ACCOMMODATION MANAGER JOB

Accommodation managers are generally employed in the private sector by hotels, cruise ships and conference centers, or in the public sector in halls of residence, hospitals and health worker housing, government-run care homes and housing associations. It is their responsibility to ensure that their establishment is run efficiently, that standards of cleanliness and maintenance are upheld (in rooms, bathrooms, and public areas), that budgets are controlled and that their teams of staff are well trained and managed. In hotels, accommodation managers may be known as housekeepers.

Across all sectors and establishments, accommodation managers have similar and typical managerial responsibilities, including people management and training, budget control, business planning and administration. Exact duties and levels of responsibility vary from position to position. In hotel accommodation, typical activities include: ensuring that accommodation is clean, well maintained and attractively presented, controlling a budget, managing stock and ordering supplies, inspecting to ensure that all aspects of the accommodation meet hygiene and health and safety regulations.

In educational/hospital accommodation, typical activities include: planning the availability of accommodation for students or conference delegates (education) or for nursing and medical staff (hospitals), budgeting and controlling finances, managing maintenance and arranging repairs, supervising the work of cleaning staff and ensuring standards are maintained, negotiating contracts with private landlords, e.g. for accommodation off campus or off site, and preparing relevant documentation, involvement in building and refurbishment plans for residential accommodation.

Accommodation managers may be involved in some practical or hands-on work, but their role is mainly supervisory, with people management constituting a significant proportion of their role. Increasingly they are required to manage staff that are employed by contractors, as opposed to in-house teams, and therefore need to be able to handle rapid staff turnover and ensure all new staff are fully conversant with policies and procedures.