Reservations Manager at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Four Seasons is powered by our people. We are a collective of individuals who crave to become better, to push ourselves to new heights and to treat each other as we wish to be treated in return. Our team members around the world create amazing experiences for our guests, residents, and partners through a commitment to luxury with genuine heart. We know that the best way to enable our people to deliver these exceptional guest experiences is through a world-class employee experience and company culture.

At Four Seasons, we believe in recognizing a familiar face, welcoming a new one and treating everyone we meet the way we would want to be treated ourselves. Whether you work with us, stay with us, live with us or discover with us, we believe our purpose is to create impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us.

About the location:

Join us deep in the heart of the world’s most celebrated wildlife reserves, where the Big Five – the lion, the leopard, the buffalo, the elephant and the rhinoceros – run free on the endless, untamed landscape. Perched on a series of elevated platforms and walkways, our Lodge sits next to an animal watering hole, where you can watch a family of elephants stop for their morning drink. Nestled in the heart of Central Serengeti amid wide-open plains, our Lodge is just a 45-minute drive from the Seronera Airstrip, accessible by connecting flights from three main airports within Tanzania. This beautiful lodge opened under the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts family in December 2012, and has 77 rooms including 12 suites and 5 villas, 3 stunning Food and Beverage venues, our unique Discovery Centre offering an interactive experience where you can learn about the wildlife, history and people of the Serengeti, Kijana Kids Club, a spa with 6 free-standing treatment pavilions offering bespoke rituals and treatments that celebrate Africa’s magic and mystique, fitness center and a dedicated team bringing your magical wildlife safaris experiences to life.

Essential Functions

• Direct reservations activities of the lodge to achieve budgeted goals; understanding and applying the principles of occupancy and rate to achieve maximum yield.
• Revenue management functions as would be required at the Lodge based around existing business trends, business segmentation & technology on property etc
• The ability to assume responsibility for the execution of the Reservation Department’s policies and procedures and manage the daily operation.
• To maintain maximum occupancy within the lodge, avoiding overbooked situations and maintaining the correct guest mix.
• To allocate duties and delegate work within the department continuously monitoring the progress and ensuring that all work is kept up to date.
• Keep immediate supervisor promptly and fully informed of all problems or unusual matters of significance so prompt and corrective action can be taken as appropriate.
• To deal with any complaints in the area of his or her responsibility, to investigate all pertinent details, to report findings to management and to take the necessary steps to avoid a reoccurrence.
• To check each day’s arrival list one week in advance to ensure all reservations are secure and reconfirm where necessary. To check them again two days in advance to ensure, reconfirm where necessary and ensure all are properly filed.
• The ability to control all villa reservations in conjunction with the Front Office Manager and ensure special handling of top corporate clients, VIPs, and return guests.
• To control the free sale of all reservations to the Lodge’s best advantage regarding the amount of reservations that are commissionable.
• To work closely with the Sales and Marketing Department to coordinate and control the number of group bookings, handle group bookings, maintain files, trace cut off dates, follow up on special instructions, and assist with and oversee groups.
• To identify and be aware of all major events throughout the coming year which may affect any new projects or changes within the lodge and communicate them to WRO, Sales Representatives and Reservations staff.
• To attend all departmental meetings, to chair the Reservations Meeting on a monthly basis and

To Hold Additional Briefings As Required.

• The ability to prepare and distribute occupancy and revenue forecasts and keep all department heads well informed of any unexpected changes in levels of business.
• To work closely with the Front Office Manager in connection with future availability, budgets and weekly forecasts.
• Develop demand trend tables and charts by market segment to support forecast projections.
• Initiate performance measurements and regular revenue related analysis. Maintain forecast reliability by constantly measuring accuracy.
• Develop reports based on customer stay records data to identify current and emerging buying trends; e.g. Lead Time Analysis, Price Point Production, Room Type Upgrades and Up-sells, etc.
• Provide Monthly Marketing Diagnostic Reports.
• The ability to handle and maintain accurate records on and monitor pick-up, cancellations, no-shows, and sources of reservations.
• The ability to create and maintain individual rate codes for each negotiated account as established by the Sales Department.
• The ability to establish and maintain the rate code conversion tables between PMS and WRO system.
• In coordination with the DOSM introduce Yielding tactics to manage demand patterns, including developing periodic Transient and Group Selling Strategies.
• Update the property management system with room and rate restrictions to optimize yield.
• Manage Delphi Yield System with transient protected rooms and updated Minimum Available

Rates.

