Responsibilities:

• Manage rooms inventory to achieve optimum results in occupancy, average rate and revenue, reviewing daily reservations accuracy, rates compliance from segment and source, system close-out when necessary and rate availability.
• Review Opera & PMS availability keeping sufficient inventory for high yield segments.
• Prepare the team roster.
• Submit the monthly payroll.
• Control no show and late cancellation charges.
• Train, develop, and motivate staff to increase productivity.
• Participate in staff recruitment, organise on-the-job and monthly training for all staff, supervise and manage performance to ensure clients’ satisfaction and adherence to Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental service standards.
• Responsible for the preparation and onboarding of new colleagues.
• Prepare the monthly training calendar.
• Supervise the Reservations Agents in their daily duties, including pick-ups, travel agents’ commissions, staff responses to clients, etc.
• Maintain good working relations with other departments and keep close contact with regular guests, ensuring their needs are identified, and relayed to concerned departments for service delivery.
• Update Serenata configuration / offers / confirmation letters set-up in corporate design, if applicable.
• Ensure that the team is aware of the internal credit policy.
• Follow up on lost business and bring information about them to the knowledge of the department superiors.
• To monitor the volume of emails and assign them accordingly in Folders
• Carry full reservations made the previous day quality check.
• Responsible to ensure Corporate/consortia emails are answered within 2 to 3 hours. Individual emails and DMC`s answered in 24 hours as per the standards.
• Ensure that OTA extranets being handled for guest response. Handle the reservations for the Executive Office and VIP bookings.
• Carry the quality check for arrivals in the next day.
• Attend the pre- arrival meeting and ensure that the information is shared with the operations department.
• Prepare reports monthly.
• Maintain all reservation standards.
• Keep department informed of all changes in systems or procedures.
• Monitor reservation pick-up for the coming months.
• Maximize employee productivity and morale within the department and consistently maintain discipline within hotel guidelines and local regulations.
• Test calls LQA results > 85%.
• Maintain an internal up sell programme for the Reservations department (benefits / team competition).
• Schedule employees in line with varying business levels to maximize productivity and minimize payroll costs.
• Select and recruit suitable employees for the department using prescribed set of policies and procedures.
• Prepare/Consolidate upselling report and submit it to Reservations Manager.
• Handle guests complain if any and assist team members to overcome operational challenges.
• Responsible for the preparation and onboarding of new colleagues.
• Carry daily briefings in the department.
• Update management informed of any challenges, opportunities.
• Perform any other duties as assigned to him/her by management.

Key competencies and background:

• Experience in a high volume internationally recognized luxury hotel chain and a minimum of two years in a similar position is required
• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or relevant field is preferred
• Training techniques, excellent communication and organizational skills.