Director of Rooms - InterContinental Washington DC - The Wharf

About Us 

IHG Hotels & Resorts is one of the largest hotel companies in the world and one of the world’s leading hotel and resort companies with a family of 19 brands. Our purpose – True Hospitality for Good – comes to life in every one of our collections. With luxury and lifestyle, we are taking it to new heights.

Five visionary brands - InterContinental, Regent Hotels, Six Senses, Vignette Collection and Kimpton Hotels - make up our luxury collection. Individually, they are icons. Together, they bring unforgettable and unparalleled experiences to travelers in over 430 hotels and resorts in 100 countries around the world. 

Having recently added a host of incredible properties to our portfolio, we now stand as one of the world’s leading luxury operators. Each of our hotels cultivates a distinctive style and ambience where we embrace every opportunity to give our guests unforgettable and unparalleled experiences. 

About the hotel

A luxurious hotel destination at The Wharf on D.C.’s Waterfront, the InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf in the reimagined Wharf neighborhood brings sophistication to its contemporary style. Perfectly placed on the beautiful Potomac River, InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf enjoys the most incredible waterfront views of D.C. Steps away from America’s political epicenter, the hotel embraces guests with an exquisitely curated resort destination that reignites the river’s edge and a captivating sanctuary in the center of The Wharf neighborhood, paying homage to the maritime and industrial-working heritage of its setting.  Featuring a relaxing seasonal rooftop pool with striking Potomac River views and the indulging full-service spa, The Spa at The Wharf, modern luxury, culture, and a rich history combine in the Wharf neighborhood to create a perfect atmosphere for guests and locals alike.

About the Director of Rooms position

As Rooms Division Director you’ll lead the front office and housekeeping departments to ensure a memorable guest experience is delivered and departmental revenue and profit goals are met - always following safety and compliance requirements and local policies and procedures. 

Key Accountabilities

People 

• Direct everyday activity, plan and assign work work ensuring you always have the right staffing numbers    
• Develop your team and improve their performance through coaching and feedback, and create performance and development goals for colleagues - recognise good performance  
• Train colleagues to make sure they hit hotel revenue goals to the standards we expect and have the tools they need to work effectively  
• Recommend or initiate any HR elated actions where needed   
• Drive a great working environment for teams to thrive - connect departments to create sense of one team   
• Interact with outside contacts: guests, vendors, and other contacts as needed  
• Develop and maintain great working relationships with key clients and outside contacts to increase revenue 

Financial 

• Oversee night audit function and preparation of daily financial reports.  
• Prepare and submit statistical, performance, and forecast analyses and reports as required.  
• Maintain procedures for security of monies, credit and financial transactions, guest security, and inventory control 
• Use company systems and processes to maximise revenue. Develop plans to increase occupancy and ADR through walk-ins and upselling at the front desk  
• Hit all personal/team sales goals and maximise profitability  
• Help prepare the departmental budget and financial plans including the hotel marketing plan

Guest Experience

• Provide guests with information (example: loyalty programmes, area attractions, restaurants, facility information) to enhance their experience  
• Schedule conventions and/or business group activities at the hotel and coordinate with other hotel-level departments to facilitate services agreed upon by the sales office and prospective clients  
• Communicate to appropriate departments all pertinent information requirements and special needs for arriving VIP’s, large groups and other key guests  
• Lead marketing efforts to up sell guests on hotel services, offerings, and amenities  
• Ensure front office staff provides guests with prompt service, professional attention and personal recognition  
• Ensure guests are greeted upon arrival and make time to interact effectively with guests. Respond appropriately to guest complaints, solicit feedback and build relationships that drive continuous improvements in guest satisfaction.   
• Conduct routine inspections of the front office and public areas and take immediate actions to correct any deficiencies  
• Ensure that guest satisfaction data is analysed and that plans are developed and implemented to achieve established goals  
• Communicate to appropriate departments all pertinent information related to the expected arrival and departure of VIP’s and other key guests, or other special guest needs  

Responsible Business 

• Work closely with key business leaders, officials, and representatives of local community groups within the city to ensure constant high-profile exposure for the hotel 
• Effectively communicate and market aspects of the hotel that are sustainable or “green” and use information to gain new business opportunities 
• Act as a central communications point during emergency/crisis situations; develop and maintain relationships with local fire, police, and emergency personnel.   
• Develop awareness and reputation of the hotel and brand in the local community and promote team member involvement in community outreach efforts.  
• Work with advertising agencies, consulting firms, and vendors to maximise advertising investments and ensure ads represent brand identity 
• Raise the awareness and reputation of your hotel and the brand locally – occasionally acting as hotel representative for media related enquiries 
• Identify improvements to marketing activities and overall hotel sales performance and work with other departments  
• Ad-hoc duties – unexpected moments when we have to pull together to get a task done  
• Regularly audit all financial transactions to ensure governmental regulations and data privacy requirements are met.  
• Perform other duties as assigned. May also serve as manager on duty.  

Accountability

This is the top rooms division job in a large, luxury, resort, or major flagship hotel with an extensive range of facilities and services, demanding competitive pressures, and a large number of VIP and key guests. Directly and indirectly supervises a large number of front office and housekeeping employees

Key Skills & Experiences

• Bachelor’s degree / higher education qualification / equivalent in Hotel Administration, Business Administration  
• Four years of guest service/hotel experience with two years in a management capacity, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience 
• Must speak local language (s)   
• Other languages preferred

What you can expect from us

We give our people everything they need to succeed. From a competitive salary that rewards all your hard work to a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life – including impressive room discounts and some of the best training in the business. 

The salary range for this role is $110,000.00 to $135,000.00. This is the lowest to highest pay scale we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. This rate is only applicable for jobs to be performed in Washington, DC. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors including, but limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs. 

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401k, and many other benefits to eligible employees.

You can apply for this role through the link below (or through the internal career site if you are a current employee). 

Note: No amount of pay is considered wages or compensation until earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or any other form of compensation that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams where we celebrate difference and encourage colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance by always welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. 

IHG Hotels & Resorts gives every member of the team the room they need to belong, grow and make a difference in a collaborative environment. We know that to work well, we need to feel well – both inside and outside of work – and through our myWellbeing framework, we are committed to supporting wellbeing in your health, lifestyle, and workplace.  So, join us and you’ll become part of our ever-growing global family.

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we’ve made a promise. As one of the world’s leading hotel groups, we’re here to deliver True Hospitality for Good. Making our guests and colleagues feel welcome, cared for, recognised and respected – wherever they are in the world. Want to be part of the journey?

As the world’s first and most global luxury hotel brand, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has pioneered international travel since the 1940s and we are passionate about sharing our renowned international know-how and cultural wisdom in truly impressive surroundings. We all take great pride in being genuine ambassadors of the InterContinental®️ brand and to be part of the brand you will have a thirst for travel, a passion for culture and an appreciation for diversity. We create inspiring experiences for those seeking a richer perspective on the world. If you’d like to embrace a world of opportunities, we’d like to welcome you to the world’s most international luxury hotel brand.

Don't quite meet every single requirement, but still believe you'd be a great fit for the job? We'll never know unless you hit the 'Apply' button. Start your journey with us today.