Assistant Director of Housekeeping

InterContinental Hotels Group; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

InterContinental Hotels Group in Boston seeks a seasoned Housekeeping Manager to lead housekeeping and laundry operations, ensuring service quality and guest satisfaction in line with brand standards.

You will plan staffing, train teams, monitor budgets, and coordinate with Front Office, Maintenance, and F&B to maintain a flawless guest experience. Fluent English and supervisory experience are essential in a hotel setting.

Qualifications

• Fluent English required for guest interactions and team communication.
• Strong communication and leadership skills essential for supervising a large staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day housekeeping and laundry operations to meet quality standards and guest satisfaction.
• Plan staffing, schedule work, train staff, and enforce policies and procedures.
• Monitor budgets, control expenses, and participate in departmental planning and reporting.
• Coordinate with Front Office, Maintenance, and Food & Beverage to ensure seamless service.

Skills

Fluent English

Communication skills

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent (some college preferred)

Job description

JOB OVERVIEW:

Manage the housekeeping and laundry operation to ensure product quality standards are met and that optimum service is provided to hotel guests according to hotel and company business objectives.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage the day-to-day activities of the housekeeping department, plan, schedule, and organize work to ensure proper coverage. Communicate and enforce policies and procedures.
• Recommend and/or initiate salary, disciplinary, or other staffing/human resources-related actions in accordance with company rules and policies. Alert management of potentially serious issues.
• Ensure all staff is properly trained and has the tools and equipment needed to effectively carry out their respective job duties.
• Develop and implement procedures for managing the quality of housekeeping and laundry services. Schedule routine inspections of all guest rooms and public areas to ensure furnishings, guest rooms/suites, equipment, housekeeping and food and beverage linens, public restrooms, lobby, etc. are clean and in good repair to meet guest satisfaction. Ensure that employees are advised of deficiencies and instructed on corrective action.
• Monitor, coordinate and execute the special needs and requests of VIP, repeat guests and members of frequency program(s).
• Respond to guest complaints and special requests, and ensure corrective action is taken to achieve complete guest satisfaction.
• Control expenses within all areas of housekeeping. Participate in the preparation of the annual departmental operating budget and financial plans which support the overall objectives of the hotel.
• Conduct comprehensive departmental meetings to include a review of procedures and events which warrant special handling and detailed information.
• Conduct pre-shift meeting and review all information pertinent to the day’s activities.
• Establish par levels for supplies and equipment. Replenish shortages and other business supplies for daily business.
• Promote teamwork and quality service through daily communication and coordination with other departments. Key departmental contacts include Front Office, Guest Relations, Maintenance, and Food and Beverage.
• Interact with outside contacts:
  • Guests – to ensure their total satisfaction
  • Vendors/Contractors – to ensure adequate inventory of supplies and equipment, to discuss pricing or service issues, to resolve any vendor performance issues, etc.
  • Regulatory agencies – regarding safety and compliance matters
  • Other contacts as needed (Professional organizations, community groups, local media)
• May be responsible for the security of lost and found items or coordinate the lost and found function with other departments.
• May assist with deep cleaning projects and/or assist housekeeping staff during unanticipated rush periods.
• May serve as “manager on duty” as required.
• May assist with other duties as assigned.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

This is the top job in the housekeeping department. Typically manages a large number of housekeeping and laundry employees in a full-service, luxury, resort, or major flagship hotel which may include multiple sites and facilities, a number of major outlets, high volume of catering and convention facilities, and a large number of VIP and key guests.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

High School Diploma or equivalent plus four years housekeeping/laundry experience preferably in a hotel of similar size and complexity and including supervisory experience. Some college preferred. Must speak fluent English. Other languages preferred.

This job requires ability to perform the following:

• Carrying or lifting items weighing up to 50 pounds and pushing and or pulling approximately 200 pounds
• Frequently standing up and moving about the facility
• Frequently handling objects and equipment to maintain the facility
• Frequently bending, stooping, and kneeling

Other:

• Communication skills are utilized a significant amount of time when interacting with others; demonstrated ability to interact with guests, employees and third parties that reflects highly on the hotel, the brand and the Company.
• Reading and writing abilities are utilized often when completing paperwork and management reports, interpreting results, giving and receiving instructions, and training
• Mathematical skills, including basic math, budgeting, profit/loss concepts, percentages, and variances are utilized frequently.
• Problem solving, reasoning, motivating, organizational and training abilities are used often.
• May be required to work nights, weekends, and/or holidays.