(USA-IL-Springfield) Senior Director – Operations, Gaylord Hotels

Job Overview

**Job Number** 24019648

**Job Category** Rooms & Guest Services Operations

**Location** Marriott International HQ, 7750 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland, United States

**Schedule** Full-Time

**Located Remotely?** Y

**Relocation?** N

**Position Type** Management

**JOB SUMMARY**

The Sr. Director of Operations, Gaylord Hotels is a key member of the US & Canada Continent Lodging Services team. This position provides operational leadership and consultation across Gaylord Hotels and acts as a business partner to the Gaylord Area Vice President, Property Leadership (GMs, Dept. Leaders), Gaylord/Ryman leaders, and other Continent team partners. Additionally, this role serves as the Brand Operations leader for Gaylord hotels providing brand operations direction and helping to ensure brand standards and compliance. This resource will leverage and collaborate with discipline functions to maximize owner-, guest satisfaction and deliver balanced scorecard results. Primary responsibilities include driving Operational Excellence and leading the execution efforts of brand, region, and discipline priorities. The Sr. Director, Operations, Gaylord Hotels will report to the Vice President Operations, U.S. & Canada.

Resource will be located on the US mainland, in close proximity to a major airport.

**CANDIDATE PROFILE:**

**Experience and Education**

**Required**

+ 10+ years of progressively responsible work experience in hotel industry leading operations disciplines

+ Ability to operate in a highly matrixed organization

+ Demonstrated strong project management skills and ability to independently manage multiple projects and competing priorities

+ Track record of putting in place strong systems and processed to effectively implement and execute multiple programs

+ Must have strong knowledge in areas related to all food and beverage operations, event management, rooms operations, SOPs and P&L budgeting

+ Possess strong oral and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills; able to collaborate effectively with General Managers, Executive Committee Members, and Key Stakeholders

+ Ability to travel an average of 75% of the time

**Preferred**

+ 4-Year Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Hotel Management, or related field

+ Must be a self-starter who can work independently and be a strong team player that contributes to the effectiveness of the broader MI team.

+ Proven success prioritizing and managing multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously.

+ Ability to manage in a culturally diverse work environment and is a champion for diversity effectiveness in the organization.

+ Proven interpersonal, problem resolution skills, coupled with the ability to positively influence without direct authority.

+ Demonstrated strong relationship skills; ability to build trust and credibility.

+ Demonstrated ability to assess stakeholder needs, creatively approach solutions, and decide and influence appropriate courses of action.

+ Ability to innovate and articulate new concepts clearly and in a compelling way.

**CORE WORK ACTIVITIES:**

**Leadership**

+ Provide consultation and support to the operations functions (Food & Beverage, Event Management, Spa, Retail, Golf, Rooms & Related services) in the continent promoting organizational alignment to the brand, discipline, and business priorities.

+ Act as the strategic business partner to the Operations stakeholders in achieving optimum performance in the balance scorecard goals including revenue generation, achievement of profit and guest service goals.

+ Identify business opportunities or risks by keeping abreast of industry, competitor, economic, and internal trends.

+ Source benchmark performance/best practices for consideration/implementation across the continent.

+ Collaborate with counterparts across geographies to solve business complexities, refine operational processes, and identify shared opportunities/priorities.

**Business/Functional Results**

+ Accountable for aligning Operations associates on the vision and mission of providing superior guest experiences in alignment with brand differentiators.

+ Strengthen competitive advantage by advocating and supporting sound business. Promote and influence market/property leadership for stimulating business opportunities, improving service, increasing profitability, and improving the guest experience.

+ Champion the BLT process at hotels. Evaluate to ensure BLT expectation and accountability at property level, and correlate results in support of service strategy. Act as a resource as needed.

+ Evaluate GSS, Financial results, and appropriate metrics to identify and manage business and financial risks. Drive accountability through collaboration with market leaders on correlating business results to trends, adoption of key initiatives, etc.

+ Maintains discipline brand standards and ensures tools to execute the strategy are in place.

+ Represent Gaylord Brand as a Member of Global Standards Brand Team.

**Managing Execution / Building Relationships**

+ Partner with global operations, continent leadership, and regional teams to support work processes that drive innovation, build synergies, enhance brand differentiation, and speed to market.

+ Establish/enhance effective communication channels across stakeholders in-market and across continent. Assume conduit role for feedback from market to Global Operations/Discipline partners.

+ Drive strong focus on executing against/evolving the on-property digital experience.

+ Acts as the US & Canada subject matter expert regarding delivery of superior guest services and experiences through well versed comfort level with total Hotel Operations Brand Standards and MI’s Quality Assurance process and program. Identify opportunities to improve product quality, service delivery, and financial performance.

+ Leverage and analyze guestVoice Social Media & ESS data for consistent execution and pull through of enterprise wide Initiatives, Products, Programs, and Services. Determine (discipline) specific resources/needs and partner with respective subject matter experts to elevate results.

+ Coordinate new hotel opening support to include market research, concept development, space plan reviews, talent selection, and task force needs.

+ Lead the effort to drive Ancillary Revenue in all hotels to ensure proper pricing which will maximize sales and profitability.

+ Conduct property visits as needed and provide recommended actions; ensure accountability measures are in place. Identify opportunities to improve product quality, service delivery, and financial performance.

