The Drake has humble beginnings, with a small team of entrepreneurial spirits whose energy has transformed into a growing group of dreamers + doers. As a leading hotel, hospitality + lifestyle brand in Canada, [and winner of Canada’s Top Small + Medium Employers, might we add...] The Drake is an ever-expanding cultural hub that brings communities together around one-of-a-kind experiences that blend food + drink, art + music, meetings + weddings and unforgettable hotel stays, all delivered by some of the best people you’ll ever meet.

An experiential lifestyle brand that delivers the true Canadian experience through the creation of neighbourhood hubs that celebrate the communities we are in. We bridge the art of the moment and intentional hospitality to ignite curiosity within the modern traveler.

The Drake Hotel has a deep and ongoing commitment to our West Queen West neighbourhood, and now after 18 years since opening our doors, we are excited to have recently added a dynamic 32-room, ‘Modern Wing’ expansion.

After garnering local + international success from the moment we opened our doors, we are currently looking for an exceptional Leader + General Manager to join us as we look ahead to our next exciting chapter.

About the Role

This individual will oversee all aspects of property and business management for the Drake Hotel on Queen West. In accordance with our overall mission statement, you will seek to create an exceptional, memorable, world-class establishment by maximizing financial performance, guest satisfaction, operational effectiveness, and staff development within established quality standards for the Drake. This role will report into the Chief Executive Officer.

Location Specific Reports: F+B Management, Events, Sales, Hotel Management, Facilities, Executive Chef + Back of House

Corporate Support Partners: Marketing, HR, Finance + Procurement, IT, Culinary + Hotel Leadership

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following key metrics at the property:

• Budget + Expense Management
• Guest Satisfaction + Quality Control
• Business Development + Community Relations
• Setting and achieving Hotel Sales targets
• Operations Management/Safety/Compliance
• Leadership / Staff Development

Budget + Expense Management

• Develop accurate long and short-range financial objectives for the business, reviewing and adjusting targets to reflect the business needs through the year
• Report weekly to senior leader to share top level sales, labour and expense results, identifying trends, challenges and issues. Implement strategies and corrective action with input from senior report
• Control purchases and inventory by meeting with department leaders and purchaser; and where applicable, negotiating prices and contracts; developing preferred supplier lists; reviewing and evaluating usage reports; analyzing variances; taking corrective actions
• Maintain close oversight of labour productivity and food + beverage costing, ensuring efficiency and reducing waste
• Review reports, prepare summaries, propose areas for improvement with action plans.

Guest Satisfaction + Quality Control

• Ensure excellent guest satisfaction by monitoring, evaluating, and auditing hotel, food + beverage, and service offerings; initiating improvements; building relationships with preferred patrons and important stakeholders
• Maintain a safe, secure, and healthy facility environment by establishing, following, and enforcing sanitation standards and procedures, complying with health and legal regulations
• Create a culture of manager empowerment and issue resolution, making sure that clients are given real-time solutions to concerns or complaints
• Maintain product and service quality standards by conducting ongoing evaluations and investigating complaints and feedback. Initiate corrective

Sales/Business Development + Community Relations

• Attract guests by developing and implementing year-round sales, marketing, programming, public and community relations programs; evaluating program results; identifying and tracking changing demands on operations
• Collaborate with corporate marketing resources to develop and implement ongoing campaigns, both location and company specific
• Act as key point of contact for site specific corporate partnerships, work with Events team and Corporate office to maintain and strengthen long standing partnerships and cultivate new ones
• Act as the “face” of the business, maintaining active public engagement in community events, establishing rapport with neighbors, businesses and local community groups
• Assist in planning and implementing strategies and action plans with the Special Events department and Executives to increase agent business and corporate stays
• Work closely with the Sales Specialists to ensure sufficient cross selling opportunities are maximized creating seamless experiences for clients booking both special event and hotel group bookings
• Support the Sales to team to manage an active book of returning, new and prospect clients to ensure personal sales quotas across all properties are met and/or exceeded

Operations Management/Safety/Compliance

• Ensure seamless building operations by following and enforcing policies and standard operating procedures that are site specific and in adherence to Drake’s established standards
• Ensure exceptional safety practices of employees and guests, assisting in the maintenance of proper food/liquor handling, storage, service, emergency, security procedures and Health and Safety Policies + protocols (COVID- 19).
• Ensure maintenance of equipment, facility, and grounds through the use of a Preventative Maintenance Plan based on DHP standards.

