Front Office Manager

Hotel Front Office Manager

Location: Downtown Chicago

Salary: $70,000

Position Overview

Our hotel is seeking a professional, service-driven Front Office Manager to lead the daily operations of the Front Office and ensure an exceptional guest experience from arrival through departure. The Front Office Manager will oversee the front desk, guest services, reservations, and related operational functions while supporting the hotel’s overall financial and service goals.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on hospitality leader who understands that the front desk is the heartbeat of the hotel. This individual should possess strong leadership skills, excellent communication abilities, and a genuine passion for creating memorable guest experiences while developing and motivating a high-performing team.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the daily operations of the Front Office, including Front Desk, Guest Services, Reservations, and related guest-facing functions.
• Lead, coach, train, and develop Front Office team members to consistently deliver exceptional service.
• Ensure all associates follow hotel standards, policies, procedures, and brand requirements.
• Monitor guest arrivals, departures, room assignments, VIPs, special requests, and overall guest satisfaction.
• Resolve guest concerns and complaints professionally, promptly, and with a service-oriented approach.
• Conduct daily briefings and communicate important hotel information, events, VIP arrivals, occupancy levels, and operational priorities.
• Monitor room availability, inventory, rate accuracy, upgrades, and occupancy to maximize hotel revenue opportunities.
• Work closely with Housekeeping to ensure rooms are clean, inspected, and available for arriving guests.
• Collaborate with Sales, Revenue Management, Engineering, Food & Beverage, and other departments to ensure seamless hotel operations.
• Monitor Front Office financial performance, including cash handling, deposits, billing accuracy, and departmental expenses.
• Review daily reports, occupancy reports, arrivals/departures, and other operational data.
• Ensure proper handling of guest accounts, payments, refunds, adjustments, and discrepancies.
• Maintain a strong presence in the lobby and front desk area, particularly during peak arrival and departure periods.
• Assist with recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, scheduling, performance evaluations, and disciplinary processes.
• Ensure adequate staffing levels based on occupancy, business volume, and operational needs.
• Maintain a safe, secure, clean, and professional Front Office environment.
• Assist the General Manager and Executive Leadership Team with special projects and hotel-wide initiatives.
• Serve as a Manager on Duty when required.

Leadership Expectations

The Front Office Manager is expected to lead by example and create a culture centered around hospitality, accountability, teamwork, and genuine guest service. This position requires a leader who is comfortable being visible and hands-on while also developing team members and holding the department accountable to established standards.

Qualifications

• Previous Front Office management experience in a hotel environment.
• Strong understanding of hotel Front Office operations and guest service standards.
• Previous supervisory or management experience with the ability to lead and motivate a diverse team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution abilities.
• Ability to remain calm and professional in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with hotel property-management systems and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and during periods of high occupancy.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; college degree in Hospitality Management or a related field preferred.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means creating a Front Office operation where guests feel welcomed, employees feel supported, rooms are ready, information is communicated, problems are solved, and hotel standards are consistently exceeded. The Front Office Manager will play a critical role in driving guest satisfaction, team performance, operational efficiency, and overall hotel success.

If interested, please send your resume to jay@geckohospitality.com