Chief Steward Full-time

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Victoria; On-site; CAD 66,000 - 74,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted rates for staff

Discounted food & beverage

50% off at dining destinations

Meals provided

Dry cleaning of attire

Health and wellness benefits

Pension plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Fairmont Empress in Victoria, BC, seeks a Stewarding Leader to guide the Stewarding team, uphold the highest cleanliness standards, and manage back‑of‑house operations. You will collaborate with Culinary, F&B, Banquet, and Engineering teams to ensure smooth service and safety.

Excellent leadership and organizational skills are essential. The role offers opportunities to optimize costs, drive sustainability, and contribute to a renowned property celebrated for luxury hospitality on Vancouver

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of progressive stewarding experience in a hotel, resort, or high‑volume hospitality environment.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience managing teams.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and health regulations.
• Experience managing staffing, scheduling, inventories, and departmental budgets.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the Stewarding team through recruitment, training, scheduling, and performance management.
• Ensure all kitchen, banquet, restaurant, and back‑of‑house areas are maintained to the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitation.
• Oversee dishwashing and pot‑washing operations, ensuring timely availability of china, glassware, silverware, cookware, and equipment.
• Champion food safety, hygiene, and sanitation protocols while ensuring compliance with health and regulatory requirements.
• Manage stewarding inventories, operating supplies, and equipment while controlling costs and minimizing waste.
• Partner with Culinary, Food & Beverage, Banquet, and Engineering teams to support daily operations and events.
• Ensure compliance with occupational health and safety standards and foster a strong culture of workplace safety.
• Support sustainability initiatives through waste reduction, recycling, and resource management.
• Monitor departmental productivity, labor costs, and operational performance to drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Food safety knowledge

Team development

Budget management

Education

Food Safe certification

HACCP certification (asset)

Job description

Recognized as the #1 Best Canadian Hotel in Travel + Leisure's 2025 and 2026 World's Best Awards, Fairmont Empress is located in Victoria, BC, overlooking the city's sparkling Inner Harbour. A Forbes recommended and MICHELIN key hotel that offers 431 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, Fairmont Spa with signature West Coast experiences, and Q at the Empress featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine, an award-winning wine list, and regionally focused cocktail culture. World-famous Tea at the Empress is served in the Lobby Lounge with stunning harbour views.

The magnificent property completed a $60+ million restoration in 2017 that celebrated its proud history while moving the hotel into a new era of modern luxury and transforming the iconic property into a must-visit destination. In 2023, the property introduced a revamped Fairmont Gold Experience, including a major renovation to the Fairmont Gold floor. 88 Fairmont Gold roomsand a newly renovated lounge are ready to accommodateguests. Located on Vancouver Island, Canada's Castle on the Coast is the ideal starting point to explore British Columbia's stunning natural and expansive beauty. Historic Hotels Worldwide recognizes the property's prestigious grounds as the Top 25 Most Magnificent Gardens in the World.

Job Description

What is in it for you:

• Employee benefit card offering discounted rates in Accor worldwide
• Discounted food & beverage offerings at our Vancouver sister properties
• Exclusive access to the Pacific Northwest Food & Beverage Discount Program with 50% off at our dining destinations in Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler
• Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within your property and across the world!
• Complimentary meals through our colleague dining program (taxes apply)
• Complimentary dry cleaning of business attire
• Access to our comprehensive benefits and wellness programs, including extended healthcare benefits and RMT, dental, vision, and complimentary counseling, wellness sessions, financial and family planning through LifeWorks
• Access toour company-matchedDefined ContributionPension Plan(DCPP)
• Opportunity to develop your talent throughcoaching andour Leadership Mentoring Programs
• Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within your property and across the world!
• Ability to make a difference through our Corporate Social Responsibility activities, like Planet 21
• Access to our full benefits package, including extended health, dental, vision benefits; life and disability insurance; pension with company match, Registered Retirement Savings Program (RRSP) with company contribution, and a Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)
• Paid time off including vacation, sick days and holidays
• Competitive Salary range of $69.600 Final compensation will be determined based on skills, relevant experience, and alignment with the role’s core and advanced competencies. Candidates with deeper expertise or specialized knowledge may be placed toward the upper portion of the range

What you will be doing:

• Lead, coach, and develop the Stewarding team through effective recruitment, training, scheduling, and performance management.
• Ensure all kitchen, banquet, restaurant, and back-of-house areas are maintained to the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitation.
• Oversee dishwashing and pot-washing operations, ensuring the timely availability of china, glassware, silverware, cookware, and kitchen equipment.
• Champion food safety, hygiene, and sanitation protocols while ensuring compliance with all health and regulatory requirements.
• Manage stewarding inventories, operating supplies, and equipment while controlling costs and minimizing breakage.
• Partner with Culinary, Food & Beverage, Banquet, and Engineering teams to support daily operations and special events.
• Ensure compliance with occupational health and safety standards and foster a strong culture of workplace safety.
• Support sustainability initiatives through waste reduction, recycling, and responsible resource management.
• Monitor departmental productivity, labor costs, and operational performance to drive continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Qualifications

Your experience and skills include:

• Minimum 3-5 years of progressive stewarding experience in a hotel, resort, or high-volume hospitality environment.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience managing teams.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and health regulations.
• Experience managing staffing, scheduling, inventories, and departmental budgets.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills.
• A hands-on leadership style with the ability to motivate and engage teams.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Food Safe certification required; HACCP certification is an asset.

Additional Information

Physical Aspects of Position (include but are not limited to):

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs (23 kg).
• Comfortable working in busy kitchen and food service environments.
• Availability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.

Visa Requirements: Must be legally eligible to work in Canada. The hotel is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.

Your team and working environment: Welcome to Canada’s Castle on the Coast. The Empress Hotel sits proudly at the centre of culture and history in Victoria, British Columbia. This is the best of all worlds – where contrast meets distinction, opulence blends harmoniously with the understated and fabled history meshes with contemporary affairs. This award-winning Victoria hotel and National Historic Site is an alluring blend of classic and contemporary, vintage and cutting-edge: Where Modern meets Iconic. Come join our wonderful team of hospitality experts!

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.
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/

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