Director of Hospitality

CIEL VERNON HILLS LLC•Vernon Hills, IL

About The Position

The Director of Hospitality is responsible for creating and delivering a best-in-class independent living experience focused on lifestyle, service excellence, and resident satisfaction. The role oversees hospitality-driven functions, including dining, housekeeping, life enrichment, concierge services, and resident engagement, to foster a vibrant, engaging, and service-oriented environment. The Director supports the organization’s mission to offer seniors an elevated way of life where comfort, connection, and joy thrive, and reports to the Executive Director.

Requirements

At least 5 years of leadership experience in senior living, preferably Independent Living, or in hospitality, hotel or resort management, or lifestyle-focused environments.
Demonstrated experience leading multi-department operations.
Strong understanding of hospitality principles applied to senior living.
Proven ability to create engaging, lifestyle-driven resident experiences.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills.
Financial acumen and experience managing budgets and optimizing operations.
Passion for delivering high-touch, personalized service.
Ability to continuously walk and stand; sit infrequently; work both indoors and outdoors; and meet the listed physical demands, including lifting, carrying, pushing, climbing stairs, bending, squatting, twisting or rotating, and reaching.
Ability to read clearly and hear telephones, alarms, bells, and resident-safety signals, with or without corrective lenses or hearing devices.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business, Healthcare Administration, or a related field (preferred).

Responsibilities

Support the organization’s mission, vision, goals, and culture.
Design and execute a comprehensive independent living lifestyle program that promotes engagement, wellness, socialization, and purpose.
Develop signature programming aligned with resident interests, including social events, cultural outings, wellness initiatives, and lifelong learning.
Foster a hospitality-first culture focused on personalization and proactive service delivery.
Evaluate and enhance the resident experience using feedback and engagement metrics.
Oversee daily dining services, housekeeping and laundry, concierge and front desk services, and life enrichment and activities.
Ensure consistent delivery of high-quality service standards across departments.
Collaborate with department leaders to create seamless, resident-centered service experiences.
Partner with Culinary leadership to deliver a restaurant-quality, hospitality-driven dining experience, including flexible dining options and resident choice.
Monitor satisfaction scores and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing hospitality team.
Coach leaders and frontline staff on service excellence, resident engagement, and relationship-building.
Foster accountability, recognition, and continuous improvement.
Ensure staffing levels are aligned with service expectations.
Build strong relationships with residents and families as a visible leader.
Address concerns proactively and resolve issues with a service recovery mindset.
Facilitate resident meetings, councils, and feedback sessions.
Develop and manage departmental budgets.