Job Description

Front Office Manager

Courtyard Newark – University of Delaware

Newark, Delaware

Where Leadership Meets Hospitality.

Help Drive the Success of Our Hotel Every Day.

The Front Office Manager is one of the most influential leaders in the hotel, serving as a key operational partner to hotel leadership while guiding the team responsible for creating exceptional guest experiences every day. This role extends far beyond the Front Desk. It requires a leader who can develop people, solve problems, anticipate challenges, and maintain operational excellence in a dynamic hospitality environment.

The Front Office Manager works closely with the Hotel Manager and Executive Leadership Team, serving as a key contributor to the hotel's daily operations, guest satisfaction, financial performance, and overall success.

Success in this role will be measured by your ability to lead people, solve problems, maintain operational excellence, and keep the hotel moving forward each day. This position is ideal for someone who sees a challenge and immediately starts looking for solutions.

This role is much more than overseeing check-ins and check-outs. The Front Office Manager serves as the operational heartbeat of the hotel—leading the team responsible for creating first impressions, resolving challenges, supporting revenue goals, and ensuring exceptional guest experiences every day.

The successful candidate will be a confident decision-maker, a strong people leader, and a dependable presence for both guests and associates. They will be expected to think quickly, adapt constantly, and lead by example in a fast-paced environment.

What You'll Do

• Lead all Front Office operations, including Front Desk, Reservations, Night Audit, and guest service functions.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop a high-performing guest services team.
• Create schedules, manage labor expenses, and ensure appropriate staffing levels based on business demands.
• Monitor guest satisfaction and resolve concerns professionally and effectively.
• Review daily business levels and anticipate operational challenges before they arise.
• Ensure compliance with all Shaner, Marriott, and hotel policies, procedures, and brand standards.
• Manage cash controls, credit procedures, room inventory, and financial accountability within the department.
• Partner closely with Housekeeping, Engineering, Sales, Food & Beverage, and Accounting to ensure seamless hotel operations.
• Monitor occupancy, room availability, room type balancing, and yield management initiatives.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, labor management, and financial performance goals.
• Handle guest, employee, and operational issues with professionalism, urgency, and sound judgment.
• Serve as Manager on Duty and hotel leader as business demands require.
• Support training, coaching, and performance management initiatives to develop future hospitality leaders.
• Maintain strong communication across all departments to ensure a consistent guest experience and efficient hotel operations.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum 2 years of hotel supervisory experience, including Front Office leadership responsibilities preferred.
• Strong understanding of hotel operations, guest service, and front office procedures.
• Experience leading teams in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
• Excellent communication, conflict-resolution, and decision-making skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management abilities.
• Ability to analyze situations, make decisions quickly, and follow through effectively.
• Working knowledge of hotel systems, financial controls, labor management, and revenue management concepts.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Professional demeanor and the ability to maintain composure in a fast-moving environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous Marriott experience.
• Experience with hotel property management systems.
• Some college coursework or degree.
• Spanish language proficiency a plus.

The Ideal Candidate

You are:

• An experienced hospitality leader who is ready to make an impact.
• Calm under pressure and comfortable making decisions in real time.
• Flexible and adaptable in a 24-hour operation.
• Comfortable holding associates accountable while building a positive team culture.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Able to shift seamlessly between guest service, employee leadership, financial oversight, and operational problem-solving.
• A collaborative partner who enjoys working closely with other department leaders.
• Dependable, resourceful, and proactive.
• Willing to lead by example and jump in wherever needed to support the success of the hotel and your team.

Schedule Expectations

Hospitality is a 24-hour business, and this role requires flexibility. While schedules are generally planned in advance, the Front Office Manager must be prepared to work a variety of shifts, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and occasional overnight support when business needs require.

This position is ideal for someone who understands that leadership means being present when the team needs support most and that every shift presents an opportunity to develop associates, enhance the guest experience, and strengthen hotel operations.

Why Join Our Team?

The Courtyard Newark – University of Delaware offers a unique hospitality environment at the intersection of higher education, athletics, business travel, and community engagement. As Front Office Manager, you will play a key leadership role in shaping the guest experience, developing future hospitality professionals, and driving the operational success of the hotel.

You'll join a collaborative leadership team where your voice matters, your contributions are visible, and your ability to influence the success of the hotel extends well beyond the Front Desk.

If you're an experienced hospitality leader who enjoys solving problems, developing teams, and making an impact every day, we'd love to hear from you.

Shaner Hotel Group

Shaner Hotels is one of the foremost award-winning hospitality owner-operators and management companies in the hospitality industry. Our current portfolio consists of over 65 full-service, select-service, extended-stay and resort properties with more than 7,500 rooms in 14 states and four countries.We partner with the top Hospitality Brands including independent locations as well. We provide a variety of services for investors, hotel owners and brands—including hotel development, design and construction, e-commerce, and revenue management. You can find out more by visiting our website, www.shanercorp.com!