• The ability to lead/manage the forecast & management meetings held with the Sales and

Marketing Department.

• Maintain all lodge distribution channels are in compliance with rate parity and rate integrity disciplines.
• Attend Sales Department Meetings and Retreats.
• To assist in the preparation of the annual budget.
• To lead the Lodge’s CIS programs.
• Develop and monitor Up-selling schemes for both the reservations and front office departments.
• Support front desk up-sell program and identify areas of opportunity to optimize up-sell revenue.
• Assist Director of Marketing in the creation of the annual marketing plan and budget.
• To develop systems and work procedures for new policies and recommend any improvements to the Director of Sales, Front Office Manager and Lodge Manager.
• The ability to ensure all reservations staff and WRO staff are familiar with all guest rooms, selling techniques, lodge facilities, services, hours of operation, key personnel, special activities functions in the lodge and to ensure proper follow-up on all special guest requests.
• To install a sales orientated attitude into the Reservationists, including a complete knowledge of all suites and lodge facilities as well as the local area and closest competitors.
• The ability to conduct standards testing including call observation.
• The ability to conduct regular WRO test calls and provide timely feedback.
• The ability to establish relationships with other Reservations Managers in the region as well as in

Four Seasons.

• To prepare for and participate in the bi-weekly BOO meeting, and update the forecast accordingly.
• Liaise with Planning Committee members to ensure lodge commitment to achieving highest Yield

Leadership Development.

• To interview and select staff, liaising with the Director of People and Culture Resources and to present likely candidates to the DOSM, Lodge Manager and General Manager.
• The ability to conduct follow-up training sessions and provide timely feedback to reservations staff.
• The ability to develop and mentor the reservations staff for future advancement.
• To comply with all Core and Culture standards personally and within the department.
• To ensure all members of staff are trained to the standards set by Four Seasons in the Standards

Training Manual and to keep records of training liaising with the Director of People and Culture

Resources or Learning Manager.

• To act upon any deviation from the set standard of performance and job description by any member of staff, providing appraisals and further training and taking disciplinary action if necessary, in liaison with the Director of People and Culture Resources.
• To complete the staff rotas, arranging holidays and completing the weekly time sheets ensuring maximum coverage according to the needs of the business.
• To be responsible for all departmental equipment and stationary, coordinating the maintenance of this as required, to ensure adequate departmental supplies and a strict cost control.
• To ensure that all staff are well groomed, neatly dressed and in the appropriate uniform, taking corrective action when necessary.
• To ensure adherence by all staff within the department to all health, safety, and emergency procedures and processes.
• The ability to work quickly in a high-pressure environment and ability to handle stress.
• The ability to display a high level of integrity and professionalism at all times in dealing with guests and employees.

Other Functions

• Actively support the Safety Committee and the Green Committee.
• Perform as Front Desk Agent and PABX operator as needed.
• Assist with all guest inquiries within the sales and marketing department, including assisting with high telephone volume and walk-in site inspections.
• Assist with the development of all direct sales presentation material for both travel industry and group sales.
• May be required to temporarily relocate to The Lodge when required.
• Other reasonable requests from manager. From time to time, you may be required to work for the Lodge in some other capacity of similar status in addition to or in substitution for the appointment specified above, as reasonably required, this also includes changing work location taking into account business needs and personal circumstances.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Management.
  

REPORTING TO: Director of Sales & Marketing

Special Requirements

Education: Bachelors Degree from University

Experience: At least two years Reservations managerial experience. Previous department head experience in hotel/resort/lodge operations

Preferred. Prior Experience With a PMS System, Opera Preferred.

Yield and revenue management experience.

Skills and Abilities: Fluent in English, and ability to operate computer. Well versed in Excel, Word.

No. of employees supervised: Up to 10

Travel required: Occasional

Hours required: Scheduled days and times may vary based on need.