Guest Service Manager - Front Office - Williamsburg Lodge en Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18^th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.  

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position

The Guest Service Manager oversees the execution of operations in the Rooms Department including - Front Desk Office, Bell Stand, Concierge, and the management of employees in those areas. The position is based out of the Lodge Front Office but is cross trained to assist and/or work at all hotel locations.  This position strives to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction while maximizing the financial performance of the department, and monitors compliance with standards and procedures. This position also effectively partners with other business unit heads in sharing and resolving common strategic and operating problems. Maintaining all programs required by Colonial Williamsburg Company, The Forbes Standards, the Marriott Autograph Collections Standards, and Crescent Hotels & Resorts is essential to this position.

Main Duties:

1. Manages/supervises/trains, provides day-to-day leadership and development, job assignments and performance evaluations for front desk, bellmen, coordinators, and interns. Makes recommendations about hiring, promotions, and counseling.
2. Ensuring that all requirements are met throughout the year for the Marriott Autograph Collections Standards.
3. Acts as manager on duty for the hotel, dealing with complaints, problem solving, disturbances, special requests and other issues that may arise.
4. Includes staff in planning, decision-making, and facilitating process improvement; makes oneself available to staff and guests; provides regular performance feedback to staff; and develops staff’s skills, encourages growth, and maintains accountability.
5. Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully; thinks creatively to solve problems, to conduct organizational planning and to meet strategic goals.
• Coordinates and maintains effective communications with all other departments.
6. Delegates work assignments, gives authority to work independently, sets expectations, mentors, and monitors delegated activities.
7. Communicate guest satisfaction results in a timely fashion including Medallia, TripAdvisor, and Google feedback. Analyze information and develop plans to improve opportunity areas and expand on areas of strength. Conduct Daily Stand-up Meetings to ensure team engagement.
8. Reviews financial statements, sales and activity reports, and other performance data to measure productivity and goal achievement and to determine areas needing cost reduction and process improvement.
9. Completes weekly supply inventories to ensure adequate parts.
10. Follow department policies, procedures, and service standards, including safety policies.
11. Perform additional duties as assigned.
12. Works a flexible schedule, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Required and Preferred Education and Experience:

Required: 

• Prior experience as a Guest Service or Hospitality Manager for a hotel.

 Preferred: 

• Luxury 4-5-star hotel management experience is strongly preferred.
• Marriott management experience is preferred.

• Previous experience working with Opera, UKG, and Kronos management systems.

• Previous experience managing in a large organization amid growth and change.

Qualifications:   

• Works a flexible schedule, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Detailed understanding of all resort operations departments.
• Prior experience managing in an environment covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
• Technologically savvy, possessing the aptitude and desire to learn new technology in ways that benefit the team and the hotel.
• Analytical skills, as well as problem recognition and resolution skills.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Excellent team leadership and people management skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to focus attention on guest needs, remaining calm and courteous always.