Property Operations Manager - Finest Retreats
(2021-05)
Current position as Operations Manager ensuring smooth and effective operations across portfolio of properties (holiday lets). Managing the Operations Team and training new members, implementing SOPs and new policies. Successfully supported company growth and managed operations of portfolio of owners/partners increasing from 60 to over 150 fully managed properties with emphasis on offering 5* service.
Offered position as Head of Operations for Full Management Properties commencing March 2024. Implemented new staging option for owners/partners drawing on love of interior design and styling to offer property staging from scratch.
- Overseeing the Operations Department of the company including Housekeeping and Maintenance Recruitment, client and trade relationships, problem solving and making effective decisions in a short timescale
- Ensure budgets are met for owners and managed effectively
- Training new Operations Team members
- Implemented a brand new staging option to owners/partners and managed all stages of design, budget and implementing
- Overseeing a new subsidiary of the business and managing annual leave for the employee
- Exceptional owner/partner relationship to ensure they feel a personal approach remains despite growth – one multi property owner commented that the service offered was 'World Class'
- Venue visits to meet owners and spot checks to ensure standards are being maintained
- Taking part in presentations with owners representing the Operations Department and the operational areas of their properties
- Implementing structures and SOPs to ensure effective operational procedures are adhered to across the portfolio of properties
- Streamlining handover of new full management owners, to ensure consistency and efficiency of property information, and outlining steps
- Train and onboard new Lounge employees (Lounge is a new sister company that has recently been purchased)
- Involved in the building of a new task manager system from scratch and oversee the effective roll out of 'task tracker', training the team for the effective usage
- Implemented new procedures to streamline call outs to properties for financial efficiency for owners/partners
- Undertake the movement from housekeepers to house manager – review of agreements with owners/partners, implement the authority to spend up to a certain budget to resolve issue
Yield Specialist - Hotelfone
(2019-04 - 2021-05)
Acting as the first point of contact for all guest/agent enquiries across a broad range of Hotels. Required expert level of knowledge to represent each Hotel; guest and agent needed to feel they were talking to the Hotel directly rather than an agent. Exceptional level of interpersonal skills and customer service required, particularly as budget per stay was at times incredibly high at around £25,000 per stay.
Upselling paramount through soft sell approach so client felt we were there to make their stay comfortable, luxurious and enjoyable. Promoted to Gold Hotels (high-end venues such as Cliveden Hall, Chewton Glen and Boutique Hotels) within the first 6 months.
- Being the first point of contact for all guest and agent enquiries
- Multi-tasking and having an exceptional knowledge on a broad range of venues to ensure we represented them as though we worked at the Hotel itself
- Liaising with the Hotels to address queries and concerns and confirm special requests
- Close the sale within an allocated time and upselling to maximise revenue
- Accurately record the sale and revenue
- Pass call monitoring tests and ensure sales targets are adhered to
Self Employed Wedding and Event Stylist - With a Flourish
(2016-10 - 2022-10)
Run on a part time basis since October 2016 providing high quality silk flower arrangements for weddings and events. Very creative job requiring good business understanding and knowledge particularly of social media platforms. All leads are self-generated via website, social media, wedding fayres, networking or referral/recommendations.
- Dealing with initial enquiries and scheduling meetings with prospective customers from social media platforms, website, email and telephone
- Holding Meetings and preparing and delivering quotations
- Preparing and Delivering the flowers and styling items
- Managing website and all social media platforms: these include Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter
Self Employed Destination Wedding Specialist - Perfect Weddings Abroad
(2015-03 - 2017)
Salary was on a commission basis so varied from month to month £500-£1200 per month.
- Dealing with warm leads from the initial stage through until the booking completion
- Creating proposals for each customer/couple detailing their travel itinerary, wedding package including all financial aspects
- Liaising with wedding coordinators and travel agents both in the UK and abroad in relation to customers travel requirements
- Booking all aspects of travel through major tour operators using I-Sell software, tour operator portals and via telephone (this includes group travel and special requests)
- Loading all criteria including travel, wedding and flights onto the remote software system and processing deposit payments
Commissioned Freelance Writer - Pure Weddings Magazine
(2012-02 - 2017)
- Commissioned to write between 5-7 features on a variety of topics within the wedding industry from a brief provided by the Editor
- Sourcing and making contacts to be included in the feature via research and contacting by phone and email
- Sourcing images and writing each feature from scratch
Events Manager & Wedding Coordinator - Dartington Hall
(2008-11 - 2011-09)
- Full Event Management for external clients from initial enquiries through to on the day management
- Account Manager for over 60 corporate client portfolios. Some include NHS; Local Education Authorities & Colleges; Law Firms & HM Courts Service
- Regular contact maintained with all clients including mailshots, telephone contact, feedback forms following events, business networking to maintain client relationships
- Attended networking events both locally and nationally
- Planning and coordinating wedding & events from initial enquiries through to on the day management and overseeing a team of over 30 staff members
- Increased the number of wedding by 60% through rebranding the weddings, introducing wedding fayre at the venue, restructuring the wedding brochure
- Doubled the average wedding spend at the venue from £5000 to £10000 through a better understanding of the venues capacities, restructuring of our product offering, up-selling extras and a consistent marketing campaign
- Ensuring through positive customer feedback we were finalists at the West country Wedding Awards 2009
- Special Achievement in 2010 from the Senior Management Team for involvement and management of the Queens Luncheon when she visited the venue in March that year
Conference & Banqueting Manager - Bovey Castle
(2008-07 - 2008-11)
- Coordinating both corporate events and wedding as the head of the front of house team. Clients included Audi & Bentley, Fam trips for PA's of Celebrities and all weddings
- Supervising a team of 25 members of staff including rosters, training and recruitment
- Managing all Private Dining
- Acting as Duty Manager on a Rota basis
Hotel General Manager & Events Coordinator - Coltsfoot Country Retreat
(2006-04 - 2008-04)
- Recruitment, training and Management of a team of over 25 staff members
- Payroll Processing
- Sales & Marketing for entire venue and primarily Wedding & events at the venue
- Managing all Weddings from initial enquiry through to overseeing the wedding day
