Upani Homes http://upanidiani.com and Real Estate Empire, is a hospitality company that runs vacation homes and bed and breakfasts for its clients located all over Africa and expanding to other locations in the next 12 months. We are seeking to fill the above vacancy in Diani. This is an opportunity for a dynamic, ambitious and dependable individual to grow with a growing company.
The Guest Relations Manager will oversee all property operations, ensuring that the highest levels of hospitality and service are provided to Upani’s Guests. Represents property management in resolving any guest related situations. Manages the flow of querries and handles the tracking of service related issues.
He or she will report to the Directors but with a 360 degree accountability with other staff members.
They will oversee all operations at the establishments and ensure efficient coordination of all the departments.
Key Duties:
Reporting to the company directors, the selected candidate’s role includes:
Core Work Activities
Leading Guest Services Teams
- Utilizes interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence, and encourage other guest relations teams – including housekeeping and maintenance teams
- Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
- Serves as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors.
- Supervises and manages employees. Manages all day-to-day operations. Understands employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees’ absence.
- Establishes and maintains open, collaborative relationships with employees and ensures employees do the same within the team.
Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service
- Provides services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.
- Improves service by communicating and assisting staff to understand guest needs, providing guidance, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.
- Manages day-to-day operations, ensuring the quality, standards and meeting the expectations of the customers on a daily basis.
- Serves as a leader in displaying outstanding hospitality skills.
- Sets a positive example for guest relations.
- Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
- Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
- Observes service behaviours of employees and provides feedback to individuals.
- Strives to improve service performance.
- Provides immediate assistance to guests as requested.
- Ensures employees understand customer service expectations and parameters.
- Participates in the development and implementation of corrective action plans to improve guest satisfaction.
Implementing Projects and Policies
- Implements the customer recognition/service program, communicating and ensuring the process.
- Ensures property policies are administered fairly and consistently, disciplinary procedures and documentation are completed according to Standard and Local Operating Procedures (SOPs and LSOPS) and support the Peer Review Process.
Conducting Human Resource Activities
- Identifies the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
- Provides guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
- Participates in employee progressive discipline procedures.
- Uses all available on the job training tools for employees.
- Solicits employee feedback, utilizes an “open door” policy and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.
- Supervises on-going training initiatives and conducts training when appropriate.
- Participates in the employee performance appraisal process, providing feedback as needed.
Additional Responsibilities
- Provides regular information to Directors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Analyzes information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Informs and/or updates the executives, the peers and the subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner.
- Maintains high visibility in public platforms
Sales & Marketing
- Develop, implement, monitor and participate in a comprehensive sales and marketing plan that results in optimum rates and occupancies.
- Oversee the set up and operation of online marketing strategies
- Arrange public relations events and participate in suitable public arenas to promote the hotel
Qualifications:
We invite applications from highly energized individuals who meet the following criteria:
- Degree / Higher Diploma in Hotel Management from a recognized university or 3 year experience in lieu of
- At least 3 years progressive experience in hospitality
- Candidates who have headed a department in a medium to large hotel or have been in overall management of bed and breakfasts or hotels are encouraged to apply
- Familiarity with online marketing will be an added advantage
- Excellent written & spoken English, interpersonal skills and presentation skills
- Proficiency in MS Office suite and use of a hospitality software
- Skilfull in project planning/ tasks and able to prioritize projects/ tasks.
Personal Skills:
- High managerial capacities
- Highly organized and efficient individual
- Pro-active and result driven
- Both team player and captain (hands-on)
- Ability to create a vision and mobilize staff towards its achievement
- Socially engaged, passionate, easy communicator, convincing and representative attitude
The Guest Relations manager will be expected to supervise round-the-clock support provided by themselves and the other team members in shifts or as needed.
If you believe that your skills match the position, please apply by clicking here. You will be required to answer some questions in order to submit your application, applications with unanswered questions or that do not follow the instructions set out will be disqualified.
Only candidates that make it to the next stage of recruitment will be contacted.
The advertisement will remain open as we are looking for candidates to manage multiple properties. Once we have attained the candidates needed, we shall close this position.