Fairmont Mount Kenya has been consistently ranked among the world鈥檚 finest, earning a spot on the 2024 Travel + Leisure 500 list and being recognized as one of the top destinations in Africa. It has also been featured by Cond茅 Nast Traveler as one of Africa鈥檚 top destinations. In addition, the hotel has been honored as Africa鈥檚 Leading Hotel by the World Travel Awards for the fourth consecutive year, most recently in 2025.
The Front Office Manager is responsible for leading the Front Office operations, including Front Desk, Concierge, Royal Service, and Guest Services. The role ensures seamless guest experiences from arrival to departure, drives service excellence, revenue optimization, team development, and operational efficiency, while working in close collaboration with the Rooms Division Manager and other operational departments. Other duties and responsibilities include:
- Provide strong leadership in delivering exceptional, personalized guest service in line with luxury brand standards.
- Implement, uphold, and continuously improve Front Office service philosophy and standards.
- Ensure consistent, professional, and warm guest interactions during arrival, stay, and departure.
- Act as the primary escalation point for Front Office guest concerns, complaints, and service recovery, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
- Authorize and manage service recovery gestures such as discounts, billing adjustments, or complimentary accommodations within approved guidelines.
- Review guest feedback from surveys, online platforms, and direct interactions, driving corrective actions and continuous improvement.
- Ensure all guest opportunities and requests are followed up efficiently, courteously, and to full guest satisfaction.
- Serve as Manager on Duty as scheduled, providing leadership and decision-making support for Front Office operations.
- Oversee daily Front Office operations, ensuring smooth check-in, check-out, room allocation, and guest communication.
- Maximize room revenue and occupancy through daily review of selling status, house count, rate variance, and inventory control.
- Review and monitor credit limit, PM, PX, and Night Audit reports, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Maintain oversight of the guest ledger and provide regular updates to the Rooms Division Manager and Director of Finance.
- Support revenue forecasting and budgeting processes for the department.
- Drive upselling initiatives across room categories and hotel services, holding the team accountable for results.
- Ensure accurate room status communication between Front Office and Housekeeping to optimize room readiness and availability.
- Operate and oversee all Front Office systems, including PMS (Opera), ensuring correct usage, reporting, and system integrity.
- Provide direct leadership, coaching, and performance management for Front Office, Concierge, and Royal Service teams.
- Ensure appropriate staffing levels, scheduling, and task allocation to meet operational and service demands.
- Lead recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and training of Front Office colleagues in collaboration with People & Culture.
- Conduct regular team meetings, briefings, and performance discussions to address challenges and reinforce standards.
- Act as a role model, demonstrating professionalism, service excellence, and adherence to hotel values at all times.
- Ensure all team members are knowledgeable about hotel facilities, services, local attractions, events, and brand standards.
- Enforce grooming, uniform, punctuality, and conduct standards across the Front Office team.