Director of Guest Services

Highgate; East Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Paid Holidays

401(k) Plan

Job summary

Highgate Hotels in Honolulu seeks a Director of Guest Services to lead the Front Office, Guest Relations, Reservations and Bell/Valet to deliver exceptional service on a daily basis.

You will drive guest satisfaction metrics, oversee daily operations, manage hiring and training, and partner with the Hotel Manager to plan budgets and ensure SOP compliance across departments.

This role requires a strong leader with hospitality expertise and a passion for creating memorable guest experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in hospitality management or related field.
• Minimum 6 years in hotel operations with emphasis on front desk and guest services.
• Proven leadership and guest-service excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead Front Office, Guest Relations, Reservations and Bell/Valet to ensure attentive, friendly service.
• Drive guest-satisfaction metrics and monitor key performance indicators for the guest experience.
• Oversee interviews, recruiting, and compliance with SOPs across departments.
• Manage department budgets, schedules and labor costs to maximize profitability.
• Collaborate with the Hotel Manager to prepare the annual budget and ensure operational efficiency.

Skills

Guest relations

Front Office

Staff leadership

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management

Tools

Windows

MS Excel

Job description

Compensation Type

Yearly

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company with over $15 billion of assets under management and a global portfolio of more than 400 hotels spanning North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. With a 30-year track record as an innovator in the hospitality industry, this forward-thinking company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate continues to demonstrate success in developing a diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts, featuring contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team of seasoned hospitality leaders and corporate offices worldwide, Highgate is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands.www.highgate.com

Location

This 645-room hotel is perfectly located on Honolulu's famous Kalakaua Avenue, where it is just steps to the beach and an arm's reach to the best dining, shopping, and entertainment in the area. Guests can borrow the hotel's own towels and beach chairs to spend the day by the sea, or choose to lay out by the hotel's pool with a tropical drink from nearby Tiki's Grill and Bar. And for the adventurous, The Twin Fin offers a on-site activities desk ready to curate a number of fun experiences.

Overview

The Director of Guest Services is responsible for ensuring the operation of the Front Office, Guest Relations, Reservations and Bell/Valet partners , in an attentive, friendly, efficient and courteous manner. The Director of Guest Services will drive Guest Satisfaction initiatives and monitor key metrics to continually improve the guest experience. While general oversite of multiple departments is required, this position will also directly oversee the day-to-day operation of the Front Office.

Responsibilities

Fundamental Requirements:

• Employees must, at all times, be attentive, friendly, helpful, and courteous to all guests, managers, and fellow employees.
• Respond to all guest requests, problems, complaints, and/or accidents arising in person or through reservations, comment cards, letters, and/or phone calls in an attentive, courteous, and efficient manner. Follow up to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Prepare and conduct all interviews and follow hiring procedures according to SOP's. Actively support Human Resources with recruiting efforts. Ensure that all managers are in compliance with the standards in their interviewing and hiring procedures.
• Develop employee morale and ensure training within respective departments.
• Maintain a professional working relationship and promote open lines of communication with managers, employees, and other departments.
• Ensure implementation of all Highgate Hotel policies and house rules. Understand hospitality terms.
• Ensure sign-off of all Service Standards by Position competencies for all leaders. Monitor completion of the Service Standards by Position Training Checklists for hourly staff.
• Monitor oversold dates to ensure the maximization of room revenue.
• Tour rooms operating departments daily, greeting employees and soliciting feedback.
• Maximize room revenue and occupancy by reviewing status daily. Analyze rate variance, monitor credit reports, and maintain close observation of daily house count. Monitor the selling status of the house daily, i.e., flash report, allowances, etc.
• Attend daily and monthly
• Complete the monthly forecast.
• Monitor expenses to ensure expense control and maximize profit, using checkbook accounting as a control mechanism.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with SOPs in Rooms and Loss Prevention.
• Perform Rooms Managers’ performance reviews according to SOPs and ensure that managers are in compliance with the standards in their administration of performance reviews to their employees.
• Monitor labor expenses through the schedule approval process and ensure budgeted productivity.
• Prepare department heads for succession through the development of their need areas.
• Maintain the department’s schedule, payroll, and commission.
• Develop employee morale and ensure training of all personnel.
• Monitor room inventory to ensure the maximization of the room’s revenue and occupancy.
• Tour Front Office operating departments daily, greeting employees and soliciting feedback.
• Analyze rate variance and monitor credit reports.
• Monitor and support guest satisfaction surveys and social media platforms.
• Monitor expenses to ensure expense control and maximize profit, using checkbook accounting as a control mechanism.
• Strictly enforce front office and accounting SOP’s.
• Conduct regular departmental meetings. Have regular performance review meetings with managers and employees.
• Monitor labor expenses through the schedule approval process and ensure budgeted productivity is met.
• Work in conjunction with the Hotel Manager and General Manager to prepare the departments’ annual budget.
• Operate all aspects of the Front Office computer system, including software maintenance, report generation and analysis, and simple programming.
• Partner with other department heads, including third-party companies, to identify efficiencies and ensure operational synergy.
• Responsible for ensuring effective processes and response time of guest interactive tools, including but not limited to texting, apps, and social media channels.
• Maintain key control system.
• Monitor all V.I.P., special guests, and group requests.
• Ensure overall guest satisfaction.
• Involvement in the Lobby Ambassador coverage.
• Ensure overall associate satisfaction.
• Provide strategic oversight of the Reservations function to ensure accuracy, efficiency, revenue optimization, and exceptional pre-arrival guest service
• Monitor reservation trends, pickup pace, booking channels, and inventory controls, partnering closely with Revenue Management to maximize occupancy and ADR.
• Analyze reservations performance metrics and implement process improvements to increase conversion, guest satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
• Champion VIP arrivals, special occasions, repeat guest recognition, and personalized service initiatives to enhance overall guest satisfaction and loyalty.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• At least 6 years of progressive experience in a hotel or a related field; or a 4-year college degree and at least 2 years of related experience; or a 2-year college degree and 4 or more years of related experience.
• College Degree preferred.
• Previous management experience required.
• Must be proficient in Windows, Company approved spreadsheets, and word processing.

