Senior Manager Operations Strategy ("Gerente Senior de Operaciones y Estrategia")

The Senior Manager, Operations & Strategy is responsible for leading cross-functional, corporate-level projects that support operational excellence across hospitality locations. This role partners directly with the CEO and corporate leadership to design, develop, and implement strategic and operational initiatives that enhance guest experience, improve efficiency, and support scalable growth.

The ideal candidate possesses a solid understanding of hospitality operations and the ability to align corporate strategy with on-property execution, ensuring collaboration across departments and locations. A minimum of five years of hotel experience is preferred, with prior experience as a Front Office Manager or in a comparable leadership position. The candidate should also demonstrate a strong combination of operational knowledge, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively at an executive level.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
 

Strategic & Operational Project Leadership

• Lead the planning, development, and implementation of enterprise-wide hospitality initiatives (e.g., new property openings, operational rollouts, service standards, system implementations).
• Translate CEO-led strategic priorities into executable project plans with clear timelines and outcomes.
• Support company growth, brand consistency, and operational scalability.
• Analyze hotel performance and identify opportunities related to service, efficiency, and profitability
• Participate in select property visits and operational reviews (up to 20% travel)
• Serve as the central liaison between corporate teams and on-property leadership.
• Facilitate cross-departmental meetings, project updates, and alignment sessions.

Cross-Functional Corporate Collaboration

Partner with Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Sales & Marketing and Facilities to drive aligned project execution.

Human Resources Projects

• Lead and support HR-related initiatives, including:
  • Organizational structure reviews
  • Staffing models and labor optimization
  • Policy development and implementation
  • Training and performance management support
• Act as a liaison between corporate leadership and property-level teams on HR matters

Sales & Client Support

• Support sales and client-facing initiatives in coordination with leadership
• Prepare materials and data to support new business pitches, renewals, and client reviews
• Participate in client meetings and presentations when needed

Financial & Performance Reporting

• Prepare hotel financial, operational, and performance documents for:
  • Client visits
  • Ownership meetings
  • Internal strategy discussions
• Analyze KPIs including RevPAR, ADR, GOP, labor costs, and guest satisfaction metrics
• Translate financial and operational data into clear, executive-ready insights and presentations

Process Improvement & Standardization

• Identify opportunities to streamline hospitality operations and improve efficiency.
• Drive standardization of processes while allowing flexibility for property-level needs.
• Ensure SOPs, playbooks, and training materials are developed and implemented.
• Support ongoing initiatives for continuous improvement, as well as leadership and operational best practices and standards.

Reporting & Executive Communication

• Prepare executive-level dashboards and develop high-quality presentation and reports
• Present complex information clearly and confidently to hotel owners, clients, and senior leadership
• Provide regular updates to the CEO and leadership team on progress, risks, and outcomes.
• Ensure accountability and transparency across stakeholders.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the CEO on strategic and operational matters

EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Operations, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5 years of experience in hospitality operations, project management, or corporate operations.
• Experience managing cross-functional projects in a hospitality environment.
• Experience working directly with executive leadership or ownership.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND SKILLS

• Strong understanding of hospitality workflows, guest experience, and property-level financials.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to interpret financial and operational data
• Exceptional presentation and communication skills (written and verbal)
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, executive-facing environment
• Hospitality-focused operational mindset
• Ability to balance corporate standards with on-property realities

SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the manager based upon the particular requirements of the hotel:

• Assist with any guest inquiry.
• Follow all company and safety and security policies and procedures.
• Perform all other duties as assigned by Azul Vice President and ownership.  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Environmental conditions are inside, a job is considered “inside” if staff spends approximately 75 percent or more of the time inside.  Temperature is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems.
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to four (8) hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task.
• Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to four (4) hours in length.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift up to 45 lbs. as needed.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening, and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Hearing, smelling, tasting, and visual ability to observe and distinguish product quality and detect signs of emergency situations.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with other staff, guests, and supervisors.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near and color vision and depth perception.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks occasionally.
• Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers, printers, 10-key adding machine, multi-line touch tone phone, filing cabinets, FAX machines, photocopiers, dolly, and other office equipment as needed. 
• Ability to work primarily with fingers to pick, pinch, type and carry out substantial movements (motions) of the wrists and hands as well.

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Must be able to travel up to 20%
• Must be able to speak, read, write, and understand the primary language used in the workplace.
• Requires good communication skills, verbal, written and electronic.
• Considerable knowledge of complex mathematical calculations and computer programs. 
• Must have excellent leadership capability and customer relations skills.
• Must be detail oriented with outstanding organizational and communication skills.
• Must possess intermediate computer skills.
• Knowledge of computer programs, math skills as well as budgetary analysis capabilities required.
• Ability to analyze, foresee user needs, and makes judgments to ensure proper tools are provided at property level.
• Ability to effectively deal with internal and external customers some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy and collect accurate information to resolve conflicts.
• Knowledgeable about basic function of Windows OS, MS Office, PMS, PBX, Key system and POS.
• Self-driven and able to work independently
• Exceptionally strong in issue resolution and proven analytical skills with a strong attention to detail
• Ability to analyze, forecast data, and make judgments to ensure proper payroll and production control.
• Ability to supervise large staff and accomplish goals on a timely basis.
• Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws governing equal employment opportunity and civil rights, occupational safety and health, wage and hour issues, and labor relations, including, but not limited to the following statutes and their state and local analogues (where applicable): Title VII, ADEA, Equal Pay Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, FLSA, ADA, OSHA, FMLA, and NLRA.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Operations, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5 years of experience in hospitality operations, project management, or corporate operations.

GROOMING

All Staff Members must maintain a neat, clean, and well-groomed appearance per Azul Hospitality standards.  Refer to the property specific required grooming and uniform standards policy.

ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance in conformance with the standards, which may be established by Azul Hospitality, from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position.  Staff with irregular attendance / tardiness will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Upon employment, all staff is required to fully comply with Azul Hospitality rules and regulations for the safe and effective operation of the hotel’s facilities. Staff members who violate hotel rules and regulations will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.  Due to the cyclical nature of the hospitality industry, staff members may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the hotel. In addition, attendance at all scheduled training sessions and meetings is required.  This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that a staff member in this position may be asked to perform from time to time.

Salary : $120,000 - $140,000