Management Trainee - Rooms Division

Bfsaulhotels; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hay-Adams in Washington, DC invites a management trainee to rotate through Front Office, Reservations and Housekeeping, gaining hands-on experience with the Concierge, PBX, Bell & Door staff and the Lobby Ambassador while learning the hotel’s standards of excellence.

You'll participate in daily front desk operations with the Duty Manager, handle guest relations, check-in/check-out, scheduling, payroll and training projects, and support revenue management initiatives and housekeeping

Qualifications

• Education: College degree or international equivalent required.
• Experience: Luxury hotel Front Office and customer service preferred; general computer experience required.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Responsibilities

• Act as main contact for guests and other departments in the absence of the Duty Manager.
• Ensure efficient guest check-in and check-out.
• Demonstrate adherence to Front Desk and PBX policies and procedures.
• Resolve guest complaints and problems in a timely fashion.
• Guide and train new hires at the Front Desk and PBX; assist the Front Office Manager with payroll, scheduling and training.

Skills

Customer service

Front desk operations

Communication skills

Multitasking

Education

College degree or international equivalent

Tools

Property Management Software

Job description

Steeped in rich history and surrounded by the most iconic institutions of our nation, The Hay‑Adams is the downtown Washington, D.C. hotel for discerning guests. Enveloped by views of the White House, St. John’s Church, and the scenic Lafayette Park, the 5‑star accommodations at The Hay‑Adams are the embodiment of refined residence. Marked by Washington, D.C.’s most accommodating amenities and dedicated services, The Hay‑Adams is the boutique hotel of choice for the modern luxury traveler. The Hay‑Adams offers an exceptional guest experience that goes beyond a good night’s sleep.

Front Office (6 months)

In the Front Office department the management trainee will get acquainted with the Concierge, PBX, Bell & Door staff as well as the Lobby Ambassador and all related tasks and duties. The management trainee will conduct the daily operations at the Front Desk along with the Duty Manager to ensure smooth communications and maximum guest satisfaction in accordance to the hotel’s standards of excellence. Further tasks include but are not limited to the following:

• Acting as the main contact for guests and other hotel departments in the absence of the Duty Manager.
• Ensuring efficient guest check‑in and check‑out.
• Ensuring FD and PBX follows established policies and procedures.
• Ensuring that guest complaints and problems are resolved satisfactorily and in a timely fashion.
• Guiding and training new hires at the FD and PBX.
• Assisting Front Office Manager in various projects (including but not limited to Payroll, Valet Parking, Scheduling, Recruitment, Training).
• Reviewing arrivals and departure reports.
• Checking all VIP and special‑request reservations, blocking rooms accordingly, and communicating with related departments to ensure the highest guest satisfaction attainable.
• Reviewing daily room availability and checking status of departures.
• Relaying all pertinent information to fellow management trainees, the Duty Manager, and the shifts team members.

Reservations (3 months)

In the Reservations Department the management trainee will work alongside the Reservations Manager to improve knowledge and skills pertaining to Reservations & Revenue Management. Tasks and duties include but are not limited to answering reservation calls, telephone etiquette, reservation procedures, group booking processes, credit policies, room forecasts, yield management strategies, travel agent bookings, revenue reporting systems, transient sales procedures, room allocation strategies, and selling and negotiation techniques.

• Answer reservation calls.
• Telephone etiquette.
• Reservation procedures.
• Group booking processes.
• Credit policies.
• Room forecasts.
• Yield management strategies.
• Travel agent bookings.
• Revenue reporting systems.
• Transient sales procedures.
• Room allocation strategies.
• Sell and negotiate techniques.