Physical requirements:

• Long hours sometimes required.
• Medium work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

General Requirements:

• Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees and guests.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner.
• Attend all hotel required meetings and trainings.
• Participate in M.O.D. coverage as required.
• Maintain regular attendance in compliance with Highgate Hotel Standards, as required by scheduling, which will vary according to the needs of the hotel.
• Maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming, including wearing nametags.
• Comply with Highgate Hotel Standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas, and assist in implementing solutions.
• Must be effective in handling problems, including anticipating, preventing, identifying, and solving problems as necessary.
• Must be able to understand and evaluate complex information, data, etc., from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.
• Must be able to maintain the confidentiality of information.
• Perform other duties as requested by management.
• Maintain a warm and friendly demeanor at all times.

Benefits

We are pleased to offer to our full-time associates a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and financial future.

• Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance401(k) Retirement Plan with employer matching contributions
• Paid holidays
• Paid vacation
• Paid sick leave (provided in accordance with applicable law)
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• Educational opportunities / Tuition reimbursement
• Paid jury duty leave, personal leave, medical leave, and military leave in accordance with applicable law

For Employees Based in Washington:

• 8 paid holidays per year
• Up to 20 days of paid vacation per year, based on classification and length of service
• Paid Sick & Safe Time accrues at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, with up to 72 hours of unused time carried over from one anniversary year to the next.

For Employees Based in Colorado:

• 8 paid holidays per year; employees working in the City of Denver receive 64 hours of designated holiday time per calendar year
• Up to 20 days of paid vacation per year, based on classification and length of service
• 6 days or 48 hours of Paid Sick Leave per year, accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked.

For Employees Based in California:

• 8 paid holidays per year
• Up to 20 days of paid vacation per year, based on classification and length of service, capped at 1.5x annual accrual rate; non-supervisory employees working in the City of Los Angeles accrue up to 22 days of Compensated Time Off, based on length of service capped at 192 hours of combined PST and CTO.
• Paid Sick Time accrues at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, unused time is carried over from one anniversary year to the next up to a maximum of 80 hours; employees working in the City of Los Angeles are provided 40 hours of Paid Sick Time annually on their anniversary, unused time is not carried over from one anniversary year to the next.

Please note that certain benefits described above for associates in Washington, Colorado, and California may vary for associates covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”). For such associates, eligibility for and the terms and conditions of benefits are governed by the applicable CBA and any applicable plan documents, and may differ from the benefits described above. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency, the terms of the applicable CBA and governing plan documents will control, as applicable.

**The above-referenced benefits do not apply to part-time positions

Posting Date

This job opening was posted on 10/30/26and will remain open for at least 14 days.