Front Office - Director of Front Office

Human Resources • Napa, CA

11d • $90,000 - $105,000

About The Position

The Director of Front Office is the strategic and hands-on leader of our guest arrival, departure, and lobby experience. This role oversees Front Desk, Bell/Valet, PBX, and Concierge and is responsible for delivering warm, genuine hospitality while driving operational excellence, employee engagement, and strong financial performance. This leader sets the tone for what “Meritage hospitality” feels like the moment guests drive onto the property—coaching the team to anticipate needs, solve problems creatively, and turn everyday stays into memorable Napa Valley experiences.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive Front Office / Rooms experience in an upper-upscale, or luxury hotel or resort environment required.
• Minimum 2–3 years in a leadership role overseeing Front Desk and at least one additional guest services area (Bell/Valet, PBX, Concierge, or Guest Services).
• PMS experience required (Infor HMS strongly preferred).
• Passion for hospitality and guest experience, with a strong presence on the floor.
• Proven ability to lead and develop teams, drive accountability, and build a positive culture.
• Strong business acumen: ability to read and interpret financial reports, labor metrics, and guest experience data, and translate them into action.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; comfortable engaging with guests, ownership, executives, and line-level team members.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to stay calm and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Tech-savvy and comfortable learning and teaching hotel systems and tools.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and move throughout the property.
• Ability to lift/push/pull up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, based on business needs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a large, complex, or resort-style property and/or strong group and conference business highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing Front Office leadership team across Front Desk, Bell/Valet, Concierge, and PBX.
• Model our company values and culture; create an environment of accountability, coaching, and recognition.
• Be a visible presence in the lobby and arrival areas—building relationships with guests, group contacts, and VIPs.
• Partner closely with Housekeeping, Engineering, Sales, Revenue Management, Events, Reservations/GRC and F&B to deliver a seamless end-to-end guest experience.
• Own the guest journey from arrival through departure, ensuring smooth check-ins/outs, accurate billing, and clear communication.
• Champion guest feedback (Revinate, OTA reviews, direct surveys, social media) and lead action plans to continuously improve service scores.
• Personally handle and resolve complex guest issues, turning service recoveries into loyalty opportunities.
• Oversee VIP, group, and special-occasion arrivals; partner with Sales and Events on pre-arrival planning and execution.
• Ensure brand standards and service sequences are clearly defined, trained, and consistently executed across all front-of-house touchpoints.
• Oversee day-to-day operation of Front Desk, Bell/Valet, Concierge and PBX, ensuring proper staffing, training, and adherence to SOPs.
• Ensure effective use of PMS, POS, and communication tools; champion best practices in reservations, room assignment, blocking, and inventory management.
• Maintain accurate cash handling, credit procedures, and night audit processes.
• Coordinate with Security and Risk Management on lost and found, incident response, and guest safety protocols.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, forecasts, and productivity plans for all areas under responsibility.
• Monitor labor costs and staffing levels daily, adjusting schedules to balance guest needs and financial targets.
• Partner with Revenue Management and Sales to support rate strategies, upsell programs, and ancillary revenue opportunities (e.g., upgrades, packages, parking/valet).
• Track and act on key KPIs: guest satisfaction scores, labor productivity, upsell revenue, ancillary revenue, and overtime.
• Recruit, select, and onboard high-caliber team members who embody our hospitality culture.
• Provide ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and development plans for leaders and frontline team members.
• Implement consistent training programs for new hires and ongoing skills development across all shifts.
• Foster a culture of teamwork and communication across Front Desk, Bell/Valet, Concierge, and PBX so the operation feels like “one team” to the guest.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, brand standards, and local, state, and federal regulations.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized lobby, front drive, and back-of-house areas.
• Partner with HR on employee relations, documentation, and adherence to employment laws and company policies.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual bonus opportunity tied to guest experience and departmental performance, and a comprehensive benefits package.
• Resort, dining, and travel discounts within the collection.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees