Reception and Accommodation Manager

Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales); York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free hostel stays

Staff discount portal

Free YHA Membership

Employee assistance program

Job summary

YHA York, situated in Clifton, York, is seeking a Reception and Accommodation Manager to lead the front-of-house team and ensure high guest service standards. The role involves day-to-day hostel operations, coordination with the Hostel Manager, and delivering a welcoming experience for families, groups, and individual travellers.

The successful candidate will oversee group administration, staff development, and project delivery while maintaining YHA standards and budget controls.

Qualifications

• Experience in hospitality or customer service, including the management and delivery of a quality service.
• Experience of managing a team – leading others and guiding team members.
• Basic IT skills (MS Word, Outlook, Excel) and general IT proficiency.
• NVQ Level 3 in Customer Services, Hospitality, Tourism (desirable).
• Food safety level 2 and APLH level 2 qualifications (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Lead the reception and front of house team to deliver exceptional customer care.
• Monitor and control expenditure within the reception function.
• Use systems for efficient guest check-ins/check-outs, F&B sales, and other management tasks.
• Manage rota to ensure appropriate staffing levels in reception.
• Deputise for Hostel/Deputy Manager and oversee daily hostel operations.

Skills

Customer service

Team leadership

Hospitality experience

Budget awareness

MS Office

Education

NVQ Level 3 in CS/HS/Tourism

Job description

Reception and Accommodation Manager

YHA York, 42 Water End, Clifton, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6LP

Permanent, flexible contract

Minimum 25 hours per week

£13.63 per hour

YHA York is looking for a Reception and Accommodation Manager who doesn’t just run shifts, but helps shape the experience for guests and the team alike. Working closely with the Hostel Manager, you’ll help keep the hostel running smoothly day-to-day while being a visible, hands-on leader who leads from the front. One minute you might be supporting a team member, the next preparing a group for their stay, welcoming guests, solving a problem, or making sure standards are spot on. No two days are the same, and that’s exactly the point!

You’ll lead our reception and front of house team to deliver exceptional customer care. Whether you’re developing café service standards, delivering barista training, liaising with groups, or welcoming families and individual travellers, you’ll play a key role in YHA York’s success. You’ll oversee group administration, support and develop the team, lead projects, and ensure YHA standards are consistently embedded.

Situated on the leafy banks of the River Ouse, YHA York is just a short walk from the city’s historic centre and close to the stunning North Yorkshire countryside. We welcome families, individual travellers and groups of all ages, while also running our popular café and hosting events. Our team takes pride in its creativity and hard work, creating memorable experiences for every guest who walks through our doors.

Why work for YHA?

Join our team and enjoy a range of exclusive staff benefits that support your well-being and career growth:

• 10 nights free hostel stays per year for you and up to 3 friends or family

• Access to YHA’s staff discount and cash back portal

• Free YHA Membership each year

• Access to support via our Employee Assistance Program

There’s lots more benefits to working for YHA so please visit our YHA Jobs website to find out more.

What will you be doing as a Reception and Accommodation Manager?

We are a friendly team and will provide the training required for you to undertake the role. However, there is plenty for you to get stuck into from day one, including:

• Leading the team in providing excellent and consistent levels of customer service to agreed YHA standards

• Monitor and control expenditure within the reception function

• Using our systems for efficient guest check-ins and check-outs, food and beverage sales and service and other management functions.

• Managing the rota to ensure correct levels of staffing in reception

• Deputising for the Hostel/Deputy Manager, managing the daily hostel operation in their absence

What Skills and Experience do you need to be a Reception and Accommodation Manager?

Our Reception and Accommodation Managers are responsible for the line management of their teams within their own hostels, along with the management of occasional volunteers. They are also responsible for managing the operational budget and the safeguarding of guests.

To provide this service we are looking for candidates who have:

• Experience in hospitality or customer service, including the management and delivery of a quality service

• Experience of managing a team – experience of leading others, providing guidance to members of your team

• NVQ Level 3 within Customer Services, Hospitality, Tourism (desirable)

• Food safety level 2 and APLH level 2 qualifications (desirable)

• Ability to manage varying pressures, include peaks in workload demands – can prioritise, able to deal with conflicting duties

• Basic IT skills (ideally Microsoft Office) – able to use Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel

• Knowledge and understanding of the core purpose of YHA – what YHA does and how we do it

• Demonstration of our HEART values – they’re part of everything we do, and we look for people who bring them to life in their everyday work

For more information about the role and the skills and experience required, please refer to the job description.

At YHA, we understand the richness of life experiences, and we place just as much importance on lived experiences as we do on skills and knowledge. We provide a robust induction, ongoing training, and opportunities for personal growth. While certain roles may require specific skills, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. For more information about how we are creating an inclusive workplace please visit our jobs website.

Who are YHA?

YHA is a social enterprise with a mission to enrich the lives of all, especially young people. YHA does this by providing brilliant hostel stays and experiences that improve physical health, mental wellbeing and life skills.

If you would like to find out more about YHA the charity, the culture, the heritage and so much more please visit our jobs website.

PLEASE NOTE

All relevant checks are in place to ensure safeguarding and legal requirements of safer recruitment are adhered to. We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.