Career guide with VIDEO – Front office manager

A brief introduction into what the role entails

No pressure, but as front office manager your department is the first and last impression that a guest has of the hotel, so it’s your job to ensure it’s a good one. Top of the list of responsibilities is to make sure your receptionists on the front desk are well-trained, friendly and offer a warm welcome and speedy, efficient check-in and check-out service for guests.

Watch the video on How to become a Front Office Manager

Salary

On average, front office managers earn between £20,000-£29,000 depending on the location and style of the hotel. However, some luxury boutique hotels offer salaries up to £50,000. Many employers offer perks such as complimentary night stays, bonuses, and private medical insurance.

Working hours

As a front office manager, you would typically work a scheduled front desk shift and need to be available to work any shift needed. Weekly working hours vary greatly across the industry, ranging being between 35 to 47.5 hours.

What entry qualifications and training do you need?

Source: contributions from Krishnan Doyle and the hospitality specialists at COREcruitment

When considering which qualifications are needed for a front office manager role, a hospitality-related degree or diploma will always stand you in good stead. Alternatively, you could look for training programmes for receptionists as that would ease your entry into this position.

Separately, having valid and relevant Health & Safety training is desirable.

Once you are an experienced front office manager you may start to think about taking your career to the next stage. With the knowledge you would have gained, you could progress to deputy manager and general manager. Find out more about these roles on www.Caterer.com.

What experience do you need for a front office manager job?

Valuable experience for this role entails the following:

• work experience in office management as a front desk supervisor, assistant front office manager, or similar position in the hospitality industry
• a high level of commercial awareness and sales capabilities, with previous experience of managing a department and profit and loss account
• strong knowledge of the general hotel industry practices and policies
• excellent knowledge of MS Office (especially Excel and Word)
• knowledge of office machines (e.g. fax, printer etc.)

What skills do you need for a front office manager job?

Looking into acquiring the following skills if you do not already possess them would put you in good stead when applying for a role:

• Diplomacy and communication skills to handle any complaints and emergencies in a level-headed manner
• Ability to work independently
• Good telephone skills
• The ability to multitask and manage your time
• No fear of decision-making
• Sense of ownership and pride in your performance and its impact on the company’s success
• Critical thinker and problem-solving skills
• Team player
• Customer-centric