Hospitality & Workplace Experience Manager

Aquarian Holdings; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Aquarian Holdings in New York City seeks a Hospitality & Workplace Experience Manager to design and lead Aquarian's workplace hospitality strategy, and to oversee daily employee and guest experience, reception, and concierge operations.

Reporting to the Director, Headquarters Workplace Services, you will set service standards, manage teams, partnerships, and budgets to ensure exceptional experiences for employees, executives, and guests.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 8-10+ years in workplace hospitality or related leadership.
• Experience leading reception/concierge teams.
• Experience developing service standards, SOPs, and training.
• Experience managing vendors, budgets, and workplace amenities.
• Financial services or similar background preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute, and evolve the firm's hospitality strategy across all office locations.
• Manage Reception and Guest Experience teams: hiring, staff development, coordination, scheduling, coaching, and performance management.
• Establish performance expectations, service KPIs, and development plans for hospitality staff.
• Ensure consistent hospitality standards and procedures across locations.
• Oversee end-to-end guest journey including executive and VIP visits.
• Manage conference services, catering, pantry programs, and workplace amenities.
• Cultivate and maintain vendor relationships for catering and events.
• Partner with Building Services, IT, Security, and other stakeholders to support daily operations.
• Support senior leadership in planning high-profile meetings and investor events.
• Develop operating procedures, service standards, and training programs.
• Lead process improvements and ad hoc projects across reception and guest services.
• Monitor hospitality budgets, inventory, and vendor performance.

Skills

Leadership

Vendor management

Event planning

Budgeting

Staff development

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About Aquarian Aquarian Holdings ("Aquarian") is a diversified global holding company with a strategic portfolio of insurance and asset management solutions.

Aquarian Holdings ("Aquarian") is a diversified global holding company with a strategic portfolio of insurance and asset management solutions.

Aquarian Insurance Holdings acquires and operates insurance companies with a focus on life and annuity underwriting, deploying strategies to grow balance sheet profitability by writing new insurance/reinsurance, improving investment income, and optimizing operations. After launching in 2017, Aquarian finalized its first investment in 2018 in Investors Heritage, a regional life insurer domiciled in Kentucky that focuses on pre-need policies. Working closely with management, Aquarian helped the company grow with expanded product offerings and distribution channels, building on its 60-year track record of exceptional client service.

Aquarian continued to deepen its expertise and grow its existing offerings in insurance and reinsurance through its acquisitions of Hudson Life and Annuity Company in 2021 and Somerset Re in 2022.

Aquarian Investments complements the insurance operations, combining best practices from the world’s leading financial services firms with its own distinct strategy, approach, and organizational culture. Aquarian has continued to expand into alternative assets and private credit through the launches of Aquarian Liquid Credit, Aquarian Strategic Opportunities, Aquarian Private Credit, and Aquarian Real Estate Partners.

Aquarian has since grown its business to approximately $25.8 billion in AUM, with 40 investment professionals, multiple funds, and insurance and reinsurance companies, all committed to providing meaningful investment opportunities to millions of people.

In November 2025, Aquarian announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which an affiliate will acquire Brighthouse Financial in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $4.1 billion. Brighthouse is one of the largest providers of annuities and life insurance in the U.S., with approximately $208 billion of AUM. Following the anticipated close of the transaction in 2026, Brighthouse Financial will operate as a standalone entity within the Aquarian portfolio.

The Role

Aquarian Holdings is looking for an exceptional individual to join our Workplace Services team as a Hospitality & Workplace Experience Manager, reporting to the Director, Headquarters Workplace Services.

The Hospitality & Workplace Experience Manager will design and implement Aquarian's workplace hospitality strategy, lead the daily employee and guest experience, oversee reception and concierge operations, and establish consistent service standards across all office locations.

In addition to being extremely organized, the ideal candidate is a resourceful service leader who demonstrates strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and an ability to anticipate needs in a fast-paced environment.

This position is five days per week in office, located in New York City, with an ability to travel to other Aquarian locations if necessary.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute, and continuously evolve the firm's workplace hospitality, guest experience, and service excellence strategy across all office locations.
• Manage all aspects of the Reception and Guest Experience teams, including hiring, staff development, coordination, scheduling, coaching, and performance management.
• Establish performance expectations, service KPIs, and development plans for hospitality team members to ensure consistent delivery of exceptional service standards.
• Ensure consistent hospitality standards, operating procedures, and employee experience practices across all Aquarian office locations.
• Oversee the end-to-end guest journey, including arrival, meeting experience, departure, and post-visit follow-up, with particular focus on executive, investor, and VIP visits.
• Manage conference services, room readiness, catering operations, pantry programs, and workplace amenities.
• Cultivate and maintain vendor relationships for catering, food service, hospitality, workplace amenities, and events
• Partner with Building Services, Executive Assistants, IT, Security, and other Workplace Services stakeholders to support daily operations.
• Serve as a trusted partner to senior leadership and Executive Assistants in planning and executing high-profile meetings, executive visits, investor events, and other strategic office engagements.
• Develop operating procedures, service standards, and training programs for hospitality functions
• Lead process improvement efforts and ad hoc projects across reception, guest experience services, conference services, and workplace experience
• Monitor hospitality budgets, inventory, and vendor performance

Ideal Profile And Characteristics

• Demonstrates an uncompromising commitment to excellence, ownership, and accountability, consistently delivering high-quality results with intentional urgency, sound judgment, and attention to detail.
• Thrives in a high-performance environment, embraces continuous learning and feedback, and demonstrates a genuine desire to grow while contributing to the continued evolution and scaling of the organization.
• Demonstrates a genuine hospitality mindset with a warm, polished, confident, and highly discreet presence, coupled with a proactive and service-oriented approach to supporting employees, guests, and senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to anticipate needs and deliver exceptional employee and guest experiences
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing customer-facing teams
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to meet deadlines, multi-task, and take full ownership of responsibilities
• Quick and agile thinker / learner able to function well in a high-paced, rapidly evolving environment
• Tech-savvy, resourceful, flexible, and resilient
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a collaborative approach

Education And Experience

• Bachelor's degree preferred
• 8-10+ years of experience in workplace hospitality, luxury hospitality, executive services, workplace experience, or guest experience leadership
• Experience leading reception, concierge, or other customer-facing service teams
• Experience developing service standards, operating procedures, and training programs
• Experience managing hospitality vendors, catering operations, budgets, and workplace amenities
• Financial services, private equity, hedge fund, or family office experience preferred
• Microsoft Office Suite proficiency

Aquarian is an equal opportunity employer. Aquarian is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the business and are valued for their skills, experience and unique perspectives. Aquarian does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, mental or physical handicap or disability, age, citizenship status, alienage, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other criteria prohibited under applicable federal, state or local law. Aquarian makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.