Director of Front Office in New York, New York at NO Hotel Management LLC

Nine Orchard is a 113-room hotel in the restored 1912 bank building at the corner of Canal and Orchard on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Our guests come from every walk of life and every corner of the world, and they choose the Lower East Side for a reason. They notice everything, and the arrival experience is where the hotel makes its first promise. The Director of Front Office owns that promise.

You lead the entire front-of-house arrival operation — front desk, guest services, bell and door, and overnight — and you are accountable for the service culture of the lobby. We are looking for a leader of people who is present on the floor, sets a visible standard, and holds the team to it with warmth and consistency. Reports to the hotel's General Manager.

• The end-to-end arrival experience: pre-arrival, welcome, rooming, and the recognition culture that makes returning guests feel known

• VIP strategy and execution for a high-profile clientele — discretion, preparation, and follow-through

• Guest experience metrics: own the scores, the reviews, and the recovery when things go wrong

• Lead, schedule, and develop the front office team

• Daily floor presence across shifts, including regular evening and weekend coverage — this role leads from the lobby

• Set clear standards, coach in the moment, and hold every shift accountable to them

• Build the bench: identify, train, and promote the next generation of front office leaders

• Own front office operations end to end: staffing models, scheduling, upsell program, room-inventory coordination with Housekeeping and Reservations

• Partner with Housekeeping, Engineering, and F&B leadership on seamless guest handoffs

• 5+ years of front office leadership in luxury or lifestyle hotels, with at least 2 years at FOM/Director level

• New York City hotel experience strongly preferred

• A demonstrated leader of people: teams get better under you, and you can show it

• Floor-first work style — present, visible, and hands-on across shifts

• Composure and discretion with high-profile guests

• Lifestyle, boutique, or design-led hotel background (Aman, Auberge, Soho House, Ace, Standard, Sydell, Faena, NoMad, The Carlyle, The Greenwich Hotel, or comparable)

• Forbes Travel Guide or LQA standards experience

• At home with a broad, discerning clientele — from creative-industry regulars to leisure and business travelers

• Take command of the front office; establish a visible daily leadership presence across shifts

• Deliver measurable improvement in arrival experience and guest satisfaction scores

• Stand up a guest recognition and VIP preparation program worthy of the clientele