As a General Manager you are ultimately responsible for every aspect of running of the hotel.

Your key stakeholders are:

• The owners of the hotel (if applicable)
• Head Office or Corporate Management body(for example depending on the company you work for (Hyatt = Hyatt International)
• Guests (of course!) 
• Staff

The General Manager must ensure that all guests enjoy their stay, that the team work together effectively and that a profit is made!

Generally to assist the General Manager in these tasks they will have an Executive Committee (various names in various properties) or Management Team.

Typically the Executive Committee will be made up of:

• General Manager 
• Executive Assistant Manager 
• Director of Food and Beverage
• Director of Rooms 
• Director of Human Resources 
• Director of Engineering 
• Executive Chef 
• Director of Sales 
• Financial Controller

Each property or company will have their own names and terminology – and dependant upon the size and facilities of the property not all positions will exist!

Key activities for the General Manager include: recruiting and training heads of department and other key staff; setting budgets and forecasts; controlling the finances; planning and overseeing improvements; reporting to head office (if it is a group hotel); putting together and implementing the business plan; overseeing purchasing and stock control; marketing and sales; maintenance.
Each General Manager will have their own style but many ensure that they meet as many guests as possible, not only the VIPs.

A General Manager should also respond and monitor complaints and in a small hotel, they get involved in many of the day-to-day activities, including reservations, receiving guests, helping with the preparation and service of meals and drinks - in short, wherever your staffs are under pressure. In large hotels, you have department managers to ensure the smooth running of the Kitchen, Restaurant, Bars, Housekeeping, Banqueting, Reception, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources and Training.

A lot of a General Managers time is spent in meetings - including regular meetings with the “Heads of Department” or “Executive Committee”. The General Manager is ultimately responsible for the health and safety of everyone on the premises, for food safety, for upholding the licensing laws, consumer protection and employment legislation.

Job Qualifications

Often the General Manager will have worked in senior management positions in other hotels. Experience of all departments may be useful, but not required. Larger hotel companies will often provide relevant training programmes for prospective General Managers.

Some companies also have a minimum time frame that a prospective General Manager must have been with the company and /or in the industry.

More often, a General Manager is required to have formal qualifications, not just industry experience.

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