General Manager

General Manager

Reports to: Regional Director of Operations. Position is exempt

WHO WE ARE

Located in the heart of Seattle's storied Pioneer Square, Populus Seattle anchors one of the country's most significant adaptive reuse developments. This historic building, originally constructed in 1907, built of sturdy brick and heavy timber is a testament to the craft of the hands that built it - merging the historic narratives of the great continental railways and the bustling seaport of Seattle. The 120-room boutique hotel features Pioneer Square's first rooftop bar, a signature restaurant, and a design that evokes the feeling of a Pacific Northwest rainforest. At Populus, we believe protecting the planet is a collective responsibility and journey. The heartbeat of Populus is a deep reverence for nature infused into every detail including biophilic design, seasonal cuisine, and mindful hospitality, offering a truly exceptional experience. Operated by Aparium Hotel Group, we believe in the power of People, Place and Character. We ensure our hotels are a place where individuals are valued and celebrated, elevating our associates' pride in who they are, where they live and who we serve. Our hotel is a tribute to the neighborhoods and the people of the communities where we operate. Hotels Done Differently.

WHO YOU ARE

At Aparium, "cultural fit" means aligning with the lifestyle, interests, and community engagement that fuel our vision of translocal hospitality. For our General Manager, we look for someone whose natural way of moving through the world reflects curiosity, connection, and genuine involvement in their community. You believe that protecting the planet is a collective responsibility and journey. You have a deep reverence for nature and dedication to the planet drives you to continually redefine what it means to integrate bold solutions. You are adventurous, energized by discovering new experiences, uncovering hidden local stories, and staying tuned into what's happening in your neighborhood and city. You're naturally gregarious—you thrive on meeting people, forging partnerships, and building meaningful relationships. Whether with guests, associates, or local leaders, you take authentic interest in the people around you. You excel at creating harmonious relationships, anticipating challenges before they arise, and navigating diverse personalities with ease. You're a connector and collaborator who adapts your communication style to fit the moment and make every stakeholder feel understood. And you are intelligent—balancing experience and knowledge with emotional intelligence. You remain calm under pressure.

THE ROLE

The General Manager has the responsibility to develop and drive the operating strategy for the hotel to ensure that it aligns with our company pillars of translocal hospitality, intuitive service, and collaborative culture while embracing the values of the Populus brand. As the leader of the hotel, you are accountable for the guest experience, associate engagement, financial performance and revenue generation, among other responsibilities. The General Manager actively participates in the operation – leads by example and inspects what they expect.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Drive overall hotel performance by increasing revenue, elevating the guest experience, and fostering an engaging workplace culture that delivers strong, sustained financial results.
• Take ownership of the short and long-term profitability of the hotel; although not required to be a financial genius, interpret a P&L fluently to understand what the needs are to drive top-line revenue and what costs to control to enhance GOP
• Act as a pillar of the neighborhood and create relationships and connections within the local community by knowing every merchant, operator, and owner within the hotel's vicinity; the GM is expected to participate in local boards, community service projects, and events which represents the translocal hospitality for the hotel
• Attract and select the most qualified, on-brand talent; develop and coach associates for future advancement; and guide the executive team in their role and purpose in developing their people and identifying ways to improve the work environment through practices, tools, and communication
• Reinforce the company's Art+ Science ideologies to ensure the experiences of translocal hospitality, intuitive service, and collaboration are implemented and modeled by yourself and every leader of the hotel
• Create a Food + Beverage driven environment, ensuring the hotel's restaurant concepts are in full force; partner closely with the leaders of Food+ Beverage to ensure offerings are locally sourced and produced, of the highest quality and celebrate the locality of the hotel; and be passionately aware of average checks, VIP reservations, special events, costs, signature dishes and the mixologist's recent creation
• Encourage associates to follow instincts and use their best judgment to create experiences for guests that are thoughtful and authentic; ensure associates are educated thoroughly on Aparium's Service + Culture concepts; model and uphold Aparium standards consistently; and utilize guest feedback to improve service delivery
• Believe in and exhibit the service chain profit theory and know that engaged employees create engaged and return guests; not only does the GM respond urgently to Trip Advisor compliments and concerns it also has a pulse on their level of engagement of the teams and knows a Glassdoor comment is just as critical
• Ensure they and their executive team achieve their quarterly incentive (among the best in the industry by the way) by driving the key metrics that make the hotel successful; the incentive is a balance scorecard that ensures the components of people, product and profit receive equal attention
• Dive deep into the sales and marketing efforts by measuring the effectiveness of broad-based marketing plans and yield management efforts to diversify sources of revenue and maximize the number of market segments needed, don't be a one trick pony
• Ensure the balance of needs and direction between Aparium Management and Hotel Ownership

HOW YOU WILL LEAD

• Exemplify leading by example by working directly with each member of the team
• Provide highly analytical thought and recommendations and continually seek out the facts
• Engage others in general conversation tactics to build rapport quickly; leading and adapting communication and presentation tactics to engage your audience
• Passionate in driving results of self and others and is comfortable in prioritizing their work and that of others
• Comfortable in identifying strategic needs and ensuring the implementation of a strategic plan
• Approach fact finding and discovery missions in a collaborative effort; valuing input and experiences of others that creates additional insight to uncover deeper issues
• Value the importance of making decisions with integrity, maintaining confidentiality across internal work groups and knowing how to use discretion when appropriate

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• You have been a previous General Manager in a full-service hotel for at least three (3) years within an upper-up scale or lifestyle company or property
• Bachelor's degree: or related relevant years of experience is required
• Proficiency of the English language in reading, writing and verbal communication. Secondary language preferred
• Adaptable interpersonal skills to represent hotel to local stakeholders, ownership, opinion makers, business executives and employees
• Comfortable in your own skin, know who you are and have a point of view and can articulate a perspective or opinion with substance and clarity

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

• $200,000 - $240,000 annual salary
• Incentive Plan
• Flexible Time Off
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Pet Insurance
• Employer Paid Basic Life and AD&D
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer match
• Paid time off to volunteer for the causes you care about in your community
• Strong sense of belonging through diversity, equity, and inclusion

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aparium Hospitality Services celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment, and sense of belonging for all employees. We do not discriminate and believe every individual should be proud of who they are, where they come from and take pride in who we serve. Aparium is an E-Verify employer.