Associate Director, Guest Services & Hospitality

Kirkland & Ellis; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 134,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Paid time off

Retirement benefits

Learning opportunities

Job summary

Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago seeks an Associate Director of Guest Services & Hospitality to lead the Hospitality and Guest Services functions. You will oversee conference center operations, catering, café services, pantry, and related support, while collaborating with stakeholders firmwide to deliver a high-touch client experience.

The role requires at least 10 years in hospitality leadership, strong budgeting and vendor management, and proven ability to drive process improvements in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum 10 years of hospitality, catering, cafe management, or event planning experience.
• Minimum 10 years of leadership experience in management of teams and vendor relationships.
• Experience leading in a fast-paced, matrixed organization with discretion and accountability.
• Strong budgeting, analytical, and project management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Strategize and implement improvements across meeting spaces to enhance the client experience.
• Oversee catering contracts and café operations in the Chicago office.
• Lead Hospitality and Guest Services Managers with coaching, development, and performance management.
• Drive change management initiatives to achieve operational excellence.
• Participate in recruiting, hiring, and performance management activities.
• Establish priorities with the Senior Director and align with firm-wide leaders.
• Develop best practices and training programs for hospitality teams.
• Oversee catering and conference center operations in Chicago.
• Serve as primary contact for client inquiries and ensure timely, professional responses.
• Review budgets and forecast expenses to identify cost efficiencies.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Client service

Change management

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

EMS software

Job description

Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago seeks an Associate Director of Guest Services & Hospitality to lead the Hospitality and Guest Services functions. You will oversee conference center operations, catering, café services, pantry, and related support, while collaborating with stakeholders firmwide to deliver a high-touch client experience.

The role requires at least 10 years in hospitality leadership, strong budgeting and vendor management, and proven ability to drive process improvements in a