Director of Operations

Director Of OperationsDowntown L.A. Proper Hotel has masterfully transformed a Renaissance Revival landmark building, part of Curlett & Beelman’s iconic architectural stamp on Los Angeles. Designer Kelly Wearstler seamlessly elevates 147 rooms and suites with compelling creative design, vintage California influences, and a trove of original works by L.A. artists.The Director Of Operations is a senior hotel executive responsible for the daily leadership and performance of Rooms, Food & Beverage, Engineering, Valet, and Security operations at Downtown LA Proper Hotel. This role requires a highly visible, hands-on leader who leads from the floor, ensures operational excellence, and delivers consistently elevated guest experience in alignment with Proper Hospitality’s brand and service standards.Roles & ResponsibilitiesProvide direct oversight of Rooms Division, Food & Beverage, Engineering, Valet, and Security operations, ensuring full compliance with applicable wage and hour laws, labor regulations, and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) requirementsMaintain a strong on-property presence, actively engaging with guests, teams, and leaders across all operational areasEnsure seamless coordination between departments and third-party partners to support smooth daily operationsEffectively lead Rooms Division ensuring compliance with collective bargaining agreements and labor regulationsPartner with People & Culture to support labor relations, grievance handling, contract adherence, and productive collaboration with bargaining unitsBalance operational efficiency with positive employee relations and service deliveryProvide strategic and hands-on leadership for all Food & Beverage operations, including restaurant, in-room dining, and eventsDrive service standards, quality control, guest satisfaction, and financial performance across all F&B outletsCollaborate with culinary and F&B leadership to ensure consistency, creativity, and brand alignmentChampion exceptional service standards across all guest touchpointsActively participate in service recovery and guest engagementMonitor guest feedback and implement continuous improvements to enhance satisfaction and loyaltyDrive departmental performance against budgets, forecasts, and key performance indicators, including labor productivity and cost controlsPartner with department heads to develop action plans that improve profitability while maintaining qualitySupport annual budgeting, forecasting, and capital planning initiativesOversee Engineering operations to ensure the hotel is well maintained, safe, and operationally soundEnsure compliance with life safety, security protocols, and regulatory requirementsOversee third-party (Engineering, Valet and Security, ensuring service standards, contract compliance, and guest safety expectations are metLead, coach, and develop department heads and management teamsBuild a strong leadership bench through mentoring, training, and succession planningFoster a culture aligned with Proper Hospitality values, emphasizing accountability, teamwork and guest-centric thinkingDevelop and implement strategies to maximize revenue, profitability, and guest satisfaction across all outletsMonitor and evaluate outlet performance metrics, including guest satisfaction scores, revenue targets, and operational efficiencyWork closely with hotel leadership, culinary, and sales teams to drive brand initiatives and special eventsMaintain strong relationships with external partners, vendors, and local community organizationsQualificationsMinimum 8–10 years of progressive hotel operations leadership experience in luxury, lifestyle or design forward hotelsDemonstrated Senior Leadership experience overseeing hotel operations with a focus on Food & Beverage in a hotel or lifestyle hospitality environmentExperience managing unionized hotel departments in compliance with collective bargaining agreements preferredProven ability to oversee Engineering and manage third-party service providers (Valet and Security). Proven leadership experience managing multiple outlets or multi-unit operationsStrong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing P&L statementsDeep understanding of F&B operations, including culinary, service, and bar managementHands-on, visible leader with excellent communication, problem-solving, and leadership skillsAbility to develop high-performing teams and mentor future leadersKnowledge of local, state, and federal labor and liquor lawsPassion for delivering exceptional guest experiences aligned with a lifestyle hotel brandKey AttributesLeadership: Inspires and motivates teams to deliver excellenceStrategic Thinking: Able to plan and execute long-term goals while managing day-to-day operationsFinancial Acumen: Strong understanding of budgets, forecasting, and profitabilityProblem Solving: Proactively identifies issues and implements effective solutionsCommunication: Clear, persuasive, and approachable in all interactionsGuest Focused: Committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences consistentlyAdaptability: Comfortable managing change and operating in a fast-paced environmentCollaboration: Works effectively across departments to achieve organizational goalsWhy Join Proper HospitalityAt Proper, we build experiences that move people — and that begins with the team behind them. As a best-in-class employer, we’re committed to creating one of the Best Places to Work in hospitality by nurturing a culture where creativity, excellence, and humanity thrive together.Everything we do is grounded in the belief that hospitality is more than a profession - it’s an opportunity to care for others and make lives better. Guided by the Pillars of Proper, we show up with warmth and authenticity (Care Proper), strive for excellence in everything we do (Achieve Proper), think creatively and resourcefully (Imagine Proper), and take pride in the style and culture that make us who we are (Present Proper).We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we invest deeply in their wellbeing, growth, and sense of belonging. From comprehensive benefits to meaningful development programs, Proper is designed to help you build a career, and a life, that feels as inspiring as the experiences we create for our guests.Our Commitment: Building the Best Place to WorkOur Best Place to Work initiative is a living commitment — a continuous investment in our people, our culture, and our purpose. We listen, learn, and evolve together to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to imagine boldly, achieve confidently, care deeply, and present themselves authentically.At Proper, joining the team means more than finding a job — it means joining a community that believes in building beautiful experiences together, for our guests and for one another.