greet and welcome all guests approaching the Front Desk in accordance with Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
* Ensure implementation of all Highgate Hotel policies and house rules. Understand hospitality terms.
* Assist in preparation of revenue and occupancy forecasting.
* Ensure logging and delivery of all messages, packages, and mail in a timely and professional manner.
* Must maintain constant communication with Housekeeping, Reservations and the Credit Manager.
* Operate radios efficiently and professionally in communicating with hotel staff. Ensure the proper use of radio etiquette within the department.
* Coordinate all aspects of the ongoing implementation of the Highgate Hotel philosophy of service.
* Ensure correct and accurate cash handling at the Front Desk.
* Follow and enforce all Highgate Hotel credit policies.
* Ensure that employees are, at all times, attentive, friendly, helpful and courteous to all guests, managers and other employees.
* Maintain and monitor "Lost and Found" procedures and policies according to Highgate Hotel standards.
* Establish and maintain key control system.
* Ensure participation within department for monthly Highgate Hotel team meeting.
* Monitor all V.I.P.'s, special guests and requests.
* Maintain required pars of all front office and stationary supplies.
* Review daily Front Office work and activity reports generated by Night Audit.
* Review Front Office log book and Guest Request log on a daily basis.
* Be familiar with all corporate sponsored programs such as airline mileage, V.I.P. programs, and the standards and procedures for each.
* Maintain an organized and comprehensive filing system with documentation of purchases, vouchering, schedules, forecasts, reports and tracking logs.
* Conduct meetings according to Highgate Hotel standards as required by management.
* 2B & 3B - Block, Party - 6 months out
* 6 am: Increase hotel music volume
* AM Credit Limit Report - Follow up & upload to
* ASOV, ASPO, OFS, OFSK, HOV, HOVK - Block, Party - at least 5 days out
* Departures - After 12N & no LCO, status w/ HSK
* Deposit Ledger - Refund deposits for cxld res w/ arrival today & prior
* Double check your upgrades in CIM to receive commission
* Fire Panel - Review procedures, how to activate microphone, verbiage, etc
* Group arrivals - Check in PM, Prep key packets, Status rooms
* Guest Central Log - Update & Follow Up
* Guest Ledger - Run report, reconcile high balances (7+ days)
* JAL Arrivals, input names, prep keys, safe key, wake up calls (Today & +1 Day)
* Mail - Sort, Log & Kipsu guests
* Open Folio/Open Balances - Check out folios, Follow up
* Past Stay Voicemail box - Check and Respond to guests
* Pool Furniture - Lined up, umbrellas all up/down
* Room Move Log - Update, Complete Moves
* Room quality inspection (1 per day)
* Rooms Mgmnt > HSK > Rm Discrepancies > C/O rooms with HSK Status - VAC
* Run Trace Report and ensure traces are completed
* Set up pool furniture for iPoolside/Resortpass arrivals
* Synergy - Monitor calls, radio depts, close accordingly
* Tomorrow's Arrivals - Block, Party
* VCC Arrivals - Process deposits on Window 2 (Today & +1 Day)
* ZIP Arrivals, prep keys,
* Walk Property - Ensure it is immaculate - Input Synergy requests

Qualifications

* At least 5 years of progressive experience in a hotel or a related field; or a 2-year college degree and 3 or more years of related experience; or a 4-year college degree and at least 1 year of related experience.
* Supervisory experience required.
* Must be proficient in Windows, Company approved spreadsheets and word processing.
* Must have a valid driver's license from the applicable state.
* Long hours sometimes required.
* Light hours sometimes required.
* Light work - 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.
* Maintain a warm and friendly demeanor at all times.
* Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.
* Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees and guests.
* Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
* Perform other duties as requested by management.

Keywords: Highgate Hotels, Honolulu , Assistant Director of Front Office, Executive , Honolulu, Hawaii