Job DescriptionThe Director of Rooms also maintains ownership of Rooms division budgets, forecasts, labor performance, operating standards, and cross-functional coordination, partnering closely with the General Manager and hotel leadership to support the overall performance of NoMad Detroit.
ResponsibilitiesRooms Division Leadership & Operational Oversight- Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership of Front Office, Housekeeping, and Valet operations, giving clear direction, guidance, and support to department leaders.
- Establish and maintain consistent Rooms division operating standards, service expectations, procedures, and accountability across all assigned departments.
- Maintain a highly visible presence throughout guest-facing and back-of-house Rooms areas and monitor operations to ensure standards are consistently executed.
- Monitor rooms-related systems, processes, and procedures that directly affect the guest experience and ensure appropriate controls, follow-up, and corrective action are in place.
- Ensure effective communication and coordination among Front Office, Housekeeping, and Valet so room readiness, arrivals, departures, guest requests, and service recovery are handled seamlessly.
- Review daily operations, occupancy, arrivals, departures, VIP activity, group movements, room status, service issues, and other business needs and ensure appropriate operational plans are in place.
- Identify operational trends, service gaps, and opportunities for improvement and implement appropriate solutions with department leaders.
- Serve as the senior Rooms leader in the hotel and assume additional operational leadership responsibilities as assigned by the General Manager.
Front Office & Guest Experience - Provide leadership and oversight of Front Office operations and ensure guest arrival, registration, check-in, check-out, billing, and departure processes are efficient, accurate, welcoming, and consistent with NoMad standards.
- Ensure Front Office leaders and team members are equipped to anticipate guest needs, personalize service, communicate effectively, and resolve concerns with confidence and professionalism.
- Monitor guest feedback, service-recovery activity, operational issues, and recurring concerns and work with leaders to address root causes.
- Personally engage with guests when appropriate to resolve complex or elevated service concerns and support special requests.
- Ensure VIP arrivals, special occasions, repeat guests, groups, and other high-touch experiences are appropriately coordinated across Rooms and hotel departments.
- Partner with Sales, Revenue, Food & Beverage, Guest Relations, and other departments regarding group movements, site visits, special requests, and operational requirements that affect the guest journey.
Housekeeping Oversight - Provide leadership and oversight to the Executive Housekeeper and ensure Housekeeping operations consistently support room cleanliness, presentation, readiness, and NoMad luxury standards.
- Ensure effective coordination between Housekeeping and Front Office regarding room status, priorities, early arrivals, late departures, out-of-order rooms, special requests, and VIP accommodations.
- Monitor housekeeping performance, room inspection standards, productivity, staffing, guest feedback, and operational trends through the Executive Housekeeper.
- Partner with the Executive Housekeeper and Engineering to ensure guestrooms, public areas, equipment, and facilities concerns are identified, communicated, and resolved timely.
- Support the Executive Housekeeper in maintaining appropriate operating procedures, quality controls, inventory practices, and team development within Housekeeping.
Valet & Arrival Experience - Provide leadership and oversight of Valet operations and ensure the vehicle arrival and departure experience reflects NoMad's standards of warmth, efficiency, professionalism, and care.
- Ensure valet staffing, traffic flow, vehicle handling, guest communication, key control, safety practices, and service standards are effectively managed.
- Monitor valet service performance and guest feedback and work with the responsible leader or service partner to address operational or service concerns.
- Coordinate with Front Office, Security, Events, Sales, and other departments regarding VIP arrivals, group movements, special events, high-volume periods, and other arrival logistics.
- Ensure contracted valet operations, when applicable, perform in accordance with hotel expectations, contractual requirements, safety standards, and NoMad service standards.
Leadership, Talent & Team Development - Lead, coach, develop, and hold accountable Rooms department leaders, including the Executive Housekeeper and Front Office leadership, as well as the responsible Valet leader or partner.
- Partner with People & Development on recruitment, selection, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, succession planning, and leadership development within the Rooms division.
- Set clear performance expectations for Rooms leaders and provide regular feedback, coaching, recognition, and development.
- Monitor team member and leadership performance and encourage continuous improvement, engagement, accountability, and internal growth.
- Ensure Rooms leaders maintain appropriate staffing, scheduling, training, and departmental communication based on business needs.
- Promote a positive, respectful, inclusive, and service-focused work environment across the Rooms division.
Financial Management, Budgetig & Forecasting - Develop, monitor, and manage Rooms division operating budgets, forecasts, labor plans, expenses, and productivity in partnership with the General Manager and Finance.
- Review daily, weekly, monthly, and annual financial and operating performance for assigned departments and identify opportunities to improve efficiency while protecting the guest experience.
- Provide direction to Rooms department leaders regarding labor management, scheduling, purchasing, supplies, operating expenses, and other departmental cost controls.
- Review and support capital planning and capital requests affecting guestrooms, Housekeeping, Front Office, Valet, and other Rooms-related operations.
- Use occupancy forecasts, business volumes, guest patterns, group activity, and operational data to ensure staffing and resources are appropriately aligned with demand.
- Balance financial performance and productivity expectations with NoMad's service, quality, and guest-experience standards.
Guest Relations, Service Recovery & Quality - Model and reinforce a guest-first approach throughout the Rooms division and ensure concerns are addressed promptly, thoughtfully, and professionally.
- Communicate directly with guests when necessary to answer questions, resolve complex concerns, and support service recovery.
- Review guest feedback, quality results, complaints, and service-recovery trends and work with department leaders to implement sustainable improvements.
- Ensure guest preferences, special requests, and relevant information are communicated effectively among Rooms departments and other hotel teams.
- Support the General Manager in resolving significant guest concerns and special situations when requested.
Qualifications- Thorough knowledge of Front Office, Housekeeping, guest services, and luxury hotel Rooms operations.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multiple departments and develop department heads, managers, and team members.
- Strong knowledge of hotel property-management, registration, reservations, communications, room-status, and related Rooms systems.
- Strong financial-management skills with the ability to develop and interpret budgets, forecasts, labor plans, operating results, and productivity measures.
- Exceptional guest-relations and service-recovery skills with the ability to resolve complex situations using tact, patience, diplomacy, and sound judgment.
- Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and departments effectively in a fast-paced luxury hospitality environment.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify trends and implement practical operational improvements.
- Ability to build strong cross-functional relationships and communicate effectively with guests, team members, department leaders, executives, vendors, and external partners.
- Working knowledge of housekeeping sanitation, cleanliness, room-inspection, and related operational controls.
- Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel Administration, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. Equivalent progressively responsible hotel operations experience may be considered.
- Minimum five years of progressively responsible hotel Rooms or operations leadership experience strongly preferred.
- Previous leadership experience in Front Office, Housekeeping, Guest Services, or Rooms Division operations required.
- Demonstrated experience leading managers and multiple operating functions within a hotel environment.
- Luxury, lifestyle, or full-service hotel experience strongly preferred.
- Experience managing departmental budgets, forecasts, labor, guest-service performance, and operational standards required.
- Pre-opening or hotel-opening experience is a plus.