Managing Director

Proper Hospitality Careers•Santa Monica, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Santa Monica Proper Hotel is seeking an accomplished, highly engaged Managing Director to serve as the property’s senior executive. The role has full responsibility for the hotel’s overall performance, positioning, culture, and continued evolution as a luxury destination. The Managing Director leads the Executive Committee, drives financial and operational performance, develops an exceptional workplace, and ensures the property reflects the standards and spirit of Proper Hospitality. The Managing Director leads the hotel’s strategy and day-to-day operations, with accountability for financial results, guest experience, commercial performance, dining and lifestyle offerings, leadership development, and stewardship of the brand and physical asset. The role works closely with Proper Hospitality’s corporate leadership, ownership, department leaders, clients, industry partners, and community stakeholders. Santa Monica Proper is a 267-room hotel combining historic architecture with new construction and interiors by Kelly Wearstler. Its amenities include dining experiences, a rooftop lounge and pool, and more than 16,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Requirements

Significant senior leadership experience within luxury or highly regarded independent hotels.
Experience as a Managing Director, General Manager, or senior operations executive overseeing a complex, high-performing property.
Demonstrated success leading a hotel with substantial rooms, food and beverage, rooftop, wellness, group, and event operations.
Strong financial acumen and direct responsibility for budgeting, forecasting, profitability, labor management, and overall property performance.
Proven ability to grow revenue, strengthen market positioning, and improve operational results.
Deep understanding of luxury service delivery and the expectations of a discerning, globally minded guest.
Visible, hands-on leadership style and ability to create accountability throughout an organization.
Strong executive presence, sound judgment, and effective communication with ownership, corporate leadership, employees, guests, and external partners.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the Los Angeles or Southern California hospitality market is strongly preferred.
Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
Appreciation for design, culture, food and beverage, wellness, and experience-driven hospitality.

Responsibilities

Lead the hotel’s overall strategy, performance, and day-to-day operations.
Own financial performance, including revenue, profitability, labor, operating expenses, forecasting, and annual budgets.
Translate company and ownership objectives into property-level priorities, operating plans, and measurable results.
Identify and execute opportunities to grow revenue and profitability across rooms, food and beverage, events, wellness, and ancillary experiences.
Monitor the Santa Monica and greater Los Angeles luxury hospitality landscape and respond to changes in demand, competition, consumer behavior, and market opportunities.
Review financial and operational results, identify performance gaps, and ensure leaders take timely, effective action.
Partner with corporate leadership and ownership on business strategy, capital priorities, property positioning, and long-term growth.
Set a vision for service and maintain a visible presence throughout the hotel with guests, residents, team members, and community partners.
Establish and uphold standards across rooms, food and beverage, wellness, events, and public-facing areas.
Use guest feedback, service metrics, and operational insights to improve the guest experience; personally address significant guest concerns.
Ensure the property’s physical environment, service delivery, and programming align with its luxury positioning and creative identity.
Develop an integrated commercial strategy with Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, and Food and Beverage leaders.
Strengthen the hotel’s positioning in luxury leisure, corporate, group, entertainment, and local markets; drive occupancy, average daily rate, RevPAR, market share, group production, outlet revenue, and profitability.
Develop community relevance through programming, partnerships, and events, and build relationships with clients, industry partners, community leaders, and local stakeholders.
Provide strategic leadership across dining, rooftop, nightlife, events, and wellness experiences in partnership with culinary and food and beverage leaders.
Support the quality, consistency, innovation, profitability, and distinct identity of each outlet, while cultivating experiences for hotel guests and the local community.
Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing Executive Committee and senior leadership team.
Establish departmental accountability and a collaborative operating culture; coach leaders in commercial thinking, operational discipline, and care for guest and employee experience.
Develop succession plans and opportunities for high-potential talent, set expectations, provide constructive feedback, and recognize strong performance.
Foster an inclusive workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered.
Protect the hotel’s identity, reputation, and market position, and ensure quality, design integrity, cleanliness, and presentation standards.
Partner with Engineering and corporate leadership on preventive maintenance and capital priorities.
Safeguard assets through financial controls, risk management, safety practices, and regulatory compliance.
Balance operational needs with preservation of the property’s architecture, interiors, and design vision; represent the hotel and Proper Hospitality professionally in the industry and community.