Job Description
About Appellation Born from the elegant merger of the culinary and hospitality worlds, Appellation is much more than a typical hotel company. Inspired by its name, this new hotel brand brings together the best of local elements in a new way: a hotel collection powered by people, connected by food, and defined by place—all designed to celebrate its destinations’ culture, community, and craftsmanship. Developed by visionary co-founders Charlie Palmer, one of America’s best-known, award-winning chefs and pioneer in the American hotel-restaurant model, and Christopher Hunsberger, a 30-year veteran of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and its former president of North Americas. Join Appellation as its first hotels and resorts take root in 2025.? Overview of Position The Front Office Manager at Appellation Healdsburg is the leader and champion of the arrival and departure experience, being the ambassador of the property’s initial and lasting impression. This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead the front of house at one of Healdsburg's most distinguished properties, crafting innovative experiences and delivering memorable experiences that reflect the region’s genuine hospitality. As Front Office Manager, you will play a leading role in developing, executing, and consistently evolving the arrival, departure, in-house and concierge programming alongside the Director of Rooms. You will directly oversee the hotel’s front of house team and be accountable for the front desk, concierge, guest services (bell), and valet (operated by a third party). Other responsibilities include establishing policies and procedures regarding arrival and departure process, curating memorable interactions, training and development of assistant department heads and staff, planning purchase of collateral and supplies, supervising and mentoring front office staff (agents, concierge, bell, and valet), monitoring and managing labor, and ensuring the highest level of service standards in all interactions (digital and in person). Primary Duties and Responsibilities Ensure exceptional guest service standards are maintained at all times, additional handling VIP arrivals, departures, and special requests personally. Resolve guest complaints and escalated issues promptly and professionally while maintaining relationships with repeat guests and loyalty program members. Supervise daily front office operations including reservations, check-in/out, guest services, and coordinate with housekeeping for room readiness and guest preferences. Monitor front office operations for efficiency and luxury service standards, ensuring proper greeting, check-in, and check-out procedures are followed. Manage room inventory, rates, and availability optimization while implementing pricing strategies and upselling opportunities. Monitor daily occupancy rates, ADR (Average Daily Rate), and RevPAR, analyzing booking patterns and market trends for forecasting. Recruit, hire, train, support, review, discipline and terminate front office staff including front desk agents, concierge, and bell staff, always striving to maintain the highest possible levels of employee morale. Create staff and leadership schedules ensuring adequate coverage for all shifts and conduct regular performance evaluations and coaching. Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for front office operations and conduct regular training sessions on luxury service standards and hotel policies. Ensure staff are knowledgeable about local attractions, restaurants, and services while cross-training team members for operational flexibility. Manage front office department budget and control expenses, monitoring and reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs). Approve guest adjustments and comp authorizations within established limits while ensuring accurate billing and posting of all guest charges. Oversee daily cash handling procedures and night audit processes, ensuring proper security protocols for cash, keys, and guest information. Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly operational reports and communicate effectively with other department heads and general management. Maintain accurate records of guest preferences and special requests, coordinating with sales and marketing for group arrivals and special events. Ensure compliance with all hotel policies, procedures, and brand standards while maintaining knowledge of local laws, regulations, and safety requirements. Oversee emergency procedures and staff preparedness, ensuring proper handling of guest data and privacy protection. Oversee property management system operations and troubleshooting (use of Maestro), ensuring staff proficiency with hotel technology and reservation systems. Coordinate with IT for system updates and maintenance while ma