Accommodation manager
Accommodation managers are employed in both the private and public sectors, by conference centres, hotels, halls of residences, NHS hospitals and health worker housing, government-run care homes, housing associations and youth hostels.
It is the accommodation manager’s responsibility to ensure that their establishment is run efficiently, that standards of cleanliness and maintenance are upheld (in rooms, bathrooms and public areas), that budgets are controlled and that their teams of staff are well trained and managed.
Job titles vary depending on the sector: in hotels, accommodation managers may be known as housekeepers or housekeeping managers; in education, such as in halls of residences, they may be known as domestic bursars; and in hospitals as domestic services or facilities managers.
Accommodation managers across all sectors and establishments have similar managerial responsibilities that often cover people and the building. Common tasks include people management and training, budget control, business planning and administration. Exact duties and levels of responsibility vary from position to position. For example, in a large hotel chain an accommodation manager’s role may be restricted to housekeeping and be more clearly defined than in a smaller independent hotel. Domestic bursars within the education sector sometimes assume responsibility for catering operations.
In hotel accommodation, typical activities include:
Many of the above activities are also common for accommodation managers in hostels, but work will usually be on a smaller scale.
In educational/hospital accommodation, typical activities include:
Accommodation managers may be involved in some practical or hands-on work depending on the establishment, but their role is mainly supervisory, with people management constituting a significant proportion of their role. Increasingly, they are required to manage staff employed by contractors, as opposed to in-house teams, and therefore need to be able to handle rapid staff turnover and ensure all new staff are fully aware of policies and procedures.
Although entry is open to all graduates, the following degree/HND subjects may increase your chances:
Entry without a degree/HND is possible, for example, via an advanced modern apprenticeship or by training on the job. Candidates in these situations may start at a lower level and work their way up to a management position. Larger hotel chains have management training programmes where a degree qualification is normally a requirement.
A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is not necessary, although relevant qualifications are available, such as a Postgraduate Diploma or MSc in Hospitality Management or an MBA. These qualifications may aid entry into a higher level role.
Previous experience in a related role is usually valued highly by employers, so it is important that you try to build up experience as well as gain relevant qualifications. This can be done by carrying out part-time or holiday work in the hotel/hospitality, housing or higher education industries. Knowledge and experience of service departments, such as restaurant, bar, kitchen, reception and conference facilities, can also be useful and will demonstrate your commitment and adaptability. Supervisory or team leader experience can also help to show your managerial capabilities.
Studying a sandwich course which provides a work placement for a year will be a great help to your career prospects after graduation. Try to secure a placement that is linked to the area you eventually wish to work in.
Candidates need to show evidence of the following:
To help aid entry into the career, you could ask for work experience at local establishments. This may include shadowing an accommodation manager at a hotel or doing some voluntary work at a hostel. Building networks and contacts is also a good idea and People 1st is a good source of information to inform you of relevant events and news in the industry.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
The majority of employers will offer on-the-job training. Increasingly, large hotel chains are introducing formal training programmes for future managers. These programmes give trainees the chance to experience management across a range of divisions within the organisation on a rotational basis - housekeeping, human resources and front of house - before specialising in a chosen area. Smaller establishments develop their staff through a combination of on-the-job training and support for further study and continuing professional development (CPD).
In-service training for the National Health Service (NHS) involves following the NHS Hotel Services Development Programme. See NHS Careers for more information.
There are also opportunities to undertake external training and qualifications. Many employers will support this and may give you time off work to accommodate your studies.
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) offers a range of housing-related qualifications and short courses including the CIH Level 4 Certificate and Diploma in Housing. These qualifications are relevant to all housing workers and also those working in student accommodation.
The Institute of Hospitality offers a range of qualifications specifically designed to meet the needs of management trainees within the industry. The Institute is keen to promote CPD within the sector and offers useful advice and information about how this can be achieved.
There are other qualifications which can be gained and these include NVQ/SVQ and BTEC/SQA qualifications in areas such as hospitality supervision, accommodation operations and housekeeping. There are also a range of short courses available in areas that may be relevant to your role, such as health and safety, hygiene and first aid.
Most new entrants will need to work at assistant manager level initially, in order to gain enough experience to progress to manager level. Once that is achieved, progression is normally to larger establishments offering wider opportunities and often greater responsibilities. Geographical mobility can be an advantage for more rapid career progression.
Natural career progression is to general manager level, overseeing the management of an entire hotel, residential service or estates division. General manager roles are much more business focused, concerned with profitability, strategy and planning.
Progression is normally achieved by acquiring a combination of experience and relevant qualifications. Postgraduate-level study, for example an MBA, is often undertaken by managers looking to secure the highest-level management positions.
As accommodation managers will have gained experience and skills in business management generally, they may wish to move sideways into a management role within a different division of their organisation or within the wider hospitality or business sector (e.g. human resources management).
They may also wish to move into another services role such as restaurant management or contract cleaning management. The latter involves managing cleaning services in environments such as businesses, schools and hospitality and so relevant experience may have been gained from the accommodation role.
Those with an entrepreneurial flair may decide to invest in and run their own establishments, such as independent hotels or residential flats.
Opportunities exist with a wide range of employers throughout the country. The hospitality sector is one of the biggest employers and includes:
In the public sector, universities operate large-scale accommodation services, including halls of residence and self-catering flats, and have a range of managerial positions available.
The National Health Service (NHS) is also a large employer. They require staff to manage accommodation for employees, such as nurses, and also hotel services for patients. Private hospitals may also have vacancies for facilities managers.
Other employers include residential care homes (both state funded and private), sheltered accommodation and housing association schemes or contract organisations used by the NHS, hotel chains, etc.
Large national recruitment agencies and smaller specialist agencies also advertise vacancies. See the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) website for details.
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