Front Office Supervisor

Who We Are

The Edgewater is an independent, historic hotel and luxury urban resort, located in the heart of downtown Madison next door to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and within walking distance of the Capitol Square. The Edgewater offers 202 rooms, 12,000 square feet of banquet and meeting facilities, 5 dining outlets, a spa, an acre of outdoor public space and a public pier and boat slips. We have been recognized as a AAA Four Diamond Property (2015 – 2021), ranked as one of the best hotels in the Midwest in Conde Nast Traveler’s readers’ poll (2017, 2018, 2020), a top 500 hotel in the world by Travel+Liesure readers (2021), and recently won the Best Historic Hotel in US (201 to 400 rooms) in 2023. 

What We Accomplish Together

If you enjoy displaying your exceptional customer service skills while interacting with a wide variety of guests daily and supervising several staff members, the Front Office Supervisor position is the job for you. Front Office Supervisors play a very important role in the overall functions of the Edgewater. As a Front Office Supervisor, you will report to Front Office Manager, Assistant Front Office Manager and Rooms Director, and will be responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the Front Desk and Valet/Bellperson teams, along with coordinating the delivery of world-class services to hotel guests. The Edgewater demands the highest quality of customer service, and the Front Office Supervisor position reflects that as you are often times the first person they meet upon their arrival. This Front Office position is where your hard work ethic, exceptional customer service skills and leadership are appreciated and recognized by both the guests and The Edgewater Team. 

What We Have

• Flexible scheduling including days, nights and weekends.
• A comprehensive benefit package including Medical, Dental and Vision coverage as well as Paid Time Off, 401K contribution matching and voluntary life insurance.
• Discounts to our 3 onsite restaurants.
• Discounts to our onsite Spa’s services and retail as well as discounted stays at affiliated hotels.
• Discounted onsite parking for full-time team members, discounted off-site parking for part-time team members, or a supplied Madison Metro bus pass.

What You Have

• Previous front office management experience and/or supervisory experience of at least 3 years preferred. Experience within a hospitality role is a plus.
• Working knowledge of Opera PMS is a plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, bilingual is a plus.
• Ability to exercise judgment and implement control over the performance of others, along with the ability to provide clear direction, instruction and guidance to Edgewater team members.
• A passion for delivering outstanding luxury service and a caring, positive attitude with a genuine interest in ensuring our customers have memorable experiences.
• Superior customer service, organizational, and sales skills, with the desire to work in a team environment.
• A flexible schedule to accommodate our weekend and holiday availability.
• A valid driver’s license with a clean driving record

Essential Job Functions

The main task of a Front Office Supervisor is to act as a shift leader for both Front Desk and Valet/Bellperson teams. You will focus on assisting guests with arrival and departure, providing guests with hotel services information, and accommodating guests during their stay in an attentive, courteous and friendly manner. You are expected to carry out job tasks as outlined in the Front Office Training Manual, learn and follow the relevant operating procedures and conduct yourself in a manner compliant with The Edgewater Brand Standards. You are required to use the appropriate phrases and greetings when interacting with guests, colleagues and visitors. You will be expected to provide information pertaining to available services and facilities of the hotel, ongoing and scheduled functions and events, and to make room and dining reservations as needed. Offering assistance to the individual needs and requests of all guests, ensuring guest satisfaction, communicating any deficiencies to appropriate departments and leaders and maintaining guest confidentiality at all times are all essential responsibilities. You will be required to accurately manage your personal cash bank. You will be operating in a dynamic and fast-paced environment so the abilities to multitask, prioritize and be a detail-oriented and organized team player will be key. 

Your supervisory duties will include assisting guests of The Edgewater with arrival and departure, handling room assignments and special requests, communicating with other operational teams, resolving guest complaints, handling all interactions with the highest level of hospitality and professionalism, and accommodating special requests whenever possible. You will also train, coach, develop, and supervise the Front Desk Agents and Valets/Bellpersons, along with assisting with coverage and scheduling. You will also handle departmental accounting of revenue, receipts, and guests accounts, and ensure everything is running smoothly at the Front Desk.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Other duties may be assigned by a manager/supervisor.

Working Conditions

This position operates in a professional office environment. The role uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This position requires weekend work.

Physical Abilities

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. This position is very active and is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands and fingers to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms, occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.