Director of Rooms

IHG • Chicago, IL

8h • $110,000 - $135,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Rooms collaborates closely with Sales, Conference Services, Finance, Revenue Management, Engineering, and Food & Beverage to optimize occupancy, maximize revenue, and enhance overall guest satisfaction. This role oversees the operations of the Rooms Division and Security, including scheduling, planning, assigning, and evaluating work, as well as developing, communicating, and enforcing departmental strategies and goals. The Director of Rooms supports and drives company Hotel performance metric results and hotel policies and procedures, including the promotion of and participation in Colleague Engagement, Health and Safety, and Guest Service initiatives. They are responsible for recommending and/or initiating staffing actions and alerting the General Manager of serious issues. Regular inspections of all areas of oversight are conducted to ensure appearance and cleanliness standards are met, with action plans developed to correct deficiencies. The role establishes and implements procedures to ensure guests receive prompt, professional attention and personal recognition, aiming to increase guest satisfaction through colleague development and service improvements. The Director of Rooms acts as "Manager on Duty" for the hotel, responding to situations and coordinating responses. They monitor group and convention activities from a guest relations perspective, liaise with VIPs and special attention guests, and ensure smooth arrivals and departures by coordinating with key departments. The position actively participates in budget preparation and financial planning, monitoring labor costs and expenses. Statistical, performance, and forecast analyses and reports are prepared as necessary. Guest satisfaction data is consistently evaluated to improve work flow processes and implement new quality initiatives. The Director of Rooms maintains and drives a strong culture of accountability for the InterContinental Brand, ensures equipment is in good working order, and oversees maintenance issues. They direct and participate in the leading, coaching, recruitment, organization, and development of colleagues within assigned departments, including performance evaluations. The role monitors and oversees general content updates within reservation portals and manages vendor relationships to ensure adequate inventory and service. Purchase orders are authorized to replenish shortages. The Director of Rooms stays current on industry trends and adheres to all federal, state, and local regulations. Additional duties are administered as assigned by the General Manager.

Requirements

• Extensive knowledge of Guest Services, Security, Housekeeping and Front Office Procedures
• Excellent command of Property Management Systems, Microsoft Office Suite
• Minimum of four years previous Guest Services/Front Office Department Head experience in a luxury property
• Highly organized, career and results oriented with the ability to be flexible with hours, days off, assignments and additional duties
• Ability to perform well under pressure in a fast-paced, changing environment
• Must possess excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Must be a strong team player with proven leadership, development and delegating skills and ability to consistently drive positive colleague and guest satisfaction results
• Experience in Unionized work environment an asset

Nice To Haves

• Post-Secondary School Education with Diploma/Degree in Hotel Management an asset
• Second or third language an asset

Responsibilities

• Oversee the operations of the Rooms Division and Security, schedule, plan, assign and evaluate work, and the development, communication and enforcement of departmental strategies & goals.
• Support and drive company Hotel performance metric results, and hotel policies and procedures including the promotion of and participation in Colleague Engagement, Health and Safety, and Guest Service initiatives.
• Recommend and/or initiate salary, disciplinary, or other staffing/human resources-related actions in accordance with company rules and policies. Alert General Manager of potentially serious issues.
• Schedule and regularly conduct routine inspections of all areas of oversight, public and back of house areas, guest rooms and corridors to ensure the appearance and cleanliness of such areas reflects highly on the hotel, brand, and Company. Initiate and develop action plans to correct deficiencies.
• Establish, monitor and implement procedures to ensure guests receive prompt, professional attention and personal recognition through the oversight of appropriate service recovery guidelines and encouragement of empowerment to ensure total guest satisfaction.
• Increase level of guest satisfaction by delivery of improved service through colleague development, job engineering and quality image.
• Act as “Manager on Duty” for the hotel proactively responding to situations and activities that occur throughout the Hotel, communicating and coordinating Hotel response activity as appropriate.
• Monitor group and convention activities from a Guest Relations perspective from pre-convention to post-convention stage, including pre-convention meeting attendance and internal post-convention follow-up.
• Liaise with VIP parties and special attention guests, ensuring that arrival and departure is in order, inspecting where necessary, greeting, escorting and initiating follow-up contact where appropriate.
• Liaise with key departments (Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, Guest Services, Valet Parking, Front Office, Security, Reservations, Sales & Conference Services) to ensure smooth sense of arrival and departure.
• Actively participate in the preparation of annual departmental operating budget and financial plans, monitoring labor costs and expenses with a focus on rate strategy, building initiatives and room inventory oversight.
• Prepare and submit statistical, performance and forecast analyses and reports as necessary.
• Consistently evaluate guest satisfaction data, improve work flow processes and service blueprints by questioning current practices and proposing/implementing new quality initiatives.
• Maintain and drive a strong culture of accountability for the InterContinental Brand.
• Ensure all equipment is in good working order and all maintenance issues are addressed throughout the property.
• Direct and participate in the leading, coaching, recruitment, organization, general administration and development of the colleagues within each assigned department actively including performance evaluations and development reviews.
• Monitor and oversee general content updates within Concerto, third party and Hotel reservation portals in coordination with Marketing & Revenue.
• Manage relationships with various vendors to ensure adequate inventory of supplies and equipment, reviewing pricing and/or service issues, resolving any vendor performance issues, etc.
• Monitor par levels for operating supplies authorizing purchase orders to replenish shortages as appropriate.
• Consistently stays current on industry/competitive trends and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Adhere to federal, state and local regulations concerning hotel emergency procedures, safety, or other compliance requirements.
• Administer other duties, projects and initiatives as assigned by General Manager.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Associate degree