Director of Guest Services

Gecko Hospitality (Corporate); Manchester-by-the-Sea (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Gecko Hospitality (Corporate) seeks a Director of Guest Services to lead front office, housekeeping, valet, and bell operations for a luxury independent hotel, ensuring seamless arrivals and departures.

The ideal candidate combines luxury service expertise with strong leadership, financial acumen, and a passion for developing high-performing teams across all guest touchpoints.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive hospitality leadership experience in luxury or upscale full-service hotels.
• Experience overseeing Front Office, Housekeeping, Guest Services, and Valet/Bell operations.
• Proven ability to lead large, diverse teams in a fast-paced luxury environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee Front Office and Guest Services operations, including Front Desk, Concierge, Guest Relations, PBX, Bell Services, and Valet.
• Ensure guests receive a warm, personalized luxury experience and manage service recovery when needed.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness, arrival experience, and guest engagement across all touchpoints.
• Develop service initiatives to enhance the overall guest journey and monitor guest satisfaction metrics.
• Lead daily operations meetings and collaborate across departments to achieve financial and service goals.

Skills

Front Office Leadership

Guest Services Management

Housekeeping Oversight

Budgeting & Forecasting

Leadership & Team Development

PMS / Hotel Ops Software

Tools

PMS Systems

Job description

We are seeking an experienced, service-driven, and highly organized Director of Guest Services to lead the front-facing and guest support operations for a luxury, full-service independent hotel. This leadership role is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Guest Services, Housekeeping, Valet, and Bell operations while ensuring an exceptional and seamless guest experience from arrival through departure.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic hospitality professional with a passion for luxury service standards, operational excellence, team development, and creating memorable guest experiences. This individual will serve as a visible leader throughout the property, fostering a culture of hospitality, accountability, and personalized service.

This position plays a critical role in maintaining the hotel’s reputation for excellence by ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness, arrival experience, guest engagement, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee all Front Office and Guest Services operations, including Front Desk, Concierge, Guest Relations, PBX, Bell Services, and Valet.
• Ensure all guests receive a warm, personalized, and professional luxury hospitality experience.
• Resolve guest concerns and service recovery situations promptly and effectively.
• Maintain exceptional service standards and ensure consistency across all guest touchpoints.
• Monitor guest satisfaction scores, online reviews, and internal feedback to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and implement service initiatives that enhance the overall guest journey.

Housekeeping Operations

• Oversee Housekeeping leadership and daily operations to ensure guest rooms, public areas, and back‑of‑house spaces meet luxury cleanliness standards.
• Ensure proper staffing levels, productivity standards, and quality control procedures are maintained.
• Conduct regular inspections of guestrooms and public areas to uphold brand and property standards.
• Collaborate with Engineering and other departments to ensure rooms are maintained in excellent condition.
• Manage linen, laundry, and housekeeping supply controls while maintaining budget expectations.

Valet & Bell Services

• Supervise Valet and Bell operations to ensure efficient, safe, and professional arrival and departure experiences.
• Ensure luggage handling, vehicle retrieval, transportation coordination, and guest assistance are performed with urgency and professionalism.
• Establish and maintain luxury service standards for curbside and lobby experiences.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, insurance, and vehicle handling procedures.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and develop departmental managers and line‑level team members.
• Foster a positive and engaging work environment built on accountability, teamwork, and recognition.
• Conduct performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and ongoing training programs.
• Lead daily operational meetings and maintain strong communication across departments.
• Promote a culture focused on guest satisfaction, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, labor costs, and operational expenses.
• Monitor payroll, scheduling, productivity, and forecasting to achieve financial objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency while maintaining luxury service standards.
• Ensure compliance with all hotel policies, procedures, safety standards, and labor regulations.
• Partner closely with Executive Leadership to support overall hotel operational goals.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive hospitality leadership experience in luxury or upscale full-service hotels.
• Previous experience overseeing Front Office, Housekeeping, and Guest Services operations required.
• Experience managing Valet and Bell Services is strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to lead large, diverse operational teams in a fast‑paced hospitality environment.
• Strong understanding of luxury service standards and guest experience management.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, labor management, and operational forecasting.
• Proficiency with hotel property management systems and operational software.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Preferred Attributes

• Passion for luxury hospitality and personalized guest service.
• Highly visible, hands‑on leadership style.
• Detail‑oriented with exceptional organizational abilities.
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making capabilities.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, high‑expectation environment.
• Professional presence with a commitment to excellence.