Director Of Butlers

Smyth & Co; Milano; In loco; EUR 90.000 - 120.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

A luxury resort company seeks a Director of Butlers to elevate their butler operation. This leadership role requires proven experience in ultra-luxury settings and a deep understanding of service standards. The successful candidate will coach a team of 35 butlers, ensuring service excellence and high guest visibility. Responsibilities include implementing SOPs and driving a culture reset to enhance service delivery while managing performance and talent development. This position is pivotal in aligning with Forbes and Michelin-level expectations.

Servizi

Highly competitive salary

Accommodation

Travel benefits

Competenze

• Proven Director/Head of Butlers experience in ultra-luxury resorts or palaces.
• Strong grounding in international and European luxury service standards.
• Comfortable managing long-tenured teams and addressing underperformance.

Mansioni

• Lead the butler operation ensuring flawless consistency.
• Coach and develop team through daily presence and structured training.
• Establish clear SOPs and service playbooks in line with luxury benchmarks.

Conoscenze

Leadership in luxury service

Grooming standards enforcement

Guest experience management

High visibility leadership

Descrizione del lavoro

Position

Title: Director of Butlers
Salary: Highly competitive, plus accommodation and travel
Department: Rooms Division / Guest Experience
Reports to: Resort Manager / General Manager
Team Size: 35 Butlers (large European-style operation)
Environment: True luxury resort setting over 100 acres, servicing villas, suites, and residences

Role Overview

We are seeking a top-tier Director of Butlers to lead and elevate a large-scale, European-style butler operation within a true luxury resort environment. This is a hands‑on, highly visible leadership role requiring deep luxury service DNA, outstanding emotional intelligence, and the authority to reset, standardise, and elevate service at scale. The successful candidate will set uncompromising standards for anticipatory service, presence, grooming, posture, language, and consistency, ensuring the butler experience aligns with Forbes / LQA / Michelin‑level expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the butler operation end‑to‑end across villas, suites and residences, ensuring flawless consistency and delivery.
• Elevate and enforce standards: grooming, posture, language, etiquette, arrival / departure rituals, in‑room service sequences, and anticipatory service.
• Drive a culture reset where required—setting expectations, addressing underperformance, and restoring pride in the function.
• Maintain high guest visibility: present in the operation, leading by example, not desk‑bound.
• Coach and develop the team through daily floor presence, observation, feedback and structured training.
• Establish clear SOPs and service playbooks in line with ultra‑luxury benchmarks (Forbes, LQA and equivalent).
• Partner closely with Resort Leadership and Heads of Department to ensure seamless cross‑functional delivery.
• Manage performance, scheduling, succession planning, and talent development across a large, mixed‑tenure team.
• Ensure exceptional guest handling for UHNW and American luxury guests, with calm authority and discretion.
• Maintain service recovery excellence and proactive guest experience management without drifting into “guest relations only.”

Key Requirements (Non‑Negotiable)

• Proven Director / Head of Butlers experience in ultra‑luxury resorts or palaces (Aman, Cheval Blanc, Raffles, Rosewood, Peninsula, Dorchester Collection, One&Only or equivalent).
• Demonstrated leadership of high‑performance teams across villas, suites, and residences.
• Strong grounding in International and European luxury service standards, with confidence managing UHNW and American luxury guests.
• Personally experienced in high‑level butler service (not purely guest relations).
• Track record in culture reset and standards enforcement: grooming, language, posture, anticipation.
• Comfortable managing long‑tenured teams and underperformance without disruption.
• High guest visibility;
• not desk‑bound.

What We Will Not Consider

Guest Relations–only profiles or current Guest Manager profiles
Cruise‑ship butler backgrounds
Candidates without International and European luxury training
Corporate or policy‑heavy operators lacking floor presence and luxury service instinct

Role Mandate (Success Measures)

• Elevated service standards and consistency across the entire butler team
• A clear operating rhythm: daily floor leadership, coaching, and accountability
• Alignment with Forbes / LQA / Michelin‑level expectations
• Strong partnership with Resort Management as a trusted senior leader

Candidate Profile & Search Notes

Open to International and European or international candidates with the right pedigree.
Only discreet, currently employed, top‑tier candidates should be presented.