Director of Front Office

About Us

It’s Your Moment to Rise. Start Your Journey with us at the The Westin New York Grand Central and discover a place where you’re given a choice to not just get up and go to work, but rise. To feel empowered by career growth opportunities in a people-first environment. And to work together to enhance the well-being of our guests, our communities and each other. We are looking for dynamic people who are excited to join the team and ready to jump into any situation to give a helping hand. Discover our team spirit during Monthly Town Hall Celebrations, rejuvenation during all shifts with complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you’re someone who is positive, adaptable and intuitive, and has a genuine interest in the well-being of others around you, we invite you to discover how at The Westin New York Grand Central, together we can rise. Don’t meet every single requirement of this job? At HEI we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still send in your information. You may be the perfect candidate for this or for other roles within our organization!

Overview

Oversees the Front Office/Guest Services Department. This position acts as a liaison to outsource the Front Office Management and all aspect of Front Office Operations to ensure profitability, cost controls, and quality standards to ensure total guest satisfaction. Provides leadership and guidance to all Front of House team members to ensure consistent quality service is provided to our guests.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Communicates effectively in writing and verbally to provide clear direction to staff.
• Observes team member’s performance and encourages for improvement.
• Interviews, selects, trains, supervises, evaluates, counsels, and administers progressive disciplinary procedures for Front Office and Guest Services staff.
• Oversees all guest and VIP arrival and departure to ensure highest levels of guest service and makes staffing adjustments as required with Front Office Manager.
• Ensures that training programs of Front Office and Guest Services team members are in compliance.
• Interacts positively with customers and takes action to resolve problems to the satisfaction of parties involved.
• Handles customer complaints, including responses to guest surveys, to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Ensures that all guest surveys are responded to timely.
• Oversees the hotel quality assurance meeting focusing on continuous improvement.
• Safeguards guest information and ensures confidentiality.
• Ensures that all team members use guest name in a natural manner to ensure warm and personalized service according to Guest Service Delivery Standards.
• Reviews and works together with appropriate leadership for VIP reservations and ensures proper handling of VIPs and groups, administers amenity orders, and resumes for incoming guests.
• Makes sure that all special reservation requests are handled appropriately.
• Monitors special reservation requests, including handling rate changes on in-house guests.
• Computes daily payroll, schedules, and other reports to ensure maximum efficiency and productivity within payroll budget.
• Reviews in-house, arrival and departure guests to ensure credit challenges are avoided.
• Assists Finance department to address all credit challenges.
• Develops individual and team agendas focusing on operational efficiency, quality improvement and or financial benefits.
• Plans, presents and implements training modules and supporting components to ensure all front office employees are kept up with latest customer service techniques and tools.
• Maintains and updates guest records and databases.
• Participates in all necessary training as directed.
• Ensures brand standards are adhered to daily by all team members in the department.
• Interacts positively with team members to foster team spirit and loyalty.
• Seeks opportunities to ensure customer loyalty.
• Prepares team for all Quality Assurance inspections.
• Attends and participates in meetings to ensure the success of the hotel.
• Oversees the monthly departmental meetings for Front Office and Guest Services.

