General Manager – Holiday Inn Watford Junction
About the Role
We are looking for an energetic, commercially focused and hands-on General Manager to lead the day-to-day operation of Holiday Inn Watford Junction.
The General Manager will have overall responsibility for the hotel's operational performance, guest experience, people, sales and financial results. This is a key leadership role for someone who can lead from the front, develop a strong management team and create a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee all areas of the hotel, including Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, Maintenance and Sales.
- Ensure consistently high standards of guest service and compliance with Holiday Inn/IHG brand standards.
- Take ownership of guest satisfaction, online reviews and resolving guest complaints effectively.
- Lead, motivate and develop the management team and wider hotel workforce.
- Manage recruitment, training, performance and employee engagement.
- Drive hotel revenue through occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, F&B and local corporate business.
- Work with Sales and Revenue teams to identify new business opportunities and maximise hotel performance.
- Take responsibility for budgets, forecasts, payroll, departmental costs and overall hotel profitability.
- Monitor financial and operational KPIs and implement action plans where performance is below target.
- Ensure effective cost control while maintaining guest experience and operational standards.
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness, maintenance, health & safety and statutory compliance.
- Build strong relationships with local businesses, corporate clients and other key stakeholders.
- Promote a positive working environment where employees are encouraged to take ownership and deliver their best performance.
About You
We are looking for a confident hotel leader who combines strong operational experience with commercial and financial understanding.
You will ideally have:
- Proven experience as a General Manager, Deputy General Manager or senior hotel operations manager.
- Experience managing a full-service or branded hotel environment.
- Strong knowledge of Rooms, Front Office, Housekeeping and Food & Beverage operations.
- Experience managing hotel budgets, forecasts, P&L and key performance indicators.
- A proven ability to drive revenue, control costs and improve profitability.
- Strong leadership and people-management skills, with the ability to develop and motivate diverse teams.
- Excellent communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- A hands-on approach and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- A strong focus on guest satisfaction and service excellence.
- Previous IHG/Holiday Inn experience would be an advantage.
The Opportunity
This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious hospitality professional to take ownership of a well-established hotel in Watford and make a measurable impact on its guest experience, team performance, revenue and profitability.
We are looking for someone who is passionate about hospitality, leads by example and is committed to delivering high standards, strong commercial results and an exceptional guest experience.
Pay: £45,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Experience:
- General manager: 2 years (required)
Work Location: In person
