Ben Jessop
Night Operations & Guest Experience Manager
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About
Night Operations Manager with extensive experience running full overnight hotel operations, including night audit, guest services, health and safety compliance, fire evacuation strategy and incident response. Proven ability to manage large, high-occupancy hotels single-handedly, ensuring safe, smooth and compliant operations across reception, F&B, conference facilities and public areas. Highly proficient in Opera Cloud PMS, completing full night audit, reservations, allocations, payments and reporting.
Thrives in overnight environments, delivering calm, confident decision-making and exceptional guest experience.
Experience
Nights Guest Service Manager (Hotel Operations) at Ibis Styles Barnsley (Starboard Hotels Group) (2026-03 – Present)
- Sole overnight leader responsible for a 117-bedroom hotel, 8 conference rooms, restaurant and 24-hour bar.
- Complete nightly Opera Cloud PMS operations including reservations, allocations, payments, reporting and full night audit closure.
- Lead all health and safety activity overnight, including statutory checks, hazard identification and compliance monitoring.
- Act as fire warden, responsible for fire evacuation strategy, alarm investigation, guest coordination and emergency-services liaison.
- Handle security issues, including dealing with difficult individuals, enforcing hotel policies and escalating to authorities when required.
- Support maintenance by identifying faults, isolating hazards and coordinating urgent repairs or contractor call-outs.
- Assist housekeeping by turning around day-use rooms quickly during full occupancy to maximise availability.
- Conduct building patrols, safety checks and security monitoring throughout the night.
- Deliver calm, confident service recovery and handle all overnight guest issues and escalations.
- Prepare the hotel for morning operations and complete detailed handovers to day teams.
Market Operations Manager (Interim) at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (2025-09 – 2025-12)
- Led operational continuity during redevelopment of a major public venue.
- Oversaw hard and soft FM contractors, ensuring health and safety compliance and statutory adherence.
- Delivered modernisation initiatives including cashless systems, policy updates and operational improvements.
- Managed seasonal events, evening-economy activity and crowd-flow planning.
- Built strong relationships with hospitality operators, local businesses and community partners.
Market Manager (Retail, Service & F&B) at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (2020-05 – 2025-09)
- Directed full site operations across a multi-unit retail, service and F&B environment.
- Delivered record performance in revenue, occupancy and footfall.
- Provided visible, floor-based leadership, resolving customer and operator issues in real time.
- Managed hospitality operators, ensuring high standards of service, presentation and compliance.
- Oversaw budgets and service-charge style financial controls.
- Ensured venue safety, compliance and emergency readiness.
Regional & Recruitment Operations Roles (Rail & Construction) at RSS Infrastructure, Vital HR, Apex Engineering, McGinley SS, Leda Recruitment (1999-01 – 2020-12)
- Led operational delivery for major rail and M&E projects.
- Managed workforce planning, compliance, safety and client relationships.
- Established and led a new Northern Head Office (RSS Infrastructure).
- Delivered high-volume operations under pressure with strong process discipline.
Education
NVQ Level 5 in Management & Leadership – CMI
NVQ Level 4 in Market Administration – Institute of Place Management
HND Level 5 in Hotel, Catering & Institutional Management
