General Manager - Choice Hotels International Property

Job Description:

General Manager position for a top-of-the-line Choice Hotels International property in Lubbock, Texas. The General Manager provides day-to-day leadership and direction for our property by maximizing financial returns, driving team-member development, creating and maintaining a unique guest experience, meeting and exceeding brand standards, and building awareness of the hotel and brand in the local community. The general manager is thoughtful, reliable, and professional, making guests feel part of the family by anticipating and fulfilling guest wants and needs.

Top level position in a small to mid-sized, limited-service, single-site hotel. Typically responsible for hotel revenues of less than $15 million.

Essential Functions

1. Develop and execute annual strategic plans, forecasts, and budgets to achieve company’s desired operating results. Strategic plans include cash flow, staffing, asset management, and sales and marketing plans. Closely liaises with company management.
2. Develop and utilize objectives, measurements, metrics, and reports for hotel.
3. Prepare periodic status reports and professionally presents to company leadership.
4. Manage asset and supply inventories and hotel supply chain to achieve optimal efficiency and effectiveness.
5. Monitor the competitive positioning of hotel. Collect and analyze market and guest experience data; oversee and evaluate market research and adjust sales strategy in coordination with sales team to meet changing market and competitive conditions. Ensure hotel’s market leadership position.
6. Manage revenue management program to achieve satisfactory market share in relation to industry and economic trends.
7. Analyze and maintain knowledge of guests; build and promote strong, long-lasting relationships by identifying, understanding and tending to guest needs.
8. Establish and implement services and programs to meet or exceed guest expectations. Drive improvement in guest satisfaction goals; monitor and act upon guest satisfaction data. Interact with guests, solicit feedback. Personally respond to and resolve guest complaints.
9. Develop programs that drive high levels of team member engagement and retention, and that cultivate the company and brand service philosophy.
10. Develop team members and succession planning to ensure consistency in staffing and service delivery. Recruit, interview, and hire qualified employees that demonstrate the brand and company service philosophy. Establish performance and development goals for team members, and provide training, mentoring, coaching, and regular feedback to enhance performance.
11. Oversee pay, disciplinary, or staffing/human resources related actions in accordance with company rules and policies, and regulatory requirements. Schedule staff, and approve and submit timecards for payroll. Manage labor hours and overtime.
12. Demonstrate brand citizenship by maintaining compliance with all required brand and service standards, and license agreement mandates. Establish and maintain a consistent hotel image throughout all service offerings, promotions, and events. Implement and exceed brand standards to ensure passing quality assessments. Present and represent hotel in its specific brand voice.
13. Assist staff in preparing rooms and services for guests as necessary to execute the hotel’s business model.
14. Oversee carrying out of rewards programs for guests; manage accuracy and integrity of transactions; manage preparation of daily audit packs.
15. Manage maintenance and physical condition of hotel to ensure a well-maintained, immaculate property.
16. Ensure a safe and secure environment for guests, team members and hotel assets in compliance with company’s policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.
17. Represent hotel at trade association, franchise, and community meetings and events as appropriate.
18. Establish and maintain relationships with industry influencers and key strategic partners.
19. Coordinate and communicate with sales team and company management.

Competencies
1. Effective oral and written communication.
2. People Focus.
3. Results Driven.
4. Strategic Thinking.
5. Problem Solving/Analysis.
6. Business Acumen.
7. Creativity.
8. Self-Motivation.
9. Technical Capacity.
10. Fluent in English.

Leadership Qualities
1. Ability to manage change effectively.
2. Ability to communicate goals and objectives, and to inspire employees to achieve those goals.
3. Ability to conceptualize visions, and convey concepts and ideas to management, peers, and employees.
4. Ability to maintain a professional working relationship with guests, groups, and team members.
5. Aptitude and experience in creating and promoting an atmosphere of teamwork.
6. Ability to inspire, train, and develop people for promotion.
7. Experience training and cross-training employees.
8. Ability to instill a "can-do" attitude in employees.

Business Skills
1. Excellent time management and project management skills.
2. Strong organizational skills.
3. Advanced skill working with computers, including Microsoft Office applications.
4. Exceptional attention to detail and follow-up.
5. Strong budgetary, projections, and metrics skills.
6. Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to maintain a courteous, friendly, professional work environment.
7. Ability to quickly evaluate alternatives and decide on a plan of action.
8. Capacity to teach.
9. Involvement with local community to develop business relationships.
10. Ability to work independently and multi-task, prioritizing as appropriate.

Work Environment
This job operates in a professional office environment and an indoor hotel with public and private spaces. This role also will routinely be outside to monitor and maintain property. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This job also requires use of commercial cleaning supplies, kitchen equipment, and hotel linens and supplies.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position. Must be available to work extended hours, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Qualifications:

Required Education and Experience
1. Bachelor’s degree or higher education equivalent in hotel administration or business management and at least 2 years’ prior hotel or business management experience; or
2. Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Education and Experience
1. Bilingual (English/Spanish) communication skill is desirable but not required.
2. Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) certification desirable but not required.