Assistant Director of Rooms

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

The Newbury Boston at One Newbury Street, located in the premier shopping and dining neighborhood of Boston's Back Bay is an iconic property originally opened in 1927 as one of the first Ritz-Carlton hotels in the U.S. and most recently was the Taj Boston. The building was recently transformed into a 286-room luxury hotel with 16,000-sq-ft of stunning event spaces, signature dining experiences and a reimagined front entrance on Newbury Street.

The Assistant Director of Rooms is responsible for ensuring the operation of Housekeeping and Front Office team is attentive, friendly, efficient and courteous manner, providing all guests with quality service while maximizing room revenue and productivity, and developing managers and employees.

Provide leadership to all Rooms Division personnel, including coaching, counseling, and disciplinary actions.
• Collaborate with the Human Resources team in recruitment and hiring of Rooms Division staff.
• Ensure training for all Rooms Division personnel, with a focus on developing team members' skills, especially in Housekeeping operations.
• Maintain professional relationships and open communication with other departments.
• Ensure adherence to Housekeeping and other Rooms Division SOPs.
• Oversee and monitor guest services to ensure guest satisfaction and ensure maximum room revenue.
• Conduct daily department tours to greet employees, solicit feedback, and ensure cleanliness and maintenance standards.
• Monitor and control expenses, including labor, supplies, and materials, to ensure budget compliance.
• Assist in the creation and monitoring of departmental budgets.
• Prepare and review monthly reforecasts and financial reports.
• Monitor labor expenses, employee schedules, and ensure compliance with departmental productivity goals.
• Lead the Rooms Division meetings, including regular performance reviews and goal-setting sessions.
• Ensure compliance with guest recognition programs and provide VIP treatment for special guests.
• Coordinate major projects such as renovations, capital expenditures, and equipment changes.
• Ensure that Housekeeping maintains high cleanliness and maintenance standards.
• Participate in operational forecasting and budgeting for revenue and occupancy management.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Be knowledgeable of the current corporate marketing programs and ensure staff are familiar with and capable of implementing corporate programs.
• Regularly monitor all aspects of room operations, from Front Desk to Housekeeping.
• Ensure the overall guest satisfaction and quality of service in all Rooms Division departments.
• Take on other responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Rooms.

Education & Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in a hotel or a related field; or a 4-year college degree and at least 2 years of related experience; or a 2-year college degree and 4 or more years of related experience.
• Minimum 3-5 years of rooms leadership experience in an upscale or luxury hotel environment
• At least 1 year experience as a department head in a hotel rooms division.
• Strong housekeeping background is highly preferred.
• Proven leadership skills with a track record in guest satisfaction, team engagement, and financial performance
• Exceptionally organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced setting
• Flexible and able to support a 24-hour operation, including peak and emergency situations
• Must be proficient in Windows, Company approved spreadsheets and word processing.

Physical Requirements:

• Long hours sometimes required.
• Medium work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

General Requirements:

• Must communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with all levels of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous, and service-oriented manner.
• Must be skilled in handling employee and guest concerns and capable of solving problems proactively.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Must maintain a professional appearance and grooming, including wearing a nametag.
• Participate in M.O.D. coverage as needed.
• Must adhere to safety and operational standards.