Assistant Front Office Manager - Johannesburg Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch at Marriott International

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for all front office functions and staff. Areas of responsibility include Bell Staff, Switchboard Operations, Guest Services/Front Desk and Retail/Gift Shop, as applicable. As a department head, directs and works with managers and employees to successfully execute all front office operations, including guest arrival and departure procedures. Strives to continually improve guest and employee satisfaction and maximize the financial performance of the department.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in the guest services, front desk, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hospitality, Business Administration or related major; 2 years experience in the guest services, front desk, or related professional area.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Leading Guest Services Team

• Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage others; advocates sound financial/business decision making; demonstrates honesty/integrity; leads by example.
• Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
• Supervises and manages employees. Manages all day-to-day operations. Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence.
• Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.
• Ensures recognition of employees is taking place across areas of responsibility.
• Communicates performance expectations in accordance with job descriptions for each position and monitors progress.
• Celebrates successes and publicly recognizes the contributions of team members.

Maintaining Guest Services and Front Desk Goals

• Achieves and exceeds goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.
• Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
• Develops specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Keeps Front Office team focused on the critical components of operations to drive guest satisfaction and the desired financial results.
• Conducts department meetings and continually communicates a clear and consistent message regarding the Front Office goals to produce desired results.
• Reviews staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs and financial objectives are met.
• Understands the impact of Front Office operations on the Rooms area and overall property financial goals.
• Manages department controllable expenses to achieve or exceed budgeted goals.

Managing Projects and Policies

• Ensures compliance with all Front Office policies, standards and procedures.
• Ensures property policies are administered fairly and consistently, disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Standard and Local Operating Procedures (SOPs and LSOPs) and support the Peer Review Process.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service

• Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.
• Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
• Supervises and managing employees. Managing all day-to-day operations. Understanding employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence.
• Acts as the “Service Champion” for the Front Office and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service, and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Strives to improve service performance.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Ensures that all Front Office areas have an atmosphere that is conducive to the overall guest experience.
• Reviews comment cards, guest satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and/or managers.

Managing and Conducting Human Resource Activities

• Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Provides guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Establishes challenging, realistic and obtainable goals to guide operation and performance.
• Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an “open door” policy, and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.
• Ensures employees are treated fairly and equitably.
• Manages employee progressive discipline procedures for Front Office Staff.
• Administers the performance appraisal process for direct report managers.
• Interviews and hires managers and hourly employee team members with the appropriate skills and in a timely manner to meet the business needs of the operation.

Additional Responsibilities

• Provides information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Informs and/or updates the executives, the peers and the subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner.
• Identifies and analyzes Front Office operational challenges and facilitates the development of solutions to prevent reoccurrence.

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Leadership

• Adaptability - Determines how change impacts self and others; displays flexibility in adjusting priorities; and communicates both the reasons for change and how it impacts the workplace.
• Communication - Customizes approach to conveying complex information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner; appropriately interprets verbal and non-verbal behavior; and models active listening to ensure understanding..
• Problem Solving and Decision Making - Models and coaches others on breaking complex issues into manageable parts, identifying and evaluating alternatives and their implications before making decisions, and involving and gaining agreement from others when making key decisions.
• Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values.

Managing Execution

• Building and Contributing to Teams - Leads and participates as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of common goals while fostering cohesion and collaboration among team members.
• Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.
• Planning and Organizing - Gathers information and resources required to set a plan of action for self and/or others; prioritizes and arranges work requirements for self and/or others to accomplish goals and ensure work is completed.

Building Relationships

• Coworker Relationships - Interacts with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships.
• Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with the company’s service standards.
• Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.

Generating Talent and Organizational Capability

• Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of team assignments and work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.
• Talent Management - Provides guidance and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.

Learning and Applying Professional Expertise

• Applied Learning - Seeks and makes the most of learning opportunities to improve performance of self and/or others.
• Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations and generate innovative solutions to approach team, business, and administrative challenges.
• Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage everyday business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific work challenges
  • Guest Services - Knowledge of procedures for wake-up services, safe deposit boxes, room and property amenities, property-specific programs (e.g., kids programs), guest rewards programs, and local attractions.
  • Financial Procedures - Knowledge of policies and procedures involved in processing different types of sales transactions and payment methods, including cash, credit cards, personal checks, traveler checks, regional and national promotions, coupons, gift certificates/cards, city ledgers or store credit as well as knowledge of laws and regulations regarding the selling of restricted items (e.g., over-the-counter medications, alcohol, and tobacco products). This includes knowledge of necessary security checks (e.g., verifying identification) required for various payment methods and local financial regulation (e.g., anti-money laundry, exchange rates, etc.)
  • Payment Process - Knowledge of policies and procedures involved in managing and processing different types of sales transactions and payment methods including credit cards approval and declines, personal checks, traveler checks, coupons, gift certificates/cards, e-certificates for Marriott Rewards program, wholesaler vouchers, and direct bills. This includes knowledge of necessary security checks (e.g., verifying identification) for various payment methods.
  • Front Desk - Knowledge of procedures and policies for check-in/check-out; pre-arrival planning; Marriott Rewards Program; Corporate-sponsored programs; Property based systems (i.e., MGS, MARSHA, PMS, Fidelio Opera, FOSSE, Call Accounting, Voicemail, Movies, Key); vendors, products, services, and merchandise; front desk supply management; room inventory management.
  • Problem Resolution- Ability to record, track and resolve guest problems via property software (i.e. Guestware, FOSSE, etc.) handle emergencies, and effectively deal with customer issues and complaints.

Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities.

• Basic Computer Skills - Uses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).
• Mathematical Reasoning - Demonstrates ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.
• Oral Comprehension - Demonstrates ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Reading Comprehension - Demonstrates understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.