Front Office Manager

AccorHotels Middle East; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

AccorHotels Middle East is seeking a skilled Front Office Manager for a luxury Pullman property in Abu Dhabi. You will lead the Front Office team, ensure a seamless guest experience from arrival to departure, and coach staff to deliver genuine, personalized service.

Collaborating with Housekeeping, Reservations and Stay Design, you will translate guest preferences into memorable experiences while maintaining high operational standards and strong team morale.

Qualifications

• Previous Front Office Manager experience in a luxury hotel
• Proven track record leading teams and delivering high service standards
• Hands-on experience with Opera Cloud is required
• VIP handling, guest recognition and service recovery expertise
• Strong understanding of Front Office performance indicators and staffing productivity
• Ability to collaborate across departments and communicate effectively

Responsibilities

• Lead the Front Office experience with a welcoming, personalized approach from arrival to departure.
• Oversee daily operation and staffing across shifts, ensuring smooth check-in/out and minimal queues.
• Coach and develop the hosting team; sustain service standards and a one-team culture.
• Coordinate with Housekeeping, Reservations and Stay Design to translate guest preferences into experiences.
• Maintain effective handovers, briefings and logs for uninterrupted guest service.
• Drive improvements to arrival efficiency and guest satisfaction.”

Skills

Leadership

Guest service excellence

Communication

Problem solving

Tools

Opera Cloud

Job description

Job description

Company Description

"Why work for Accor?
We are far more than a worldwide leader. We welcome you as you are and you can find a job and brand that matches your personality. We support you to grow and learn every day, making sure that work brings purpose to your life, so that during your journey with us, you can continue to explore Accor’s limitless possibilities.
By joining Accor, every chapter of your story is yours to write and together we can imagine tomorrow's hospitality. Discover the life that awaits you at Accor, visit https://careers.accor.com/
Do what you love, care for the world, dare to challenge the status quo! #BELIMITLESS"

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Guest Experience & Hosting Leadership

• Lead the Front Office experience, creating a welcoming, confident and personalized environment from arrival to departure.
• Ensure the team recognizes returning guests, understands their preferences, and anticipates their needs without relying solely on scripted interactions.
• Champion the three-step hosting philosophy: Recognize the guest, Read their mood and preferences, and Route them towards the most relevant experience.
• Maintain a visible presence in the lobby and guest-facing areas, actively engaging with guests and supporting the team through real-time coaching.
• Create an environment where guests feel recognized rather than processed, ensuring interactions are natural, genuine and appropriately personalized.
• Oversee guest arrival, welcome amenities, luggage coordination, room orientation and departure arrangements.

Front Office & Daily Operational Management

• Oversee the daily operation of the welcome and hosting team, ensuring operational readiness across all shifts.
• Manage staffing levels, duty rosters, scheduling and deployment according to occupancy, arrival patterns, departure forecasts and anticipated business levels.
• Ensure smooth check-in and check-out processes while minimizing queues, waiting times and unnecessary administrative procedures.
• Monitor room readiness and coordinate closely with Housekeeping & other relevant departments to ensure timely room allocation and effective communication of room status.
• Ensure accurate guest registration, billing, cashiering, room allocation and adherence to hotel operating procedures.
• Maintain effective shift handovers, daily briefings, operational checklists and communication logs.
• Ensure the team is prepared to manage peak arrival periods, VIP movements, group arrivals and unexpected operational demands.
• Maintain effective coordination with Reservations / Stay Design to ensure pre-arrival preferences and the Guest Portrait are translated into actual guest experiences.

Team Leadership, Development & Service Culture

• Lead, develop and inspire a team of confident, engaging and service-oriented Hosts who embody the Pullman personality.
• Recruit and develop individuals with strong emotional intelligence, positive energy, communication skills, adaptability and a natural ability to connect with people.
• Conduct daily briefings, operational rehearsals, service coaching and performance reviews.
• Develop team members' confidence in reading guest behavior, anticipating needs and creating memorable interactions.
• Establish clear performance expectations, accountability and consistent service standards across all shifts.
• Foster a collaborative culture where the team works beyond traditional departmental boundaries to deliver one continuous guest experience.

Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure consistent compliance with Pullman brand standards, operational procedures, guest safety requirements and service expectations.
• Conduct regular operational inspections and service observations across the lobby, reception, concierge and arrival areas.
• Review operational performance, guest feedback and service recovery trends to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Drive initiatives to improve arrival efficiency, reduce waiting times, strengthen communication and enhance the overall hosting experience.
• Maintain the physical presentation, atmosphere and operational readiness of all front-of-house areas in coordination with the House Curator.
• Support the implementation of new systems, digital guest solutions and operational enhancements that simplify the guest journey.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Front Office Manager or in a comparable Front Office leadership role
• A proven track record of leading teams and delivering consistently high standards of service in a luxury hotel environment.
• Hands-on experience with Opera Cloud is required
• Strong expertise in VIP handling, guest recognition, complaint resolution and service recovery.
• Sound understanding of Front Office performance indicators, staffing productivity, cost control and upselling.
• Excellent leadership, communication and organizational skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
• A calm, solution-oriented approach and the ability to make sound decisions in a fast-paced operation.