Housekeeping (3 months)

In the housekeeping department, the management trainee will work alongside the Executive Housekeeper to improve knowledge and enhance skills in control, storage and record keeping of inventory, supplies, materials, uniforms and linens, room attendant’s and public space attendant’s responsibilities, inspection procedures, scheduling and staffing, safety and emergency procedures, communication with front desk, occupancy lists, housekeeping reports, department meetings and guest complaint handling. The management trainee will also be given special projects including but not limited to laundry room organization and controls, housemen special projects and Housekeeping staff line‑up training projects. The trainee will assist with day‑to‑day operations, provide training, coaching and counseling to all housekeeping employees, facilitate the hiring process (including interviewing, training and evaluating job performance), provide ongoing training and development to all positions, interact with all employees in the Housekeeping Department, evaluate, coach, counsel and provide leadership support, conduct inspections of guest rooms to ensure compliance with cleanliness and provide feedback to room attendants, manage administrative duties including payroll and operating expenses, assist in scheduling room, turndown, mini‑bar and linen attendants in accordance with staffing guides/productivity requirements, review and adjust staffing daily to ensure optimum staffing levels, and supervise the performance of room attendants and general cleaning to correct deficient conditions, behaviour and work practices.

• Control, storage and record keeping of inventory, supplies, materials, uniforms and linens.
• Room attendant’s and public space attendant’s responsibilities.
• Inspection procedures.
• Scheduling and staffing.
• Safety and emergency procedures.
• Communication with front desk.
• Occupancy lists, housekeeping reports, department meetings and guest complaint handling.
• Special projects (laundry room organization and controls, housemen special projects, housekeeping staff line‑up training projects).
• Assist with day‑to‑day operations; provide training, coaching, counseling.
• Facilitate hiring process: interviewing, training, evaluating job performance.
• Provide ongoing training and development to all positions.
• Interact with all employees in the Housekeeping Department; evaluate, coach, counsel and provide leadership support.
• Conduct inspections of guest rooms to ensure compliance with cleanliness and provide feedback to room attendants.
• Manage administrative duties, including payroll and operating expenses.
• Assist in scheduling room, turndown, mini‑bar and linen attendants as per staffing guides.
• Review and adjust staffing daily to ensure optimum staffing levels.
• Supervise performance of room attendants and general cleaning; take appropriate action to correct deficient conditions, behaviour and work practices.

Qualifications

• Education: College degree or international equivalent required.
• Experience: Previous Front Office experience in a luxury property preferred; previous customer service and general computer experience required; Property Management Software experience preferred.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Basic Expectations

Perform all job duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Hay‑Adams handbook, the department operation manual, and all hotel policies and procedures.

Language Skills

• Excellent knowledge of the English language is mandatory; ability to speak, read, write clearly.
• Must be able to listen to, read and/or write instructions, memos, short correspondences and messages.
• Second language preferred.

Mathematical Skills

• Good mathematical skills: add, divide, subtract and multiply six‑digit numbers with decimals; two‑digit numbers.
• Calculate percentages and discounts.
• Understanding of financial documents, daily reports, P&L accounts and budgets.

Reasoning Ability

• Carry out detailed instructions in both written and oral manner using common sense and understanding.
• Deal with problems and situations in a calm and professional manner.
• Multitask: handle many different situations at one time, prioritizing problems and resolving them satisfactorily.

Physical Ability

• Stand in a confined environment and use a computer screen for long periods.
• Spend long hours moving around, walking, sitting, standing, crouching while performing other duties.
• Multitask, talk and listen simultaneously while guests are standing at the Front desk and the phone is ringing.
• Work well under pressure and perform during emergency situations.
• Occasionally lift bags up to 50 lbs.

Standards of Conduct

The high ethical standards of The Hay‑Adams must be upheld by all members of the company. The policies relative to press relations, equal opportunity, discrimination, sexual harassment, vendor relations, etc., stated in the employee handbook and manuals are inviolable. We pride ourselves on providing a professional caring atmosphere for clients and all fellow employees and will achieve this goal through responsible actions.

Note: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform any other job‑related duties assigned by their supervisor.

Equal Opportunity

The Hay‑Adams is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring diverse professionals.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled