Director of Rooms

Aparium Hotel Group•Minneapolis, MN

12d•$90,000 - $97,000

About The Position

DIRECTOR OF ROOMS Reports to the General Manager, position is exempt WHO WE ARE Hotels done differently. It's not just a slogan it is who we are in everything we do. We believe in the power of People, Place and Character; ensuring our properties are a place where individuals are valued and celebrated as a tribute to the neighborhoods and the people of the communities in which we operate; elevating our associates' pride in who they are, where they live and who we serve. Hewing Hotel is in Minneapolis' vibrant North Loop neighborhood, more commonly known as the Warehouse District, joining cultural stalwarts Traffic Zone Center for Visual Arts and Target Field, home to baseball's Minnesota Twins. With easy access to all interstates as well as Minneapolis' Metro Transit Blue Line and Northstar Commuter Rail, The Hewing sits at the literal crossroads of the Twin Cities. While Minneapolis presents a plethora of hospitality options, none tap into the local culture to create importance and significance beyond the business traveler. The Hewing occupies the historic Jackson Building, originally built in 1897, at the gateway to the Warehouse District, immediately tying it to local culture like no other competitor. The hotel is managed by Aparium who was founded in 2011 by Chicago hospitality executive and entrepreneur Mario Tricoci and luxury hotel veteran Kevin Robinson. The duo saw a clear need for a company that could bring c-suite service and accommodations to underserved, yet distinct and important cities, while maintaining and celebrating the unadulterated character of each. Driven by the belief that all hospitality experiences should be fueled by the poetics of their surroundings, Aparium was born with an intense focus on unearthing the amazing moments unique to every city. WHO YOU ARE You are humble and understand the need to work side by side with others. You take feedback seriously to make things better. It is quite natural for you to walk into a hotel and want to fluff every pillow you see, judge the level of cleanliness and ask the front desk what type of system they are using. You get excited when amenity packaging is on point or when you hear a guest service story created by an employee's intuition. You can also strip a bed as fast as the best housekeeper. Your career experience is eclectic and dynamic. You take great pride in having worked your way through a variety of rooms division department head roles. You have a special place in your heart for the people and teams you have worked with and developed throughout your career. You get excited for customer service skills training and know that success comes through collaboration and teamwork. You are comfortable with casual sophistication and realize the concept of luxury has evolved to be approachable, not stuffy or cookie-cutter. THE ROLE The Director of Rooms reports to the General Manager. It is critical the person in this role possess a diverse knowledge of Rooms Division operations and is willing to dive into the day-to-day operation, while balancing and directing the long-term goals of the hotel. All leaders of Aparium are required to work hand in hand with their teams. We are a young company that is in hyper-growth, so having the ability to be a soldier is as critical as being a general. The Director of Rooms will support and lead the Rooms Division (i.e. Guest Services, Housekeeping, Security and Valet departments), ensuring innovative guest experiences, the delivery of outstanding guest service and the crafting of a dynamic team. The Director of Room's presence should be as regular in the lobby and floors as it is in their office. The Director of Rooms will also actively develop trusting and transparent relations with their peers on the Executive Committee, the managers who report to them and the associates of the hotel. As a leader within Aparium Hotel Group, they will work with a phenomenal group of peers who will insist that they are collaborative, humble, experienced and open-minded. No egos are allowed.

Requirements

Passion for the People, Place and Culture of our community
A love for guest service is required
An ability to demonstrate resiliency, optimism, creative thinking and composure under pressure
A minimum of (5) five years experience in customer service management, ideally within an upscale, lifestyle or luxury hospitality product
Adaptable interpersonal skills to communicate and address all associate levels of the hotel effectively
Professional reading, writing and verbal proficiency in the English language, conversational Spanish is a plus, but not required
Intermediate skills in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint to create spreadsheets, proposals and presentations
Experience utilizing property management systems
Due to the cyclical nature of the hotel industry, the ability to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the hotel is required

Responsibilities

Uphold and model the company's principles of People, Place and Character, ensuring that self and team model and drive collaboration, intuitive service and translocal hospitality
Actively participant in the interviewing, hiring, training, scheduling, coaching, and motivating of Rooms Division associates to create an environment that nurtures ideas and develops future talent for succession planning
Demonstrate a passion and aptitude for all aspects of a guest's experience, handling all guest interactions with the highest level of hospitality and professionalism, accommodating special requests whenever possible
Serve as the shepherd of all on-property experiences, fostering the ability to uncover the details that will add a memorable special touch for guests and associates
Participate in and/or leads daily briefings, weekly Rooms leadership meetings and monthly departmental staff meetings to further develop ideas and objectives within the Rooms Division team
Model an approachable, collaborative style where helpful feedback and strategic thinking is used to remedy any previously missed opportunities
Work with Rooms Division managers to assign associates activities for the day
Partnering with Rooms Division managers to check in on their teams' accomplishments, ensuring standards are achieved and associates feel supported and motivated to meet and exceed guest needs
Observe conditions of all physical facilities and equipment in the hotel operation, working in collaboration with Rooms Division management, Facilities management and any third-party vendors to establish detailed cleaning and preventative maintenance programs to ensure the appearance and life of all furniture, fixtures and equipment throughout the hotel is maximized
Lead all matters related to the safety, security, satisfaction and well-being of hotel guests and associates, responding swiftly and effectively in any hotel emergency of safety situation
Be fluent in operational metrics, KPI's and P&L's, demonstrating critical thinking skills by connecting with those with operational observations
Provide coaching and corrective action that targets root causes of issues and the highest priorities in the Rooms Division operation
Participate in all Executive Committee meetings to provide thoughtful and insightful suggestions and feedback in order to give a voice to the Rooms Division at the highest leadership level
Work directly with outside contracted companies to ensure quality and timeliness of work, developing long term partnerships
Champion Aparium divisional and hotel wide initiatives and best practices by ensuring time is taken to effectively communicate and/or train on the purpose of each initiative
Communicate regularly with the General Manager to provide updates and align on priorities, discussing plans and making requests for any additional resources to support the operations
Any additional tasks and responsibilities as requested by the General Manager in support of a successful operation