Food and Beverage Operations

• Championing all F+B operational policies + procedures, quality standards and training programs
• Delivering hands on leadership. Providing a strong floor presence during peak business hours.
• Maintaining a strong focus on achieving and/or exceeding revenue targets, within acceptable labor cost and service standard parameters
• Monitoring and managing service, quality, health + safety and cleanliness
• Ensuring that AGCO, municipal and provincial laws are being adhered to
• Overseeing F+B Managerial team to ensure that during all of our services, each of our guests are treated with respect and care.

Rooms Operations

• Oversees all daily Front Desk operations including reception, reservations, and guest services
• Constantly improve, execute and evaluate departmental policies, standards and procedures while ensuring all staff are continually informed of departmental objectives and goals
• Lead team in all areas of Guest/Concierge services offered, ensuring quality and consistency of interaction is achieved and tracked
• Performs ‘spot’ room and hallway checks daily, to ensure highest level of cleanliness achieved 100% of the time
• Coordinate Quarterly    and    Year-End    Inventory    counts    with Housekeeping Manager
• Perform weekly facilities walk throughs with Maintenance Manager and attend weekly Facilities meetings
• Liaise with Chief Operating Officer on Revenue Management and Yielding of rates and inventory.

Leadership / Staff Development

• Act as the overall leader for the business, actively managing a team of skilled F+B Managers, Hotel Managers, and BOH Managers as well as a highly engaged hourly team
• Cultivate a positive, fun and engaged work environment, with a focus on accountability, training, mentoring and continuous feedback
• Demonstrate progressive approach to management, seeking ways to motivate staff, retain key talent and attract high caliber hospitality staff
• Implement and support corporate led training initiatives and develop, along with management team, training programs specific to your location and
• Develop and build your team. Create paths for growth within the Hotel and the broader company for high performing managers and associates. 
• Lead performance management + review processes for management
• Implementation and execution of progressive corrective management and staff retention strategies.

About You

• You’re a Trailblazer! The Drake is dynamic, we embrace new challenges and opportunities every day, hence you will need to bring your 'Can Do' attitude and share learnings with the team on a daily basis
• You’re a seasoned hospitality leader with expertise in both hotel + restaurant property management.
• You’re excited to oversee multiple hotel, food + beverage, and operations departments in a high-volume environment without breaking a sweat
• You have demonstrated the ability to attract, retain and build a high- performing hospitality, operations and sales teams who share your exceptional passion for service and exceeding targets
• You love keeping up with food + beverage trends, as well as movements in the lifestyle hotel industry, whether it’s here in our little nook of the world or across the globe.

 Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5+ years in a cross-functional, hotel and hospitality management property, overseeing multiple hotel, food and beverage and operations departments within a high volume and/or, seasonal peak environment
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities and the ability to attract, retain and build a large, (150+ employees) high performing, hospitality and operations team
• Post-secondary education in Hotel or Hospitality management a strong

What We Offer

We pride ourselves in providing strong leadership + development opportunities for passionate hospitality professionals looking to build rewarding, long-term careers. The Drake offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, employee discounts, training + development support and many other unique perks as a part of joining The Drake team.

The Drake Hotel is an equal opportunity employer: We are committed and actively working towards fostering a positive, supportive, and creative environment at Drake Hotel Properties that promotes equity, inclusiveness and diversity. We welcome job applications from candidates of all backgrounds including, but not limited to, Indigenous, Black, and racialized persons; refugee, newcomer and immigrant persons; two-spirit, LGBTQ+ and gender non-binary persons, and persons with disabilities. Please advise us of any accommodations needed to ensure you can access and complete the submissions process.