Front Office Manager
Rydal Hall | Cumbria
Full-time | Salary depending on experience
About Rydal Hall
Rydal Hall is a beautiful historic country house and hospitality venue set in the heart of the Lake District. We welcome individual leisure guests, groups, private events and corporate visitors throughout the year.
We are looking for an experienced and highly organised Front Office Manager to take ownership of our reservations, reception and non-event group accommodation operation.
This is a key operational role within the hotel. You will be responsible for ensuring that the guest journey is well managed from the initial enquiry and booking, through to arrival, stay and departure.
You'll lead the Front Office and Reservations team, work closely with other departments and play an important role in ensuring rooms are sold effectively, guests receive excellent service and the operation runs smoothly.
The Role
As Front Office Manager, you will have overall responsibility for:
- Reservations
- Reception
- Non-event groups and group accommodation
You will oversee the full booking and arrival process, ensuring that information is accurate, communicated effectively and delivered consistently across the hotel.
You'll be equally comfortable dealing with a guest at Reception, reviewing the reservations diary, coordinating a group arrival or supporting your team through a busy shift.
This is a hands-on management role where you will be expected to lead from the front while also taking ownership of the administration, processes and standards behind the department.
Key Responsibilities
Reservations
- Manage the day-to-day Reservations operation
- Oversee individual and group accommodation enquiries and bookings
- Ensure enquiries are responded to promptly and professionally
- Maximise room occupancy and revenue through effective management of availability
- Maintain accurate reservations, room allocations and guest information
- Ensure booking details and special requirements are communicated to relevant departments
- Monitor cancellations, amendments, no-shows and deposits
- Identify opportunities to upsell rooms and additional services
- Ensure rates, packages and availability are accurately maintained within the hotel's booking systems
- Work closely with Sales and the wider management team to maximise accommodation revenue
- Produce and review relevant reservations and occupancy reports
Reception & Front Office
- Take overall responsibility for the smooth running of Reception
- Lead, motivate and develop the Front Office team
- Ensure consistently high standards of guest service
- Oversee check-in and check-out procedures
- Ensure guest queries and requests are dealt with promptly and professionally
- Handle complaints and service recovery confidently
- Ensure accurate billing, payments and cash-handling procedures
- Maintain excellent communication with Housekeeping, Food & Beverage and other departments
- Monitor room readiness and ensure guests receive accurate information regarding their stay
- Ensure Front Office procedures and standards are consistently followed
- Support the team during busy periods and take an active role on Reception when required
Groups
You will have responsibility for non-event groups staying at Rydal Hall, ensuring their accommodation experience is professionally managed from booking through to departure.
This will include:
- Managing group accommodation enquiries and bookings
- Acting as the main operational contact for group accommodation
- Coordinating rooming lists, arrival information and special requirements
- Ensuring group bookings are accurately recorded and communicated internally
- Coordinating group arrivals and departures
- Liaising with relevant departments to ensure the group's requirements are delivered
- Managing group billing and deposits where appropriate
- Maintaining strong relationships with group organisers
- Ensuring a smooth and professional experience for both the organiser and their guests
Event sales and management will remain outside the direct remit of this role, although close communication with the Events team will be essential where accommodation is involved.
Leadership & Management
As Front Office Manager, you will be responsible for creating a professional, positive and well-organised Front Office environment.
You will:
- Lead, motivate and develop the Front Office and Reservations team
- Recruit and train new team members as required
- Manage performance and address issues promptly and fairly
- Prepare and manage staff rotas
- Ensure appropriate staffing levels across Reception and Reservations
- Conduct regular briefings and ensure excellent communication within the team
- Develop and maintain effective departmental procedures and SOPs
- Monitor departmental standards and take corrective action where required
- Lead by example and create a culture focused on excellent guest service
Commercial Responsibility
This is not simply an administrative Front Office position. You will be expected to take a commercial approach to accommodation and understand how your department contributes to the hotel's overall performance.
You will:
- Monitor occupancy, room revenue and booking pace
- Identify opportunities to increase occupancy and revenue
- Ensure rooms are appropriately allocated and available for sale
- Monitor booking patterns and forward demand
- Work with the management team on pricing, packages and promotional opportunities
- Minimise lost revenue through effective management of cancellations, no-shows and availability
- Support the delivery of departmental budgets and financial targets
- Use data and reports to identify opportunities for improvement
What We're Looking For
We're looking for an experienced hospitality professional who is ready to take ownership of a busy Front Office operation.
You will ideally have:
- Previous experience as a Front Office Manager, Reception Manager, Reservations Manager or similar
- Strong hotel reception and reservations experience
- Experience managing and developing a team
- Experience handling group accommodation bookings
- A strong understanding of hotel operations and the guest journey
- Excellent organisational and administrative skills
- Strong commercial awareness
- Excellent communication skills
- Confidence dealing with guests, group organisers and colleagues at all levels
- The ability to handle complaints and difficult situations professionally
- Strong attention to detail
- Good IT skills and experience using hotel PMS and booking systems
- The ability to work independently and make confident decisions
- A flexible and practical approach to hospitality
We are particularly interested in someone who enjoys taking ownership. You'll be expected to identify problems, find solutions and improve the way the department operates rather than simply waiting to be told what to do.
What You'll Bring
We're looking for someone who is:
Organised – you can keep multiple bookings, arrivals, groups and team priorities under control.
Commercial – you understand that every room, booking and guest interaction contributes to the hotel's performance.
Guest-focused – you genuinely care about delivering a great experience.
A leader – you can motivate your team, set standards and have difficult conversations when necessary.
Calm under pressure – you can deal with a busy reception, a group arrival and an unexpected problem without losing your head.
Proactive – you see what needs doing and get on with it.
Why Join Rydal Hall?
Rydal Hall is a unique property with a genuinely varied hospitality operation. This is an opportunity to take real ownership of an important department and make a visible difference to how the hotel operates.
You'll have the opportunity to:
- Take ownership of Reservations, Reception and group accommodation
- Lead and develop your own team
- Influence how the Front Office operates
- Improve systems, procedures and guest service standards
- Work alongside an experienced management team
- Develop your commercial and operational management skills
- Work in one of the most beautiful settings in the Lake District
The Details
Job Title: Front Office Manager
Location: Rydal Hall, Cumbria
Salary: £28,000 – £30,000 depending on experience
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Hours: 40 hours per week / 5 days over 7
Reports to: General Manager / Operations Manager
The role will include weekends, bank holidays and occasional evening shifts as required by the operation.
How to Apply
If you're an experienced hotel professional looking for a role where you can genuinely take ownership, lead a team and make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.
Please apply through Indeed with your CV and a short covering note explaining why you believe you are the right person to lead Front Office at Rydal Hall.
Rydal Hall is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
Pay: £28,000.00-£30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
