What Does a Hotel Manager Do?
Hotel managers oversee the daily operations of a hotel or resort, ensuring that guests have a positive experience and that the hotel is operating efficiently and profitably. They are responsible for managing staff, developing and implementing policies and procedures, and meeting customer expectations. In addition to hiring and training employees, the manager schedules shifts and oversees performance. By developing and implementing marketing strategies, they promote the hotel and increase bookings.
Apart from overseeing maintenance and upkeep, the manager ensures that the hotel is clean, safe, and well-maintained. They are responsible for ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, including health and safety rules, labor laws, and zoning regulations. The hotel manager plays an important role in ensuring that the hotel runs efficiently and offers excellent customer service, making it a desirable destination.
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National Average Salary
Hotel manager salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.
The average U.S. salary for a Hotel Manager is:
$82,400
Hotel Manager Job Descriptions
When it comes to recruiting a hotel manager, having the right job description can make a big difference. Here are some real world job descriptions you can use as templates for your next opening.
Example 1
We’re currently seeking a proven hospitality leader to be our next hotel manager. Our hotel is the premier destination for travelers visiting the city. We’re looking for an engaging, inspiring leader who has experience as a hospitality manager. The chosen candidate will be reporting directly to the managing director, and working closely with other executive committee personnel, hotel staff, and customers. We’re looking for someone with outstanding customer service, and a keen eye for quality control. If you’re a proven manager with a desire to provide outstanding service we invite you to apply.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- Work closely with management, peers, and staff to ensure top-quality service and amenities
- Coordinate, administrate, and manage all day-to-day operations
- Continuously ensures guest service expectations are met and exceeded
- Create and provide staff development and motivation programs
- Create and review budgets and expenses, set objectives and targets
- Create staff schedules
- Participate in operations meetings to create action plans
- Represent the hotel
Education and experience
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum 3 years experience in hospitality leadership or management position
Required skills and qualifications
- Exceptional management skills
- Ability to budget and forecast staff scheduling and finances
- Ability to create and maintain relationships with contractors, vendors, and guests
- Basic computer skills, specifically the MS Office Suite
- Excellent time management and prioritization ability
- Approachable demeanor, highly developed people skills
- Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Ability to handle confrontations and resolve disputes
- Great attention to detail
Preferred qualifications
- 5 years experience in leadership or management position in hospitality, specifically hotel management
- 2 years experience in a senior leadership position
- Experience in an upscale hotel environment
Example 2
Primary responsibilities
- Provides strategic leadership to drive service culture across all departments ensuring Hotel delivers on the service promise to our guests
- Sets a friendly and professional tone for the hotel staff to follow. Focuses on maintaining a warm and hospitable atmosphere at all times
- Handles day-to-day hotel operations, problems solving, guest recovery, and service resolution in all departments. Ensures that all departments are functioning properly according to occupancy levels and service expectations. Is able to manage hotel in absence of General Manager and handle all operational functions and decisions that would entail
- Works with supervisors and sales department in operating a yield management system to maximize revenue. Assists in periodic market studies
- Reviews daily shift reports and reservation activity
- Directs departments on staffing levels in accordance to occupancy expectations to provide memorable service in accordance with Four-Star service levels
- Oversees communications between departments
- Effectively manages the development of the team members and constantly monitors quality of the team and the hotel service
- Knowledge of and ability to train on all PMS (RDP-Resort Data Processing) functions, including front desk, housekeeping, and night audit procedures. Ability to handle basic management functions
- Monitors inventory and assists department with purchases, par stocks of supplies and amenities so that each department can function properly in tune with occupancy expectations
- Proficient on all aspects of emergency procedures and handles training for hotel staff. Works with management to develop and test emergency procedures
- Monitors condition and cleanliness of asset, including guestrooms, and hotel public and service areas
- May assist the Director of Sales with sales calls and requests for information as needed
- Oversees the continual training process of all hotel personnel. May facilitate cross training
- Be an active part of hotel hiring. Will be in charge of the pre-screening and interviewing process
- Monitors all department’s compliance with company uniforms and nametags. Maintains a professional appearance at all times and monitors all team members to promote a professional, consistent image
- Assists the General Manager with personnel management including working with Department supervisors in conducting warnings and terminations of hotel personnel
- May assist the General Manager and Director of Sales with monthly forecasting and goal setting. Focuses on achieving revenue goals by managing reservation activity, stay restrictions, and motivating the front office staff
Knowledge, skills, and abilities
The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions for the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities
- Advanced knowledge of MS Word and Excel with the ability to design a spreadsheet and a word document
- Considerable skill in the use of a calculator to prepare moderately complex mathematical calculations without error
- Ability to effectively and professionally deliver memorable service and problem solve with internal and external customers with tact, politeness, professionalism, and with a service minded mentality. Must be able to assess each external guest and internal guest situation by a case-by-case basis for the best possible outcome for all concerned
- Ability to stand and move throughout the hotel and continuously perform essential job functions
- Ability to read, listen, and communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing
- Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system
- Hearing and visual ability to observe and detect signs of emergency situations
- Must be available to work any shift as needed
- Other duties as assigned
Education
High School graduate or equivalent, college experience preferred.
