Hospitality managers work across a huge variety of organisations including bars, restaurants, cafés, conference centres, banqueting venues, hotels and contract caterers. These managers generally specialise in a particular area, however their core knowledge, skills and behaviours are aligned. Common to all managers in this role is their passion for exceeding customers’ expectations. Hospitality managers have a high level of responsibility and are accountable for fulfilling the business vision and objectives which requires excellent business, people and customer relation skills. Individuals in this role are highly motivated team leaders that combine a talent for management and specific industry skills and thrive on the customer facing nature of the role. Then candidates/employer select one specialist area to suit their job role: Food and Beverage Manager; manages delivery of business standards in range of settings including bars, restaurants, cafés, conference centres, banqueting venues, hotels and contract caterers. Housekeeping Manager; manages delivery of business standards for the presentation of overnight accommodation including hotels, hostels, serviced apartments and conference venues, making sure that they are clean, fresh and tidy in public areas and guest accommodation. Front Office Manager; manages delivery of business standards for the reception function and, where relevant the nights’ team and porters, reservations for example in hotels and conference venues. Revenue Manager; devises and implements strategies that aim to optimise revenue across the business, for example rooms, conference and events and food and beverage. Conference and Events Manager; manages delivery of functions such as business conferences, conventions, banquets or weddings. Requires meticulous coordination liaising with multiple departments across the business to meet a variety of different customer needs and expectations. Hospitality Outlet Manager; manages the operations of a hospitality retail outlet, such as quick service restaurants, branded coffee or sandwich shops. Often in a fast paced environment with focus on meeting customers’ expectations of efficiency and consistency for products and service received. Kitchen Manager (Head Chef); takes responsibility for the delivery of consistent levels of food preparation, cooking and service, typically in high volume and often fast paced or complex production catering kitchens. High levels of financial accountability, adherence to strict procurement, stock management and food safety requirements provide a challenging environment which needs to be managed with a considerable amount of expertise. Multi-functional Manager; in some organisations the manager covers different operational functions, applying their skills, knowledge and behaviours in different contexts. They have substantial accountability and responsibility for meeting objectives with their team and must balance priorities across each of the functions they are given responsibility for. E.g. a manager may be required to oversee restaurant service, banqueting and conferences on the same day. Candidates will cover these areas on their course: Knowledge Understand how to use relevant operating models to help achieve the business vision and objectives of hospitality businesses and how these are used in own area of business Understand how to manage finance and minimise costs within hospitality businesses; identify the income streams and cost centres and areas for potential waste or loss within own area of business Know the business strategy and its key competitors and how it fits within the wider hospitality industry in which it operates Identify the management information available in own area and understand how to use, analyse and act on it to drive business change Understand the standard business operating procedures, the services and products and how they are managed and their potential consequences Identify peaks and troughs in business levels and understand the factors which influence them e.g. season, weather, cultural and special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, New Years Determine how to develop contingency plans which allow consistent levels of service in line with business standards and requirements Understand how technology supports the delivery of products and services in hospitality businesses Understand environmental, legislative and social responsibilities and their impact within hospitality businesses Know how to identify potential risks to people and the business and how to plan for and minimise the impact Understand how to create a people strategy and how to effectively manage recruitment, induction, team development and succession planning in a hospitality business to deliver it Know and understand how to consistently communicate and engage with people and teams Understand the responsibilities of an employer and the parameters the business works within Determine the customer service journey and understand how to meet expectations, taking into account business requirements Understand the impact of service failure on hospitality businesses and identify how to develop and implement successful service recovery strategies Know how to use customer feedback as a competitive tool in the hospitality industry Understand how to identify, support, implement and evaluate hospitality marketing, sales strategies and techniques Understand what it means to champion the business and maintain comprehensive product / service, brand and market knowledge Skills Proactively seek and drive activities that support the achievement of the business vision and objectives, improve competitiveness, to meet financial targets Monitor and manage income and costs, use forecasting to set realistic targets, evaluate the control of resource allocation, and prepare financial cases for improvement projects Develop and effectively communicate own plans and strategy to management team in order to harmoniously work towards achieving business objectives Analyse, interpret and evaluate product / service sales and / or productivity data and information and use it to make recommendations for future planning e.g. of staff and resources, ideas for new initiatives, and drive business change Implement required operational processes and procedures in line with business standards Monitor peaks and troughs in business levels to ensure operational plans allow service standards and resources to be maintained Develop and implement contingency plans to ensure resources are in place to provide consistent levels of service required by the business Maximise the use of technology and evaluate its effectiveness for achieving the desired results Manage and continuously review adherence to legislation Identify and manage risks through empowering the team Carry out talent management planning in line with the people strategy, and develop a culture of continuous development, actively supporting team members to improve and grow within their roles and careers Demonstrate effective methods of communication and leadership that achieve the desired results, providing support and coaching to team members to maximise their performance Manage people performance and capability, and develop teams in line with operational policy and procedures and support appropriate decision making Monitor customer satisfaction to ensure product / service is delivered according to their profile and business requirements Develop and implement service recovery strategies to uphold brand / business reputation and maintain customer satisfaction Actively seek, analyse and evaluate customer feedback and take appropriate action to improve quality of service and customer experience Maximise the impact of marketing strategies, evaluate and act on feedback Manage the targeted promotion of the brand and product / service to customers Use a wide range of management and leadership skills appropriate to the business to motivate and inspire others Lead change to meet the business objectives and manage the impact of change on stakeholders Support team members to carry out work activities that respond to a diverse range of needs Behaviours Inspire team members to demonstrate personal drive to achieve the business vision and objectives Be financially astute in work activities, visibly discourage waste and act credibly on matters that affect business finance Openly share information with colleagues that support business objectives and growth Make decisions based on a sound analysis and judgement of available management information Actively promote the benefits of working within standard business operating procedures Ability to make accurate forecasts based on current and future trends Think ahead and demonstrate resourcefulness when developing plans Use technology responsibly and take an interest in new developments that could support the business Be accountable, advocate and adhere to the importance of working legally in the best interest of all people Be solution focussed through proactive risk management personally and through others Demonstrate commitment to self-improvement, championing a culture of continual development and progression; trying out and reflecting on methods to develop own leadership skills Manage team to take a pride in their role through demonstrating a consistently positive and professional approach to communication Empower team members whilst providing adequate support to aid their decision making Proactively develop and maintain a customer centred culture Provide clear direction to team and empower them to implement effective customer service resolutions Drive behavioural change through encouraging others to seek and act on feedback Personally market the business and industry through creating a culture of passionate enthusiasm to provide customers with the best possible experience, seeking and acting upon feedback Drive a strong cultural belief in the brand and product / service Create a high performance culture Pioneer business decisions and promote a positive attitude to change Lead by example to promote business and social responsibility and act as a role model to ensure self and team are operating in an empathic, fair and consistently professional manner