Area General Manager

The Area General Manager will serve as the strategic and operational leader for Hotel Iroquois and Harbour View Inn, both part of The Cotton Collection. This role involves strategic planning and oversight of all operations, including sales and marketing. The manager will be responsible for achieving all key performance indicators (KPIs) related to revenue and profit, ensuring that the guest experience aligns with the standards of these iconic properties through creative planning and activations.

This leader should maintain a highly visible, hands-on leadership style approach, providing direct support to teams as needed, ensuring service excellence, and fostering a culture of accountability and performance while balancing strategic leadership with day-to-day operational involvement.

The Condé Nast and Travel and Leisure recognized Hotel Iroquois and newly fully renovated and repositioned Harbour View Inn are located in premier spots on historic Mackinac Island. These prominent hotels are located just outside downtown; guests enjoy a quieter experience on Mackinac Island while being an easy walk from the shops, restaurants, waterfront, and many of the island's most notable attractions. Mackinac Island is the number one tourist destination in the Midwest. Since there are no cars on the island, transportation is limited to bicycles, foot traffic, and horse-drawn carriages, creating a feeling of stepping back in time! With over 10,000 visitors each day, it’s a fantastic place to live and enjoy a variety of activities.

We believe that our employees make the difference. Their ideas, work ethic, and approach to quality and service make our company so successful. We love individuality and people who are genuinely inspired to provide great service. We offer a competitive benefit package; our goal is to hire talented individuals with a passion for hospitality.

Responsibilities:

Operations & Guest Experience

• Conduct daily property walks to monitor condition, cleanliness, and operational discipline.
• Oversee a complex, multi-outlet food and beverage operation, including fine dining restaurants, bar/lounge concepts, seasonal outlets, in-room dining, and a large banquet and catering operation.
• Champion innovation and excellence across all guest touchpoints.
• Maintain a consistent on-property presence, including regular floor walks and direct engagement with guests and teams.
• Drive measurable improvements in ratings and online reputation metrics, supported by clear performance data.
• Translate guest experience performance metrics into clear action plans and structured ownership reporting.
• Verify and evaluate that property business plans and employees are aligned with brand business strategies, holding the property leadership team accountable for successful delivery of business plans and enhancements.

Financial Performance & Revenue Growth

• Drive top-line revenue growth, effective labor management, and disciplined expense control.
• Partner closely with Sales and Marketing, and Revenue Management to strengthen market share, rate integrity, and long-term positioning.
• Ensure disciplined financial analysis and transparent departmental reporting, enabling data-driven decision-making and clear visibility for Ownership.
• Verify that the property operates within budgetary guidelines and achieves profit margin goals

People & Culture

• Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing leadership team.
• Coach and mentor department heads, holding leaders accountable for results, engagement, and service culture.
• Ensure all associate matters are handled professionally and in alignment with company policies and best practices.
• Promote open communication, inclusion, and a positive work environment.
• Hold leaders accountable through clear goals, performance tracking, and regular review cadence with timely corrective action where required.

Market & Brand Leadership

• Actively represent the hotel within the Northern MI hospitality, business, and social community. Regularly attend MITB and City Council meetings on the island.
• Maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, clients, and partners.
• Demonstrate a full understanding of the Northern MI hotel market, competitive landscape, demand drivers, and seasonality.
• Work in close alignment with Ownership on strategic brand and concept initiatives to ensure shared vision and consistency
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements:

• 3-5 years of senior leadership experience at a Luxury, Boutique, or Historic property.
• Experience developing and managing resort properties with multiple outlets or hotel collections.
• Immersion in all hotel divisions, with a prior concentration on Food & Beverage preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Proven record of success in financial performance, guest satisfaction, and team development.
• Demonstrated history of mentoring and coaching in the workplace
• Strong business acumen, emotional intelligence, and ability to lead with warmth and authenticity
• Deep understanding of the hospitality market and high-touch service culture
• Proficient in leading revenue growth and profit enhancement through efficient and streamlined operations
• Experience in problem-solving with the ability to handle multiple complex tasks in parallel
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook). Experience with Teams, ProfitSword, and workforce management software preferred
• Ability to build rapport with employees by fostering an environment of open communication and spending time with employees on the front lines.
• Ability to emphasize and hold leadership teams accountable for addressing service failures or potential service failures, and for developing innovative ways to exceed guest expectations.
• Ability to utilize guest/customer feedback to recognize outstanding employee service performance and improve service delivery
• Greet guests as the face of the organization. Properties have a strong history of being owner-operated, and the General Manager will need to assume that role

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer

Job Type: Full Time, Exempt

Physical Setting:

• Office, Hotel without elevators, and restaurant

Ability to Relocate:

• Mackinac Island, MI: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: On-site – Executive-level housing provided on the Island