Director of Rooms

Sage Hospitality Group is set to hire a Director of Rooms at Hotel Van Zandt in Austin, Texas! 

Located in the heart of Austin’s Rainey Street District, Hotel Van Zandt is a 319-room independent hotel offering more than 25,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Featuring live music at Geraldine’s, vibrant poolside programming, and pop-up events that capture the energy of the city, the hotel delivers a guest experience that is dynamic, memorable, and unmistakably Austin.

As part of Sage Hospitality Group, we passionately strive to be the best and create excellence in everything we do. We believe in enriching lives one experience at a time. More than a slogan, we empower our employees to make positive impacts on the communities in which we live and work. By providing genuine service we build relationships with our guests and value for our shareholders, and we create unforgettable experiences. 

We are looking for independent thinkers. Those who harness their entrepreneurial spirit so that it breaks preconceived notions. We’re not afraid to forge our own path. After all, it’s what industry leaders do. That’s why we welcome risk takers and creative spirits alike. No matter your daily role, Sage recognizes that your success is about more than the work you do—it’s really about who you are, which is why we invest in your personal and professional growth. We hope you consider joining us!

Plan and provide leadership to the rooms department and related area's operations of the hotel to surpass customer (guests, employees, corporate, and owners) satisfaction and quality service while meeting/exceeding financial goals. Position is responsible for short, long-term planning and day-to-day operations of the rooms and related departments. Drafts the department’s budget and manages expenses within approved budget constraints. Major areas of responsibility/management include: the front office, guest services, housekeeping, security and working with the outsourced valet parking operations. This role is part of the Hotel Executive Committee. 

• Champions the guest and team experience by driving key performance indicators (including RevPAR, GOP, occupancy, guest satisfaction, and associate engagement) ensuring the Rooms Division delivers a dynamic, elevated, and memorable stay aligned with the hotel’s lifestyle positioning.
• Is a strong supporter of implementing activations and programming consistent with the positioning of this lifestyle hotel.     
• Gains in-depth knowledge of current budget performance and actively supports the development of annual budgets and forecasts, helping to identify opportunities for improved financial outcomes.
• Collaborates with other member of the Executive Committee on strategic issues to improve customer satisfaction, associate retention, and profitability.
• Seeks to implement innovative and creative ways to optimize profitability, customer satisfaction and associate retention within the rooms department.
• Manages check-in procedures for arriving guests on a daily basis, using both manual and computerized methods, in order to ensure guests are satisfied and in rooms as requested. May need to fill in for various roles within the rooms department as the demands of business requires (Front Office and Housekeeping roles).
• Manages guest departure (check-out) on a daily basis by following established manual and computer procedures in order to close guest accounts and open the room for the next sell.
• Work closely with the People & Culture department to execute divisional people strategies, including supporting hiring, training, and development efforts; providing day-to-day coaching and guidance; assisting with performance management and compensation input; promoting a positive and communicative work environment; and partnering with P&C on employee relations matters, including appropriate disciplinary actions and terminations.
• Strategically looks ahead to ensure all areas within scope of responsibility are properly staffed, trained and prepared for upcoming business levels.
• Is a strong supporter of the sales team and all group/catering bookings and seeks ways to surprise and delight their experiences.
• Monitors and regularly calculate and/or posts monies, receipts, guest accounts and other forms of credit using accurate, proper cash handling methods and established procedures in order to present the customer with timely and precise hotel charges upon check-out and maintain accurate hotel records.
• Courteously answers inquiries and accepts reservations, both in person and by telephone, by accurately communicating hotel rates and information and by using suggestive selling techniques to sell room nights, increase occupancy and revenue.
• Maintains good customer relations by keeping abreast of all in-house and area functions in order to answer questions and concerns with timely and knowledgeable responses, in person and on telephone.
• Steps in to support guest communication functions when necessary, including responding to incoming and outgoing calls, coordinating wake-up services, and assisting with guest notifications to ensure seamless service delivery.
• Manages the standard procedures for cash transactions at the front desk and maintains complete responsibility for personal bank as specified by hotel bank agreement policy.
• Resolve customer complaints as appropriate to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction and quality.
• Exemplifies professionalism and a positive, engaging demeanor at all times, acting as a highly visible representative of the hotel and fostering exceptional guest interactions.
• Ensures that the overall operation of the front desk is completed daily.
• Implement emergency organization procedures and training through the management of the security staff to ensure appropriate protection for hotel guests, staff and company assets.
• Oversees and fosters a strong partnership between Housekeeping and Engineering, ensuring both teams work cohesively to address issues, improve processes, and maintain the property at an exceptional level.
• Performs other duties as assigned, requested or deemed necessary by management.

Education/Formal Training

A four-year college degree or equivalent education/experience.

Experience

Four to five years of employment in a related position with this company or other organization(s).

Knowledge/Skills

• This includes experiential knowledge required for management of people and complex problems.
• Ability to study, analyze and interpret complex activities and/or information in order to improve new practices or develop new approaches.
• Ability to make decisions with only general policies and procedures available for guidance.
• Supervisory/management skills.
• Must possess communication skills in terms of the ability to negotiate, convince, sell and influence professionals and/or hotel guests.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to respond to guest requests and questions over the phone
• Excellent speech communication skills are required to communicate both in person and via telephone with guests, associates and corporate contacts in a professional and extensive manner.
• Excellent literacy is required. Must be able to both assimilate and generate explicit and concise documents for publication within our corporate environment.
• Lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying -must be able to accomplish any task required of associates within assigned departments.
• Bending/kneeling -must be able to accomplish any task required of associates within assigned departments.
• Mobility -must be able to accomplish any task required of associates within assigned departments.
• Continuous standing -must be able to accomplish any task required of associates within assigned departments.
• Climbing up to approximately 40 steps 1% of 40 hour week. Climbing ladders up to approximately 5 feet 15% of 40 hour week.
• Driving required as necessary

Environment

Inside hotel and office environment 95% of shift