Front Desk Manager (Cruise) – Worldwide

A large cruise line is seeking a Front Desk Manager to join the team.

Responsibilities:

• Conducts oneself in a professional and courteous manner at all times. This applies to physical and verbal interactions with guests or fellow shipboard employees and/or in the presence of guest contact and crew areas.
• Manages a team that excels in delivering industry leading service to our individual, international and group guests. Is responsible for motivating, training, evaluating and tracking development on an individual and team level. Elevates the fleet- wide retention rate of employees by encouraging the cross training of Guest Services positions within the division. Strong ability to coach and develop team members on effective problem resolution skills and aptitudes is a key requirement of this position.
• Responsible for assisting the Guest Services Manager and playing a key role in leading a team of empowered individuals who will strive to deliver focused and extraordinary customer service in accordance to Guest Services Vision and Mission Statement. Takes ownership and accountability to proactively address guest feedback and provide effective guest resolution. Through maintaining a detailed knowledge of all guest ratings and comments establishes a culture for owning issues and resolving to the full. The Front Desk Manager ensures that at all times the Guest Services team is empowered to achieve these goals and establishes a reputation for prompt and industry leading service. The Front desk Manager will coach and mentor the Guest Services team, emphasizing empowerment and focusing on a desire to find permanent solutions to guest feedback.
• The Front Desk Manager maintains current working knowledge of customs and immigration regulations and procedures in order to support the Guest Administration Officer. Ensures maximum compliance with all internal and external requirements related to immigration and clearance while fostering a professional working relationship with Port Agent and Customs and Immigration officials.
• Able to participate in the boarding process by reviewing immigration documentation such as passports and Visa to determine validity of documents. During boarding and departure ensures that the guest first and last impression of service delivery from the front desk is optimized and that our guests receive a welcoming and efficient boarding and departure experience reflective at all times of our company brand standards.
• Effectively balances operational needs between the Financial and Guest Services Divisions through synergetic communication of guest issues, in order to optimize positive guest comments and ratings of the overall Guest Services operation. Works with the Financial Controller to ensure compliance in all financial aspects and maintains continuous individual and team training relating to cash handling and foreign exchange procedures. Fulfils float audit requirements.
• Mentors, develops and provides both weekly classroom-style and on-the-job training to team members to strengthen their current performance and preparation for succession planning.
• Front Desk Manager is responsible for developing a balanced front desk schedule per voyage, taking into consideration proper coverage during the peak times and slow port afternoons. Ensures proper manning of the front desk during team and training meetings in addition to mandatory ship board meetings. Facilitates exceptional front desk service by effectively utilizing experienced team members and new hires in the schedule while taking into account appropriate language coverage.
• Assists the Guest Services Manager in planning and administering the Guest Services Keyman schedule in conjunction with the shore-side support group. Actively identifies and monitors the scheduling needs of the Guest Services division.
• Assigns duties and responsibilities to team members. Observes and evaluates team members to ensure high quality standards are met. Utilizes all performance management tools (opportunity logs, action plans, appraisals, progressive discipline) effectively to drive accountability and enhances career development opportunities.
• Responds to escalated guest concerns in a considerate, professional and positive manner by showing empathy and listening actively. Takes ownership with follow up of guest concerns, by managing the Guest Satisfaction Log and effectively liaising with all division heads to ensure all outstanding issues are appropriately resolved to the guest satisfaction and in a timely manner.
• The Front Desk Manager is a visible front of house position and uses effective planning and time management skills to properly balance front of house and essential administrative duties, ensuring all operational needs are met.
• Inspects and manages maintenance of workstations, work areas, equipment and such to ensure efficient service and compliance to standards and procedures.
• Monitors and provides assistance to the Guest Services team in all services of the Guest Relations Desk including but not limited to scheduling, lost luggage, babysitting arrangements, immigration, cash services, safety deposit box service, lost and found, printing and issuing guest Sea Pass cards, departure process and broadcasting ship announcements. Assists guests with any requests.
• Assists the Guest Services Manager on compiling all shoreside reports as required and on the financial aspect of the operation and on meeting forecasted budget expectations. Through strategic planning strives to identify business efficiencies within the division’s cost centre supporting the company targets and goals.
• Empathetically deals with sensitive guest issues, for matters related to serious injury, illness, death and burial at sea. Maintains guest’s confidence and protects organization reputation by keeping guest and company information confidential. Must practice sound business sense and high professional ethics at all times.
• A driving force in achieving and exceeding quantitative and qualitative goals and targets set for Guest Services in relations to the Balanced Score Card which include Guest Satisfaction Ratings, Brand Quality Reviews, Guest Services Reviews, Ships Overall Appearance, Workplace Safety, Friendliness of Personnel, Cash Over/Short and Employee Satisfaction.
• Maintains current knowledge of all ship’s regular events and special functions by reviewing all available data in order to provide guests with accurate information. Ensures all collateral, including core languages, is kept updated and complies with all company brand standards. Acts as an advocate in education the Guest Services Team of Brand Identity Guidelines.
• The Front Desk Manager works with the Guest Services Manager in planning and providing support for all local agencies, ensuring the smooth transition to new itineraries and seasonal repositioning.
• Continually updates job knowledge by investigating new trends in customer service, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and sharing of best practices, lessons learned and new benchmarks with shipboard management and shore-side support groups.
• Maintains safe, secure, and healthy environment by enforcing organizational standards, procedures, and legal regulations. Effectively monitors, overseas and makes improvements to workplace safety within the division and throughout the ship. Attends mandatory crew and guest safety drills as required, including meetings, training activities, courses and all other work-related activities.
• Performs related duties as required.

Requirements:

• Minimum one year front of house supervisory experience in a hotel, cruise line or hospitality industry related field required.
• Ability to effectively deal with internal and external guests, some of whom will require high levels of discretion, patience, tact and diplomacy.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing exemplary customer and personal service including needs assessment, problem resolution and achievement of quality service standards.
• Ability to communicate diplomatically with managers, shipboard and shore-side employees to resolve problems and negotiate amicable resolution to challenging issues.
• Flexibility to manage, focus, direct and encourage a positive, dynamic, diverse guest services operation by navigating through a changing work environment. Should be able to utilize and administer the progressive disciplinary action process through coaching and counselling to improve performance where possible.
• Ability to work positively and cooperatively in a diverse team environment to meet overall established timeframes for the Guest Services division operation.
• Should harbour a flexible outlook towards placement throughout the fleet, considering changing fleet-wide operational business needs.
• Working knowledge of computers, internet access, and the ability to navigate within a variety of software packages such as Microsoft Office.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge to operate all office equipment.
• Completion of high school, basic or vocational education equivalency preferred.
• Working knowledge of US cash handling procedures and foreign exchange required.
• Required to speak English clearly and distinctly.
• Aptitude to read and write English in order to understand and interpret written procedures.

Applicant must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19.

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Navis is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.