Front Desk Manager

Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill Washington, District of Columbia 20001•Washington, DC

68d•$65,120 - $68,120

About The Position

The Front Desk Manager is responsible for delivering results that support the hotel’s mission and overall success, with a focus on front desk performance. The role leads the training, management, and scheduling of the front desk team and assists the Front Office Manager with accounting and human resources functions. It serves as the lead point of contact for front desk technology systems and in-house guest marketing initiatives, represents the hotel to guests in the absence of the General Manager and Operations Manager, and also performs Guest Service Agent duties. The position leads daily Front Office operations and supports welcoming, seamless guest experiences from check-in through check-out. It oversees front desk and related guest services, develops employees, supports guest satisfaction and operational efficiency, and helps ensure guest interactions reflect Sonesta’s People People culture. The role requires flexible availability, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call support as needed.

Requirements

Strong knowledge of Front Desk operations, PMS systems, reservations, room inventory management, and guest service standards.
Excellent communication, leadership, conflict resolution, and customer service skills.
Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
Strong organizational, problem-solving, and operational management skills.
Experience managing guest recovery situations and creating exceptional guest experiences.
Passion for hospitality, leadership, teamwork, guest engagement, and operational excellence.
Flexible availability including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call support as needed.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, or a related field preferred.
3+ years of Front Office, hotel operations, guest services, or hospitality leadership experience preferred.
Previous supervisory or management experience within hotels or hospitality environments preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day Front Office operations, including Front Desk, Bell Services, Valet Services, guest services, check-in/check-out processes, and lobby experience management.
Supervise, train, schedule, coach, and develop Front Desk Agents, Bell/Valet Staff, and potentially Concierge Staff and other guest service teams.
Maintain guest satisfaction, service quality, and operational efficiency.
Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, service recovery situations, and guest concerns, ensuring prompt and professional resolution.
Oversee room inventory, room assignments, reservations coordination, upselling initiatives, and occupancy optimization.
Partner with Housekeeping, Engineering, Food & Beverage, Revenue Management, and hotel leadership teams to support guest experiences.
Support hiring, onboarding, employee engagement, performance management, and team development initiatives.
Monitor departmental productivity, labor management, operational reporting, cash handling, and Front Office financial performance.
Ensure compliance with hotel operational standards, safety procedures, brand standards, and guest service expectations.
Maintain knowledge of PMS and reservations systems, hotel procedures, loyalty programs, and hospitality operations.
Support VIP arrivals, group business, special requests, and opportunities to elevate guest experiences.
Create a welcoming, energetic, guest-focused environment aligned with Sonesta’s People People philosophy.
Assist the Front Office Manager with accounting and human resources functions.
Serve as the lead point person for Front Desk technology systems and in-house guest marketing initiatives.
Represent the hotel to guests in the absence of the General Manager and Operations Manager.
Perform Guest Service Agent duties.
Perform other duties as assigned.