Assistant Front Office Manager at Accor Hotel

Job Description

Purpose of the role: 

• To ensure the smooth running of the Front Office Department thereby providing the delivery of exceptional service to our guests and Front Office Staff 
• To oversee sub-departments within Front Office 
• Coaching and mentoring staff to achieve Fairmont Standards 
• To offer support to line staff and management. 
• To identify growth potential amongst the staff and to provide ongoing training and guidance. 

Main Responsibilities: 

Financial: Satisfied Shareholders: 

• Analyse billing instructions and ensure that all agent invoices are correct before sending them to the accounts department. 
• Ensuring time sheets for all staff are captured correctly and that all monthly commissions are submitted timeously. 
• Ensuring that staff are rostered according to Hotel occupancy. 
• Ensuring accuracy with cashing up of cashiers and spot checking cashier floats on a regular basis. 
• Ensure that all floats are sealed away in the safe before close of your shift.  
• Sound understanding of budgets and cost control 
• To assist in the preparation of the annual budget in related areas and ensure it is well worked during the year 
• To assist in the preparation of the annual budget in related areas and ensure it is well worked during the year 
• Ensuring that stock levels are maintained for office use and welcome back gifting and that all paperwork relating to suppliers are submitted timeously to ensure accurate payment to suppliers. 
• Monitor the PQ-status as well as the credit limits of all in-house guests. 
• Ensuring that all courier service is up to date, charged accordingly and signed invoices are sent to accounts to process. 
• Ensuring that all transfers and tours are charged correctly in accordance with the concierge team. 
• Authorising all cash advance requests of guest and ensuring accuracy of charging procedure. 
• Driving opportunities to enhance department revenue by identifying upsell and sale opportunities. 
• Monitoring department expenses in accordance with occupancy and budgets.  
• Ensuring timeous submission of salaries on a monthly basis. 
• To co-ordinate any commission payments within the sub-department. 
• Timeous submission of all statements / invoices relating to month end department expenses.  
• Ensuring that all clearing accounts balance at month end.  
• Communicating to staff on a daily basis with regards to revenue targets. 

Customer Service: Delighted Customers: 

• Models the Organizational Values and Fairmont Memorandum 
• To ensure effective liaison between Front Office staff and other departments 
• To be available to deal effectively with all guest complaints and staff related issues  
• Ongoing interaction with guests to facilitate upselling and ensuring the communication procedure is followed. 
• To act as a House Manager when required 
• To continually implement and encourage new ideas for improvement of the product 
• To ensure accurate and timeous submission of all reports and relevant administration work 
• To ensure effective running of PMS, PABX and all related interfaces in conjunction with the IT managers 
• To ensure that the following guest programs are operated efficiently: Children / Honeymoon / Incentives & gifts / Welcome Back Guests/ Long Stay’s / Arrivals preparation for the next day. Ensuring that guest correspondence and special requests are carried out accordingly. 
• To deputize for the Front Office Manager in their absence 
• Conduct LQA assessments  
• Determine the training needs of the team and in turn train the team accordingly.   
• Nominate our team for the heartiest of the month program.  
• Element new initiatives on enrolling All members.  
• Complete month end stock take.  
• Complete and distribute the monthly rostering of the team.  

Processes: Effective Processes: 

• Creates and maintains department Standard Operating Procedures, 
• Ability to enhance guest product and experience though ongoing innovation to improve operation.  
• To recruit above Front Office staff thereby maintaining appropriate staffing levels and skills  
• Ensuring guest value add programme runs efficiently and ensuring accurate product knowledge. 
• Ensuring Health and Safety standards are maintained within the sub-department and act in accordance with regular assessments to eliminate possible risks.  
• To assist with maintaining Health and Safety standards and to promote regular assessments to eliminate possible risks within the department. 
• Ensuring a constant update in standard operating procedures as the product and service requires. 
• Ensure that the Back Office area is clean and tidy at all times  

Learning and Growth: Motivated and Prepared Workforce: 

• To give necessary direction, inspiration, motivation and support to the relevant sub-departments within Front Office, in line with Fairmont values, strategies and philosophies 
• To ensure that staff adhere to all hotel policies and procedures 
• To complete performance reviews and partnering initiatives when required 
• To identify training needs and ensure that training is scheduled accordingly 
• To draw up induction programmes and ensure an effective Godfather system 
• To mentor, coach, counsel and discipline staff, as required 
• To draw up fair rosters to ensure maximum staff productivity 
• To ensure that regular sub-dept. and monthly Front Office meetings are held  
• To facilitate cross training within the Front Office department and to co-operate with other departments on cross training 
• To ensure that a comprehensive educational programme runs throughout the year. 
• Regular feedback sessions with individual staff to monitor growth and development. 

General knowledge and responsibilities: 

• Has a thorough knowledge of the hotel and all services provided to the guest 
• Have a general knowledge of Cape Town surroundings and popular guest attraction areas.  
• Maintains the high standard of service, appearance and social skills set according to the company policy 
• Works in harmony with all departments and employees, is willing to assist others if and when required, 
• Attends all training workshops as and when required  
• Is familiar with all policies and procedures, house rules, fire, security and emergency procedures as well as all checklists pertaining to the position 
• Performs any reasonable duty as instructed by Front Office  
• Assisting with recruitment for the department. 
• Management of IR/ Disciplinary enquiries  

Qualifications

• Grade 12 or equivalent, 
• A Hospitality Management qualification is a strong recommendation, 
• 3 Years’ Experience in the Front of House or Food and Beverage department of the hospitality industry, 
• Proficiency in English (Verbal, Written, Reading), 
• Demonstrated experience using: 
• Fidelio Opera Property Management System 
• Microsoft Office Suite to at least Intermediate level 
• Stock Control Systems 
• Superior Customer Service and Liaison skills 
• Above average problem solving skills, 
• Above average ability to communicate at all levels of the organisation 
• Well-developed supervisory skills 
• Ability to lead from the front and to manage a team. 
• Drive innovation 
• Grade 12 or equivalent, 
• A Hospitality Management qualification is a strong recommendation, 
• 3 Years’ Experience in the Front of House or Food and Beverage department of the hospitality industry, 
• Proficiency in English (Verbal, Written, Reading), 

Demonstrated experience using: 

• Fidelio Opera Property Management System 
• Microsoft Office Suite to at least Intermediate level 
• Stock Control Systems 
• Superior Customer Service and Liaison skills 
• Above average problem solving skills, 
• Above average ability to communicate at all levels of the organisation 
• Well-developed supervisory skills 
• Ability to lead from the front and to manage a team. 
• Drive innovation