Hotel Operations Manager: Career and Salary Facts

<p>The job duties of hotel operations managers can vary depending on the size of the hotel they're working in, though these managers are primarily responsible for making sure guests have a pleasant stay. They hire and train staff members in addition to monitoring their performance to ensure that customer service and satisfaction is always high. Hotel operations managers might also inspect the hotel for cleanliness, monitor the budget, coordinate schedules and answer any questions from guests. These professionals may also help set rates for rooms and maintain a social media presence to promote the business. Take a look at the following chart to learn more about requirements for entering this profession: </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Required</b></td><td> At minimum, a bachelor's degree is required for positions with full-service hotels</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td> Hospitality management, hotel administration</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td> Oversee hotel staffing, ensure customer satisfaction, manage budgets</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030)</b></td><td> 9%*</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)</b></td><td> $ 56,670*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---WhatIsAHotelOperationsManager">What Is a Hotel Operations Manager?</h3> <p>A hotel operations manager will work in a variety of settings, such as extended stay hotels, casino hotels, luxury hotels and other types of lodging. A smaller hotel may use a more broad term rather than operations manager because they are in charge of more than just the operational aspect of the business. A larger hotel may have an operations manager who works closely with other departmental managers to complete day-to-day tasks. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatDutiesWouldIPerform">What Duties Would I Perform?</h3> <p>As a hotel operations manager, you manage staff and oversee customer satisfaction. Some of the duties include handling customer complaints, maintaining staffing levels and scheduling. You could also be expected to deal with training staff members, performing staff evaluations, maintaining the budget and payroll, hiring and firing employees, ensuring quality standards, resolving conflicts, and overseeing the food and beverage department. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreTheRequirements">What Are the Requirements?</h3> <p>You can expect a college degree to be part of the requirements for this position. Schools do offer bachelor's and master's degree programs that have an emphasis on hospitality management or hotel administration. Some of the classes include human resources, accounting, finance, hospitality planning, strategic management, tourism, legal issues in the hospitality industry and restaurant management. </p> <p>Some hotels require more than just education and request specific amounts of experience. Hotels promote employees into management positions as they have the requisite experience and knowledge of internal policies from already working within the organization. Applying for a lower position in a hotel chain can help to determine if this career is a good fit for you, along with giving you that much needed experience. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatSalaryCouldIExpectToEarn">What Salary Could I Expect to Earn?</h3> <p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, lodging managers earned a median salary of $56,670 in May 2020 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). The top-paid 10% earned $108,060 or more per year, while the bottom-paid 10% earned $32,980 or less. The majority of employees in the field worked in the travel accommodation industry. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h3> <p>A couple of similar positions include human resources managers and sales managers, both of which require at least a bachelor's degree. Human resources managers oversee the administrative duties of a particular organization. They are responsible for hiring staff and providing communication between management and the employees. Sales managers train and manage a team of sales representatives for an organization. Their goal is to help their team make the most sales possible.</p>