Guest Experience Manager

Guest Experience Manager

The Guest Experience Manager is a high‑impact leader who sets the pace for the guest experience and serves as the face and rhythm of The Crescent Hotel, Fort Worth. Overseeing Guest Services, Valet, and Front Desk operations, this role ensures every arrival, stay, and departure feels seamless, elevated, and intentional. The Guest Experience Manager drives service excellence with precision and intent, balances hospitality with operational discipline, and delivers results by maximizing room revenue, productivity, and guest satisfaction. This leader develops confident, service‑obsessed managers and teams, creates consistency across all shifts, and partners closely with internal departments to keep operations moving at the same energy as the brand. The role ensures that Guest Services/ Front Office acts as a key liaison and communication hub to the hotel ensuring alignment, flow, and a cohesive guest journey throughout the property for the duration of the stay.

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Responsibilities

• Respond to all guests' requests, problems, complaints and/or accidents presented at the Front Desk or through reservations, comment cards, letters and/or phone calls, in an attentive, courteous and efficient manner. Follow up to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Motivate, coach, counsel and discipline all Guest Services personnel according to Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
• Carry a cell phone at all times.
• Prepare and conduct all Guest Services interviews and follow hiring procedures according to Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
• Develop employee morale and ensure training of Guest Services personnel.
• Maximize room revenue and occupancy by reviewing status daily. Analyze rate variance, monitor credit report and maintain close observation of daily house count. Monitor selling status of house daily, i.e. flash report, allowances, etc.
• Participate in required M.O.D. program as scheduled
• Review Guest Services staff's worked hours for payroll compilation and submit to Accounting on a timely basis
• Prepare employee Schedule according to business forecast, payroll budget guidelines and productivity requirements.
• Ensure that no-show revenue is maximized through consistent and accurate billing.
• Maintain Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s regarding Purchase Orders, vouchering of invoices and checkbook accounting.
• Ensure that Wage Progress, Productivity and the Ten Day Forecast are completed on a timely basis according to Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
• Maintain a professional working relationship and promote open lines of communication with managers, employees and other departments.
• Work closely with Accounting on follow-up items, i.e., returned checks, rejected credit cards, employee discrepancies, etc.
• Operate all aspects of the Front Office computer system, including software maintenance, report generation and analysis, and simple programming.
• Monitor proper operation of the P.B.X. console and ensure that employees maintain Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s in its use.
• Ensure staff greet and welcome all guests approaching the Front Desk in accordance with Highgate Hotel S.O.P.'s.
• Ensure implementation of all Highgate Hotel policies and house rules. Understand hospitality terms.
• Ensure sign off of all Service Standards by Position for Guest Services staff.
• Assist in preparation of revenue and occupancy forecasting.
• Ensure logging and delivery of all messages, packages, and mail in a timely and professional manner.
• Must maintain constant communication with Housekeeping, Reservations and the Credit Manager..
• Coordinate all aspects of the ongoing implementation of the Highgate Hotel philosophy of service.
• Ensure correct and accurate cash handling at the Front Desk.
• Follow and enforce all Highgate Hotel credit policies.
• Ensure that employees are, at all times, attentive, friendly, helpful and courteous to all guests, managers and other employees.
• Maintain and monitor "Lost and Found" procedures and policies according to Highgate Hotel standards.
• Establish and maintain key control system.
• Ensure participation within department for monthly Highgate Hotel team meeting.
• Focus the Guest Services Department on their role in contributing to the Guest Service and audit scores.
• Monitor all V.I.P.'s, special guests and requests.
• Maintain required pars of all front office and stationary supplies.
• Review daily Front Office work and activity reports generated by Night Audit.
• Review Front Office log book and Guest Request log on a daily basis.

Qualifications

• A minimum of six years of progressive experience in hotel operations or a related field is required, or a combination of education and experience that includes a four‑year degree with at least two years of related experience, or a two‑year degree with four or more years of related experience. Prior Front Office management experience is required, with demonstrated experience working within a luxury or lifestyle hotel brand where elevated service standards, attention to detail, and guest personalization are paramount. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word is required.
• The ideal candidate demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills and consistently engages with guests and employees in a professional, attentive, friendly, and service‑oriented manner reflective of a luxury hospitality environment. Proven ability to actively listen, understand, and resolve concerns raised by guests and team members is essential, as is the ability to multitask, prioritize departmental responsibilities, and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced, high‑energy operation.
• This role requires flexibility to work long hours as business needs demand, maintain regular attendance in compliance with scheduling requirements, and participate in Manager on Duty coverage, required meetings, and trainings. A polished professional appearance and adherence to grooming standards consistent with a luxury brand are expected at all times.
• Strong problem‑solving skills are required, including the ability to anticipate operational challenges, evaluate complex information from multiple sources, identify opportunities for improvement, and assist in implementing effective solutions that drive productivity and operational excellence. The ability to maintain discretion and handle confidential information with professionalism and integrity is essential, along with consistent compliance with Highgate standards, policies, safety regulations, and brand expectations