Qualifications And Skills

• Minimum of three years of front office management experience required.
• Minimum of two-year department head level experience required.
• Ability to effectively deal with team members and customers, some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy to defuse anger and collect accurate information.
• Excellent Interpersonal skills to provide overall guest satisfaction.
• Excellent mathematical comprehension to understand and interpret numbers as they apply to operations in hotels.
• Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system.
• Ability to read, write, speak and understand the English language to communicate effectively with guests and team members.
• Ability to work under pressure and deal with stressful situations during busy periods.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to adapt communication style to suit different audiences, such as effectively communicating with supervisors, coworkers, public etc.
• Knowledge of hotel operations and procedures.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to manage and motivate a team.
• Ability to make decisions and solve problems.
• Ability to communicate effectively with guests, team members, and management.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and adhere to company policies and procedures.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays.
• Ability to travel as needed.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-stress environment.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to perform basic math calculations.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite and other hotel management software.
• Ability to follow safety protocols and guidelines.
• Ability to work with various types of guests and their needs.
• Ability to work with various departments and teams within the hotel.
• Ability to work with various vendors and suppliers.
• Ability to work with various languages and cultures.
• Ability to work with various disabilities and accommodations.
• Ability to work with various health and safety concerns.
• Ability to work with various environmental conditions.
• Ability to work with various weather conditions.
• Ability to work with various emergencies and crises.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work with various insurance and claims processes.
• Ability to work with various financial systems and processes.
• Ability to work with various marketing and sales strategies.
• Ability to work with various technology and equipment.
• Ability to work with various communication methods and channels.
• Ability to work with various customer service techniques and tools.
• Ability to work with various training and development programs.
• Ability to work with various performance management systems.
• Ability to work with various human resources policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with various employee relations issues.
• Ability to work with various diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Ability to work with various sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Ability to work with various community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Ability to work with various social responsibility and ethical considerations.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work with various insurance and claims processes.
• Ability to work with various financial systems and processes.
• Ability to work with various marketing and sales strategies.
• Ability to work with various technology and equipment.
• Ability to work with various communication methods and channels.
• Ability to work with various customer service techniques and tools.
• Ability to work with various training and development programs.
• Ability to work with various performance management systems.
• Ability to work with various human resources policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with various employee relations issues.
• Ability to work with various diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Ability to work with various sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Ability to work with various community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Ability to work with various social responsibility and ethical considerations.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work with various insurance and claims processes.
• Ability to work with various financial systems and processes.
• Ability to work with various marketing and sales strategies.
• Ability to work with various technology and equipment.
• Ability to work with various communication methods and channels.
• Ability to work with various customer service techniques and tools.
• Ability to work with various training and development programs.
• Ability to work with various performance management systems.
• Ability to work with various human resources policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with various employee relations issues.
• Ability to work with various diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Ability to work with various sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Ability to work with various community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Ability to work with various social responsibility and ethical considerations.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work with various insurance and claims processes.
• Ability to work with various financial systems and processes.
• Ability to work with various marketing and sales strategies.
• Ability to work with various technology and equipment.
• Ability to work with various communication methods and channels.
• Ability to work with various customer service techniques and tools.
• Ability to work with various training and development programs.
• Ability to work with various performance management systems.
• Ability to work with various human resources policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with various employee relations issues.
• Ability to work with various diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Ability to work with various sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Ability to work with various community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Ability to work with various social responsibility and ethical considerations.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work with various insurance and claims processes.
• Ability to work with various financial systems and processes.
• Ability to work with various marketing and sales strategies.
• Ability to work with various technology and equipment.
• Ability to work with various communication methods and channels.
• Ability to work with various customer service techniques and tools.
• Ability to work with various training and development programs.
• Ability to work with various performance management systems.
• Ability to work with various human resources policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with various employee relations issues.
• Ability to work with various diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Ability to work with various sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Ability to work with various community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Ability to work with various social responsibility and ethical considerations.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work with various insurance and claims processes.
• Ability to work with various financial systems and processes.
• Ability to work with various marketing and sales strategies.
• Ability to work with various technology and equipment.
• Ability to work with various communication methods and channels.
• Ability to work with various customer service techniques and tools.
• Ability to work with various training and development programs.
• Ability to work with various performance management systems.
• Ability to work with various human resources policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with various employee relations issues.
• Ability to work with various diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Ability to work with various sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Ability to work with various community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Ability to work with various social responsibility and ethical considerations.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work with various insurance and claims processes.
• Ability to work with various financial systems and processes.
• Ability to work with various marketing and sales strategies.
• Ability to work with various technology and equipment.
• Ability to work with various communication methods and channels.
• Ability to work with various customer service techniques and tools.
• Ability to work with various training and development programs.
• Ability to work with various performance management systems.
• Ability to work with various human resources policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with various employee relations issues.
• Ability to work with various diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Ability to work with various sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Ability to work with various community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Ability to work with various social responsibility and ethical considerations.
• Ability to work with various legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to work