Guest Services Manager

GUEST SERVICES MANAGER                                                                                                      

Date: 2nd Quarter 2024
Department: Guest Services
Reports to: GENERAL MANAGER/ HLR BOARD                                                 
Employment: FULL TIME/EXEMPT

GENERAL PURPOSE                                                                                                                       

This position will be responsible for coordinating the Guest Services operations of The High Lonesome Ranch Property, located north of Grand Junction Colorado. This position entails all parts of Guest Services Department including but not limited to the management of sales, marketing, accounting, and the overall management of full time, part time, and seasonal staff as they relate to the guest services operations. It is imperative that a successful candidate possesses a self-motivated work ethic and is highly organized. This position will be responsible for achieving budgeted revenues/profits, while maintaining the operational and service standards prescribed by The High Lonesome Ranch ownership, managing partners, and General Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES                                                                                                                          

ADMINISTRATION TASKS

• Initiate or suggest plans to motivate employees to achieve related goals.

• Source talent, interview applicants, facilitate orientation, and train new Guest Service employees. Conduct ongoing training to increase job knowledge and skill level.

• Ensure all Guest Services equipment is maintained in accordance with the service standards and outages are reported and resolved in a timely manner with the Landscape and Maintenance Supervisor.

• Responsible for Guest Services management systems – accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, scheduling, etc.

• Ensure compliance with all SOP’s, ranch procedures, and ensure employees follow safe working protocol. Adhere to safety protocols and promptly report any occurrences.

• Responsible for passing safety and compliance audits related to the Guest Services Department.

• Help employees adhere to all work rules, procedures, and policies established by the company, including, but not limited to, those contained in the employee handbook and individual department procedures.

• Facilitate the negotiation and arrangement of contracts pertaining to events and reservations.

• Oversee and establish agreements with external service providers, conducting regular audits to ensure compliance with insurance and relevant certifications on a quarterly basis.

• This position may need to work nights, weekends, and holidays as necessary based on events scheduled at the property.

• Attend HLR meetings as needed by the General Manager.

• Communicate HLR Model, Adaptive Grazing, Regenerative Agriculture, and other Landscape Initiatives and onsite practices to HLR and HLI guests, staff, partners, etc.

• Collaborate and cooperate with The High Lonesome Institute and HLR Partners on specific initiatives (as needed), to further the goals of The High Lonesome Ranch.

GUEST SERVICE TASKS

• Provide exceptional customer service to guests, ensuring their needs are met and exceeded throughout their stay.

• Create and manage schedules within budgetary constraints, ensuring adequate staffing for guest arrivals, stayovers, activities, and departures.

• Revise and uphold training resources for the department while assessing the efficiency of policies.

• Assist with tasks that necessitate cooperation from other departments and be available for all shifts as required.

• Exemplify the essence of teamwork, guest service, communication, and leadership, setting a remarkable example for others.

• Oversee, coordinate, and lead the Guest Services team in managing daily operations, events, and actively participate in shifts, including serving, bartending, housekeeping, or assisting retail staff based on guest volume requirements.

• Supervise and examine guest accommodations, kitchen, dining areas, and outdoor spaces for cleanliness and presentation.

• Take ownership of the company's guidelines for cleanliness, decorations, food service, events, and customer service.

• Ensure guest supplies, LBW, and other F&B supplies are in stock. Create purchase orders for low-inventory items. Receive and inventory new stock.

• Oversee the inventory of Mercantile, ensuring its proper stocking, cleanliness, and organization. Generate purchase orders for new products whenever necessary.

• Review merchandising activities, assess the effectiveness of sales promotions, and approve clearance sales to develop pricing strategies.

• Coordinate and supervise contractors utilized in guest services such as chef/catering team, guides, housekeepers, and event staff.

• Handle reservation inquiries and confirm bookings. Coordinate activities with guides and Guest Services team.

• Coordinate event schedules and requirements with department managers, employees, venues, suppliers, presenters, and attendees.

• Participate in the coordination of property renovations and capital improvement projects in partnership with the GM and Landscape & Maintenance department.

• Perform other tasks as assigned by the GM.

SALES & MARKETING TASKS

• Research and development of new business opportunities, cooperative partnerships, contract review and logistical requirements.

• Development of new business by creatively resolving special customer requests through making sound business decisions, passing on leads, conducting tours, making sales calls, and actively participating with community organizations.

• Assist with ranch staff understanding of national sales and marketing programs and promotions.

• Support other departments in their sales and marketing endeavors.

• Collaborate with fellow department managers to enhance our social media presence and implement a strategic plan.

 SKILLS                                                                                                                                                

• Five to seven years of hotel, resort, or restaurant management and operations.

• The ideal candidate will have a broad working knowledge of all administrative departments of a large organization including but not limited to resort operations (guest services, housekeeping, dining, etc.,) marketing, sales, accounting, and human resources.

• The ideal candidate will be flexible and have the ability to adapt to new situations with ease.

• Impeccable organizational skills and attention to detail are a non-negotiable.

• The ideal candidate will be guest and customer service focused and will promote teamwork amongst all ranch staff.

• Must be reliable and dependable and possess exemplary judgment and problem-solving skills.

• Experience related to special event management is a plus.

• Past experience with sales and marketing, accounting, and human resources is desired.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS                                                                                                       

Position Type: Fulltime, Exempt.                                                   

Base Pay: $55,000-$65,000 (salary) DOE.

Education: High school or equivalent (Required.) A four-year degree in business, hotel management, or other applicable degree program preferred. A combination of education and experience will be considered.

Work Location: The High Lonesome Ranch, De Beque Colorado.

Benefits:

• Medical

• HSA

• On-Site Housing Is Available for Rent, if Vacancy is Open.

• Clothing Allowance

• Leave Consisting of -Vacation, Sick, and Holiday

• Life Insurance

• 401k Vested Matching

• Revenue Sharing

About the Property:

The High Lonesome Ranch sits along the spine of the continent on the Western Slope of the Colorado Rockies. A national park-scale landscape perfectly situated to help connect large ecosystems, we are right on a key habitat corridor. We are working to restore, conserve, and steward a large western landscape, which contributes to a western wildway for wildlife to roam and thrive that stretches from Mexico to Canada. A private conservation organization founded over 20 years ago, we are addressing the challenges of stewarding this landscape for habitat connection while we still can and encouraging people to use it. With mountain forests, grasslands, spring creeks, and alpine mesas at an altitude that ranges from 4,000 to 9,000 feet, the ranch is home to diverse wildlife and provides a vast playground for sports and wilderness activities.

We want guests to share our landscape. Our mission to restore this ecosystem and conserve this swath of land while inviting use of it is only one of the things that sets us apart from other ranches. The High Lonesome Ranch continues our mission of restoring and conserving this iconic landscape for the land itself, for the wildlife, and so all of us will still have wild places to go and play. Outdoor enthusiasts are conservationists at heart. We invite you to join us.

For more information about the property please visit: http://www.thehighlonesomeranch.com/