Hotel - Duty Manager

Premier-Inn; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Whitbread Benefits Card – up to 60% of

Company pension and Save As You Earn

Discounts on shopping, travel, cinema,

Job summary

Premier Inn is seeking a Duty Manager for Darlington East (Morton Park) to help run the hotel across reception, housekeeping and the restaurant. You’ll lead shifts, brief the team and ensure guests have a great stay, bringing calm and decisive leadership to busy periods.

No prior hotel experience is required; candidates from retail, hospitality and service backgrounds are encouraged. This role offers guaranteed hours and a clear path to future promotions within Whitbread.

Qualifications

• You don’t need hotel experience; open to candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Lead shifts across the hotel and deliver clear pre-shift briefings
• Support and coach team members throughout the day
• Help guests with questions and sort out problems
• Jump in to support different teams, from reception to the restaurant
• Spot issues early and put them right
• Help keep guests safe and the hotel running the way it should
• Work closely with the Hotel Manager and wider leadership team

Skills

Team leadership

Customer service

Problem solving

Decision making

Job description

Duty Manager – Darlington East (Morton Park) Premier Inn

This isn’t a desk job.

You’ll spend your shift helping guests, leading your team and keeping the hotel running smoothly.

One moment you might be helping reception with a guest query. The next, you could be supporting housekeeping, checking rooms, helping during a busy breakfast service or briefing the team before the next rush.

If you enjoy leading from the front, solving problems and making things happen, this could be your next step.

And if you’d like to become a Hotel Manager one day, this is a brilliant place to start.

Pay, hours and location

Pay: Up to £13.86 per hour

Contract: Permanent – we don’t do zero-hours contracts.

Hours: 24 guaranteed hours per week.

Location: Morton Park Way, Morton Park, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 4PJ

Shifts: Includes evenings, weekends and busy guest periods.

What you’ll do

As Duty Manager, you’ll help lead the hotel during your shift. You’ll work across reception, housekeeping and the restaurant to make sure our guests have a great stay and your team has everything they need. You’ll:

• Lead shifts across the hotel and deliver clear pre-shift briefings
• Support and coach team members throughout the day
• Help guests with questions and sort out problems
• Jump in to support different teams, from reception to the restaurant
• Spot issues early and put them right
• Help keep guests safe and the hotel running the way it should
• Work closely with the Hotel Manager and wider leadership team

This isn’t a role where you stand back and supervise.

You’ll be out on the floor, helping your team wherever you’re needed.

You don’t need hotel experience

Some of our best Duty Managers joined us from retail, supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, leisure, healthcare and customer service.

If you’ve led people before, we can teach you the hotel.

You may have worked as a:

• Team Leader
• Supervisor
• Shift Manager
• Assistant Manager

Any role where you’ve been responsible for leading people in a busy customer‑facing environment would suit us.

What matters most is that you’re confident making decisions, enjoy helping people and stay calm when things get busy.

Why join Premier Inn?

We’re proud to be the UK’s biggest hotel brand, but it’s our people that make the difference.

As a Duty Manager, you’ll learn how an entire hotel operates – not just one department.

You’ll work alongside experienced managers, build your leadership skills and gain experience that can help you progress into a Hotel Manager role.

If you’re ambitious, we’ll help you keep moving.

What you’ll get

• Permanent contract with guaranteed hours
• Full training and support from day one
• A clear career path with real opportunities to progress
• Whitbread Benefits Card – up to 60% off Premier Inn rooms
• Company pension and Save As You Earn scheme
• Discounts on shopping, travel, cinema, supermarkets and more

Is this role right for you?

If you:

• Like being busy and working with people
• Enjoy leading by example
• Stay calm under pressure
• Take ownership instead of waiting to be asked
• Want a role where every day is different…

…then we’d love to hear from you.