DAKOTA NEWCASTLE – ASSISTANT RECEPTION MANAGER Dakota Hotels are coming to Newcastle city centre in early 2025, with the aim of providing exceptional guest service we are seeking a n audacious Assistant Reception Manage r to help lead a dedicated team of Receptionists to create memorable experiences for every guest. As Assistant Reception Manager, you’ll support the Reception Manager in the day-to-day operations of the Front Office. You’ll be a hands-on leader, ensuring every guest interaction reflects the impeccable service Dakota strive to achieve. This is an exciting opportunity to join the team and be part of something extraordinary, helping shape the guest journey from the moment they arrive in our stunning waterfront property. Ideally situated on the Quayside, our hotel will boast 118 bedrooms which includes 33 suites. Dakota Newcastle will host our renowned Bar & Grill, Champagne Room, Cigar Terrace, and an events space for up to 60. PRIMARY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES To carry out Reception duties including welcoming guests to Dakota, checking in and out guests, carrying out ad hoc requests, making bedroom and table reservations, light housekeeping tasks, and handling guest billing. To be fully proficient in all aspects of the front of house department, including reservations, night shift, and guest relations tasks. Assist the Reception Manager with managing the team of Receptionists. This will include assisting with manage rial duties such as attending Operations Meetings in the absence of the Reception Manager, performance management of the team, building lines of communication with all other departments within the hotel, suggesting ideas to drive cha nge etc. Assist the Reception Manager to w rite departmental standard operating procedures and always strive to improve the teams’ knowledge of the wider hotel operation. Provide a consistently excellent level of guest service in accordance with our service principles and values, ensuring that all guests receive special attention and recognition. Offer additional services to make the guest experience more seamless i.e. making restaurant reservations, assisting in directions, delivering items to rooms. Work closely alongside all other departments to ensure excellent communication and be proactive in assisting other departments as required. This may include delivering room service, taking guests orders and delivering drinks to tables etc. Focus on the training and development of your team encouraging them to be consistent in using Dakota vocabulary, always working with an emphasis on guest recognition, making guest experiences extra special, and achieving sales through service. Fulfil managerial tasks including writing the departmental rota, managing holidays, carrying out appraisals, and stock management. ABOUT DAKOTA HOTELS Dakota is a growing UK-based lifestyle brand, known for our stylish hotels, bustling brasserie Grills and upscale cocktail Bars. Dakota’s story started with two boutique hotels on the outskirts of Edinburgh, in South Queensferry, and Glasgow, in Eurocentral. We have now expanded into prime city centre locations in Glasgow, Leeds, and Manchester, with Newcastle opening early 2025 and more in our pipeline. Dakota is synonymous for delivering attentive and genuine guest service. We attract hard-working individuals who are passionate about working to the highest standards and have been voted within The Caterer’s Top 15 Best Employers in Hospitality for the last five years in a row. We were also featured within the Top 10 employers in the 2024 Sunday Times Best Places to Work in the UK, as well as being awarded the Spotlight Award for Best Places to Work for LGBTQIA employees. As recent winners of The Cateys ‘People Team of the Year’, we have award-winning internal training programmes within Dakota Academy fostering continuous development and ongoing training. As a result, over 75% of our leaders have been promoted internally and, for four consecutive years, a member of our team has won a prestigious Acorn Award awarded by The Caterer to the ‘Top 30 under 30’ in the industry, demonstrating our success in developing talent. APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS Successful candidates must demonstrate having researched our brand and a genuine desire to be part of our team. The successful applicant will have/be: Local Knowledge & Expertise : W hilst not essential, having knowledge of the city to be able to further assist the guests with directions or recommendations is highly useful. At least 1 years' experience working in a front of house role of a 4 or 5 hotel in a supervisory or managerial capacity. A minimum of 3 years' experience working in a hotel environment. Strong skillset and genuine desire to deliver training and coaching. Experience working in 4 and 5 hotels are strongly preferred Be a great communicator and a genuine people person. Demonstrate a hands-on approach to all aspects of the role, available to work flexible shifts and present in the business during peak times including frequent weekends. PACKAGE This role car ries a permanent contract of working 40 hours per week, which covers any 5 days out of 7. The gross annual salary is £30 ,000. The start date for this role is the 24th February 2024. In addition to being part of a culture infused with positivity and opportunity for ongoing development, tangible benefits you could enjoy when you join our team include: –40 per cent off stays at any Dakota –25 per cent off drinks and dining at any Dakota –Access to our Employee Assistance Program which includes free private mental health support and counselling sessions video GP consultations and private prescription services access to daily rewards to be cashed out for shopping vouchers -Access to discounted gift card platform –Support from our inhouse Mental Health Champions –Additional holiday day on the first anniversary of your employment. –Family-friendly flexible working options –Meals on duty and uniforming –£200 bonus to recommend a friend to join our team –£10 bonus every time you are mentioned on Trip Advisor –Free bi-annual eye testing for users of display screen equipment –Accredited, certified compliance training given on employment such as in Food Hygiene, Alcohol Responsibility, Data Protection, and Health & Safety –Access to a suite of external, certified resources via our Learning Management System –Supportive continuous professional development culture with an annual appraisal and objectives, or a Personal Development Plan –Opportunities to undertake both internal and external training courses, including potential for in-house Apprenticeships Full terms on our benefits can be found in our Handbook.