Experience
Five years progressive Hotel Management experience required
Example 3
Oversees all aspects of the hotel operations, including guest relations, front desk, housekeeping, maintenance, finance, team building, and staff development. Responsible for all phases of hotel management, including sales and marketing, human resources, food and beverage, and budgeting/forecasting. Empowers associates to excel at providing superior customer care to guests, associates, and other visitors.
Duties
- Recruits, selects, trains, and manages employees to deliver superior guest services and quality products that will lead to maximizing revenue and profitability goals
- Creates and maintains customer-driven operations, empowering hotel staff to excel in superior customer care
- Develops, recommends, implements, and manages the hotel’s annual budget and long-term business plan. Achieves budgeted sales and maximum profitability
- Creates new programs in response to market conditions and revenue opportunities
- Protects the hotel’s financial assets by properly administering policies and procedures for handling cash, credit cards, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and all other financial transactions. Also, properly administers policies and procedures for protecting the safety of guests and employees
- Prepares daily reports for owners
- Ensures regular assessment and review of all hotel personnel by appropriate management staff. Coordinates internal training and development programs
- Maintains a high personal visibility throughout the property and throughout the community
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality or Business or equivalent combination of education and experience. Major hotel brand experience of at least 3 years is required
- Minimum of three years of hotel management or supervisory experience
- Knowledge of local competition and general industry trends
- Strong leadership and a professional image
- Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. Preferably Bi-lingual (English & Spanish)
- Excellent decision-making ability and analytical skills
- Knowledge of a variety of computer software applications
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, and holidays
Example 4
Job duties and responsibilities
- Managing budgets and financial plans and controlling expenditure
- Maintaining statistical and financial records
- Setting and achieving sales and profit targets
- Recruiting, training, and monitoring staff
- Planning work schedules for individuals and teams
- Meeting and greeting customers
- Dealing with customer complaints and comments
- Addressing problems and troubleshooting
- Ensuring events and conferences run smoothly
- Supervising maintenance, supplies, renovations, and furnishings
- Dealing with contractors and suppliers
- Ensuring security is effective
- Carrying out inspections of property and services
- Ensuring compliance with licensing laws, health and safety, and other statutory regulations
Education and experience
- Minimum of two years experience as a hospitality leader
Knowledge, skills, and abilities
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
- Demonstrated ability to lead a team
- Excellent attention to detail
- Financial savvy
- Proficient in Microsoft Office products
Candidate Certifications to Look For
- CHA. The Certified Hotel Administrator is a rewarding and highly regarded path that provides a great entry point for managers, executives, and owners of any hotel, motel, or lodging company.
- CRME. The Certified Hospitality Revenue Management executive demonstrates the holder’s ability to create and manage revenue streams created in the hospitality environment. The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International provides this certification, making it globally recognized and makes candidates a valuable resource.
- CAE. The Certified Association Executive offers a wide range of credentials tailored to hospitality executives. Specifically designed for the industry leaders, this certification will offer an invaluable toolset to maintain a high professional and personal standard. After receiving this certification, candidates will be highly competitive in the job market.
- CHIA. Certified in Hotel Industry Analytics demonstrates a candidate’s ability to grasp the foundational metrics and methodologies used and applied by the most successful hotels in the world. This will demonstrate a candidate’s ability to approach problem-solving with an analytical and solution-focused mindset, with the end objective being long-term success for the company.
Sample Interview Questions
- What’s your leadership style?
- What’s the biggest contribution you could provide to your staff?
- What would you consider to be the purpose of a hotel?
- What does a concierge do?
- Can you name some factors, in your opinion, that contribute to outstanding customer service in a hotel?
- Why did you decide on a career in hospitality?
- What was your first position in hospitality?
- What methods do you employ to maximize staff productivity?
- How would you handle several people attempting to check-in at the same time?
- Do you have any experience in the marketing and promotional side of hotel management?
- Have you ever managed a budget?
- Have you managed staff scheduling?
- What would you consider, in your opinion, to be the most challenging aspect of a hotel manager’s job?
- Can you describe a time you dealt with an irate customer? What was the outcome?
- What practices have you implemented in the past to manage cleanliness in the hotel?
- Have you dealt with a difficult employee? What was the outcome?