+ Fosters productive working relationships with the AVP and market discipline leaders to address hotel operational challenges.

+ Assist with inquiries to ensure balance, reduce conflict and understanding their needs.

+ Facilitate both large and small meetings, including those in a virtual teaming environment, to drive targeted outcomes.

+ Assist with activations and sponsorship pull through with strategic vendor partnerships.

+ Connect with Marriott Architecture and Design team to update Brand Design and Build Standards.

Perform other duties as assigned.

**LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:**

**Create Belonging** -Build relationships by promoting an environment of collaboration, trust, respect, opportunity, and inclusion.

+ Models and empowers others to monitor partner/customer feedback, satisfaction, and relevant metrics to deliver enhanced services.

+ Applies existing data and resources to create innovative service strategies.

+ Seeks out, builds, and maintains diverse partnerships/relationships across the company and industry.

+ Models and coaches team on building and maintaining diverse partnerships & relationships.

**Develop Others** -Develop diverse, inclusive, and high-performing talent and teams.

+ Fosters and environment that supports feedback and ongoing development by putting systems and processes into place to manage program performance and associate development.

+ Participates in talent reviews and succession planning discussions, as needed for select direct reports, while providing relevant data (i.e., Talent Ratings, key strengths and opportunity areas, potential successors, etc.).

+ Champions the attraction, development, and retention of a diverse workforce to drive innovation and engagement.

+ Develops others by identifying needs, providing resources, ongoing feedback, and customized coaching, and setting appropriate shared department, team, and individual goals.

**Lead Change** -Courageously lead change, innovation, inspire others through optimism, and adapt to changing business needs.

+ Engages in effective change management processes such as presenting the need for change in a way that encourages commitment and action, developing strategies and providing resources to implement desired changes, while managing stakeholders’ expectations.

+ Keeps leaders informed about key issues, communicates effectively, and courageously influencing others to support a point-of-view, gain alignment, or take action.

+ Models, coaches, and holds others accountable for displaying a leadership style that conveys confidence, optimism, gains respect from others, and is dedicated to leading ethically and with a high degree of integrity.

+ Uses data to evaluate opportunities and adapt global strategies, where needed (e.g., brand, team, programs, etc.), into actionable plans to maximize external partner/customer commitment, satisfaction, and profitability.

**Learn & Excel** -Apply professional expertise while seeking out and integrating diverse perspectives and learning opportunities.

+ Secures resources and creates opportunities for self and others to improve performance through stretch assignments and other professional development activities.

+ Creates an environment where continuous learning is valued and encouraged and holds others accountable for maintaining and sharing current knowledge on industry and discipline trends, competitors, and advanced technical knowledge in area of expertise.

+ Models and coaches others on making sound business decisions by monitoring industry trends, market dynamics, and business environment to identify opportunities for improvement and adjusts priorities as needed.

+ Builds partnerships across diverse teams to solve complex issues and improve performance.

**Deliver Results** -Set ambitious goals, create alignment, and drive execution.

+ Coordinates with other departments and teams to set clear responsibilities for each group, as well as communicates clear expectations about how departments, teams, and individuals contribute to success.

+ Monitors department, team, and individual performance, establishing clear standards, expectations, timelines, and budget requirements.

+ Identifies and focuses on business opportunities that have the highest value for the Company.

+ Manages department, team, and individual workloads by prioritizing tasks and delegating assignments appropriately, helping others understand work requirements, and obtaining resources departments and teams need to accomplish their work.

**California Applicants Only:** The salary range fo8r this position is $127,088.00 to $281,923.00 annually.

**Colorado Applicants Only:** The salary range for this position is $127,088.00 to $256,293.00 annually.

**Hawaii Applicants Only:** The salary range for this position is $153,776.00 to $281,923.00 annually.

**New York Applicants Only:** The salary range for this position is $127,088.00 to $281,923.00 annually.

**Washington Applicants Only:** The salary range for this position is $127,088.00 to $281,923.00 annually. In addition to the annual salary, the position will be eligible to receive an annual bonus and restricted stock units/stock grants. Employees will accrue 0.04616 PTO balance for every hour worked and eligible to receive minimum of 7 holidays annually.

All locations offer coverage for medical, dental, vision, health care flexible spending account, dependent care flexible spending account, life insurance, disability insurance, accident insurance, adoption expense reimbursements, paid parental leave, educational assistance, 401(k) plan, stock purchase plan, discounts at Marriott properties, commuter benefits, employee assistance plan, and childcare discounts. Benefits are subject to terms and conditions, which may include rules regarding eligibility, enrollment, waiting period, contribution, benefit limits, election changes, benefit exclusions, and others.

Marriott HQ is committed to a hybrid work environment that enables associates to Be connected. Headquarters-based positions are considered hybrid, for candidates within a commuting distance to Bethesda, MD; candidates outside of commuting distance to Bethesda, MD will be considered for Remote positions.

The application deadline for this position is 14 days after the date of this posting, 02/05/2024.

_Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive, people-first culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law._

Marriott International is the world’s largest hotel company, with more brands, more hotels and more opportunities for associates to grow and succeed. **Be** where you can do your best work,​ **begin** your purpose, **belong** to an amazing global​ team, and **become** the best version of you.