Karl Birkett

Accomplished and highly reliable hospitality professional with over 20 years of dedicated experience specialising in night operations, night audits, and guest services. Proven track record of autonomously managing property security, financial compliance, and premium service standards during critical overnight hours. A proactive leader skilled in mentoring team members and optimising front-of-house property management systems.

Highly adaptable, resourceful under pressure, and committed to elevating the guest experience to a 4-star standard.

Night Porter at Leonardo Hotel (formerly Jurys Inn) (2018-07 – Present)

• Property Elevation: Actively contributed to the operational upgrades and service enhancements that successfully transitioned the hotel from a 3-star to a 4-star rating.
• Night Execution: Autonomously managed overnight front-of-house operations, executing guest check-ins/check-outs utilising Opera PMS & Cloud and Micros POS systems.
• Safety & Compliance: Conducted rigorous security sweeps and safety checks to protect guests, staff, and asset integrity throughout the night shift.
• Team Development: Selected by management to mentor and onboard new night staff, accelerating their training on brand standards and property protocols.
• Event Logistics: Managed the physical breakdown and precision setup of large corporate conference and meeting spaces according to daily client specifications.

Stock Control Operative at ASOS XPO (2017-09 – 2017-12)

• Inventory Accuracy: Maintained warehouse data integrity by systematically reconciling physical stock levels with digital inventory systems.
• High-Volume Efficiency: Thrived in a fast-paced, high-volume logistics environment, meeting strict hourly KPIs for stock accuracy and team productivity.

Assistant Night Manager at Holiday Inn (2016-10 – 2017-06)

• Shift Leadership: Directly supervised overnight personnel, delegated duties, and oversaw the entire property's smooth running and security.
• Financial Auditing: Executed specialised night audit procedures using Amadeus hotel systems to balance daily revenue accounts and generate morning operational reports.
• Incident Management: Acted as the primary point of contact for guest escalations, resolving complex inquiries and maintenance issues independently under tight time constraints.
• Revenue Support: Managed basic bar operations, room service requests, and overnight cash handling procedures with complete financial accountability.

Assistant Night Manager at Holiday Inn (2012-12 – 2013-04)

Night Customer Assistant at Tesco (2013-03 – 2016-10)

• Operations Support: Facilitated efficient overnight store presentation by managing inventory replenishment and stock presentation.
• Customer Care: Provided welcoming, helpful assistance to late-night shoppers, maintaining high service standards during peak inventory hours.

Various Hospitality Roles (Progressive Promotion) at Ardsley House Hotel (1998-12 – 2012-12)

• Career Progression: Promoted through a series of increasingly responsible roles based on strong performance, moving from Glass Collector and Bar Staff to Banqueting, Day Porter, and ultimately Night Porter.
• Systems Familiarisation: Mastered Rezlynx hotel systems and night audit functions to support property financial closeouts.
• Operational Versatility: Gained comprehensive, foundational knowledge of full-scale hotel ecosystems, establishing a reputation for elite customer service and multi-departmental teamwork.

GCSE Level Education – Kingstone School