Front Office Manager in St Albans

• Front Office Manager
• Full-time position - Competitive Salary (depending on experience)

An opportunity to shape a team, elevate the guest experience and develop future hospitality leaders

Your country home away from home, nestled within 12 acres of picturesque Hertfordshire countryside.

Sopwell House is a luxurious 5 star, family-owned Georgian country house hotel offering timeless elegance and modern comfort.

We're proud to be a place where exceptional service is delivered with warmth, pride and purpose.

At Sopwell House, we live by our Vision, Purpose and Values.

We are dedicated to creating a world of 'Perfect Contentment' for both our team members and guests alike, 'Spreading kindness one act at a time' along the way.

Our team pride themselves on 'Performing with Drive and Serving with Soul' in everything we do.

As Front Office Manager, you will lead and develop our Front Office team, taking responsibility for the smooth and effective running of the department.

You will lead a multi-level team comprising Guest Service Managers, Guest Service Agents and Guest Service Assistants, providing clear direction, support and accountability at every level.

A key part of your role will be developing your management team, empowering the Guest Service Managers to lead their respective shifts, take ownership of the operation and support the development of their colleagues.

You will establish a strong culture of communication, coaching and accountability, ensuring that consistent standards are embedded throughout the department

This is an opportunity for an experienced luxury hospitality professional who understands that Front Office is about much more than check-in and check-out.

It is about building meaningful relationships with guests, anticipating their needs, creating personalised experiences and ensuring every interaction reflects the quality and character of Sopwell House.

You will bring energy, direction and consistency to the department, championing high standards while developing the knowledge, confidence and capability of your team.

A key part of your role will be to build a strong service culture, encourage individual growth and identify opportunities to develop future hospitality leaders.

Your role in our family

• Lead, inspire and develop the entire Front Office team, including Guest Service Managers, Guest Service Agents and Guest Service Assistants, creating a positive, engaging and professional working environment.
• Develop and empower the Guest Service Managers to take ownership of their shifts, lead their teams effectively and maintain consistent operational standards.
• Oversee the day-to-day operation of Front Office, ensuring that the department is organised, well communicated and consistently delivers the high standards expected of a 5-star hotel.
• Champion exceptional guest service, encouraging the team to build genuine relationships, anticipate guest needs and deliver personalised experiences throughout the guest journey.
• Establish and maintain clear operational standards, responsibilities and expectations, ensuring colleagues understand their roles and take ownership of their performance.
• Develop a structured approach to induction, training and ongoing development, taking an active role in coaching colleagues and sharing your knowledge and experience.
• Identify individual strengths and development opportunities, supporting career progression and building a team with the skills and confidence to take on greater responsibility.
• Lead through example, maintaining a visible presence within the operation and providing guidance, support and direction to the team.
• Ensure effective communication between shifts and departments, building strong working relationships across the hotel to deliver a seamless guest experience.
• Take ownership of guest feedback and service recovery, ensuring issues are handled professionally, promptly and with genuine care.
• Develop commercial awareness within the team, encouraging colleagues to understand the wider hotel offering and confidently identify opportunities to enhance the guest experience and generate additional revenue.
• Monitor departmental performance, identifying opportunities to improve operational efficiency, service delivery and colleague engagement.
• Maintain strong financial controls and ensure that Front Office accounting procedures, cashiering, billing and daily reconciliations are completed accurately.
• Build a culture of accountability and follow-through, addressing performance concerns constructively and ensuring agreed actions are completed.
• Identify and nurture future talent within the department, helping to establish clear development and progression pathways.

What we're looking for

• Previous experience in a Front Office Manager or senior Front Office leadership position within a luxury or high-quality hotel environment.
• Proven experience managing and developing a multi-level Front Office team, including supervisors or managers, with the ability to build leadership capability and ensure accountability throughout the structure.
• Essential: Strong working knowledge of Oracle OPERA Cloud, including its Front Office functionality and daily operational processes.
• Sound knowledge of hotel accounting procedures, including daily revenue checks, cashiering, billing, payment handling, reconciliations and night audit processes.
• A natural people leader with the ability to engage, inspire and bring a team together.
• A genuine passion for training, coaching and developing others. You see yourself as an educator as well as an operational leader.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to plan, prioritise and ensure commitments and responsibilities are followed through.
• The confidence to set clear expectations, manage performance and create a culture of accountability.
• A passion for luxury hospitality and an understanding of the importance of personalisation, attention to detail and meaningful guest engagement.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across all levels of the hotel.
• A commercially aware approach, with the ability to remain calm, decisive and visible in a busy operational environment.
• A proactive and hands-on approach, with the ability to remain calm, decisive and visible in a busy operational environment.
• Ambition to develop a high-performing department and create opportunities for colleagues to learn, grow and progress.

Above all, you will be someone who leads with integrity, has high standards and genuinely believes that the success of a department is measured not only by the service it delivers, but also by the people it develops.

The best bit

• Learning and Development: Access our digital learning platform, and various courses to enhance your knowledge and skills
• Health & Wellbeing: Benefit from our interactive health and wellbeing platform and Employee Assistance Program.
• Health care cash plans: take advantage of our Health Care cash plan benefits, including 24-hours access to a GP.
• Discounted food and beverage, accommodation and spa for you and your family
• Discounts on Spa treatments and Spa days in our award-winning Cottonmill Spa
• Discount on Spa products
• Refer a Friend Scheme: earn up to £1,000 referral fee when you recommend someone to work with us
• Preferred Hotel Group discounted global hotel rates
• Free staff meals and parking
• Equal Opportunities

We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, just let us know at careers@sopwellhouse. co. uk

Right to Work

Applicants must have the legal right to live and work in the UK. Proof of documentation will be required in line with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.

Next Steps

If you're shortlisted, we'll give you a quick call to learn more about you and answer your questions.

Candidates who progress will then be invited to the hotel for an in-person interview.