Hotel Duty Manager

Hotel Santa Maria is a large Blackpool seafront hotel undergoing an exciting transformation under new ownership and management. Our vision is to become one of Blackpool's leading value-for-money hotels, recognised for excellent customer service, high cleanliness standards, efficient operations, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. We are seeking an ambitious and energetic Duty Manager who is looking to develop their hospitality career within a growing business. This role is ideal for someone with 1–2 years of hotel, hospitality, leisure, or customer service management experience who is ready to take the next step into a broader operational management role.

The Duty Manager will play a key role in the day-to-day running of the hotel, ensuring guests receive excellent service while supporting operational departments including reception, housekeeping, food & beverage, maintenance, and guest relations. This is a hands-on management role requiring a strong work ethic, excellent communication skills, and a willingness to lead by example. The successful candidate will be expected to spend much of their time on the hotel floor, supporting staff, assisting guests, solving problems, and helping maintain operational standards.

• Guest Experience & Customer Service
  • Ensure guests receive a warm and professional welcome.
  • Handle guest enquiries, requests, complaints, and feedback.
  • Resolve issues quickly and effectively.
  • Promote exceptional customer service throughout the hotel.
  • Help maintain and improve guest review scores on platforms such as Booking.com, Google, and TripAdvisor.
• Hotel Operations
  • Assist with the daily management of hotel operations.
  • Support reception, housekeeping, restaurant, bar, and maintenance teams.
  • Ensure departments work effectively together.
  • Conduct regular inspections of guest rooms and public areas.
  • Monitor standards of cleanliness, presentation, and safety.
  • Ensure rooms are released on time for arriving guests.
• Team Leadership
  • Support and supervise operational staff during shifts.
  • Lead by example and maintain a positive working environment.
  • Assist with staff training and induction.
  • Monitor attendance, punctuality, and performance.
  • Encourage teamwork and accountability across departments.
• Revenue & Commercial Awareness
  • Assist with room allocation and occupancy management.
  • Support efforts to maximise occupancy and guest satisfaction.
  • Promote direct bookings where appropriate.
  • Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and profitability.
• Compliance & Health & Safety
  • Ensure compliance with Health & Safety regulations.
  • Fire safety procedures.
  • Food hygiene requirements.
  • Hotel policies and procedures.
  • Report and monitor maintenance issues.
  • Ensure a safe environment for guests and staff.

• 1–2 years' experience in hospitality, hotel operations, leisure, retail management, or customer service supervision.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Good organisational abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Computer literacy and confidence using booking or management systems.
• Flexible approach to work.

• Previous hotel experience.
• Experience supervising staff.
• Knowledge of hospitality systems such as PMS or booking systems.
• Experience handling guest complaints and service recovery.
• Food hygiene qualification.
• First Aid qualification.

• Positive and enthusiastic.
• Professional and reliable.
• Guest-focused.
• Well-presented.
• Proactive and solutions-oriented.
• Able to motivate others.
• Comfortable taking responsibility.
• Eager to learn and develop.

Most importantly, we are seeking someone who takes ownership, looks for solutions rather than problems, and is prepared to get involved wherever needed to support the operation.

Full-time position. Shift-based role. Includes evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. Flexibility required in line with hotel operations.

Competitive salary dependent upon experience.

This role offers excellent opportunities for progression within a growing hotel business. For the right candidate, the position provides a pathway towards: Operations Manager, Hotel Manager, General Manager.

Outstanding guest service. High operational standards. Teamwork and mutual respect. Accountability and professionalism. Continuous improvement. We are looking for people who want to build a career in hospitality and contribute to the long-term success of an ambitious and growing hotel business.