Head of Reservations

The Head of Reservations is responsible for leading and managing the Reservations team across the Group's hotel properties. The role oversees all Reservations-related operations, drives client loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer journey, and achieves individual and team revenue goals through effective leadership, process optimization and operational excellence.

The Head of Reservations is also responsible for standardizing Reservations practices across the Group, developing team capabilities, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and leveraging AI-powered and digital solutions to enhance productivity, improve decision-making, optimize workflows and elevate the overall customer experience.

This role reports directly to the Revenue Head.

Job Description

• Leads and manages the Corporate and franchised cluster Reservations teams across all assigned hotel properties, ensuring operational consistency, service excellence and achievement of business objectives.
• Develops and implements standard operating procedures, service standards and best practices across all Reservations teams to ensure consistency, efficiency and compliance.
• Possesses sound understanding of the overall Hospitality sector, relevant market trends and identifies new Reservations sales opportunities, thereby selling effectively against competitor hotels.
• Monitors forecast versus actual reservation sales data and analyses rate variance reports to identify trends and recommend corrective actions.
• Oversees the overall Reservations administration reviews, recommends and implements new or enhanced Reservations-related policies, procedures and workflows.
• Oversees the annual departmental operating budget and resource planning for the Corporate Reservations function.
• Reviews staffing requirements, work schedules and manpower deployment across the Corporate and Cluster Reservations teams to optimize operational efficiency.
• Drives continuous process improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to streamline Reservations workflows, eliminate manual processes and improve operational effectiveness.
• Champions the adoption of approved AI-powered tools and digital technologies to improve productivity, automate repetitive administrative tasks, enhance reporting accuracy, support forecasting, generate operational insights and improve overall service delivery.
• Evaluates emerging AI technologies and recommends practical applications that enhance Reservations operations while ensuring compliance with company policies, data security and guest confidentiality requirements.
• Executes and oversees the operational aspects of business booked, including but not limited to:
• Proactively communicating rates and inventory levels in alignment with Revenue Management's same-day yield and occupancy strategies.
• Monitoring team call volumes, reservations conversion, abandoned calls and reservation no-shows, and implementing initiatives to improve productivity, maximize conversion and minimise revenue leakage.
• Corresponding with and servicing Corporate clients, Travel Agents and other client groups by identifying reservation requirements and recommending appropriate accommodation solutions to strengthen customer relationships and grow business opportunities.
• Utilizes reservation data, business intelligence reports and AI-assisted analytics to identify booking trends, guest preferences, demand patterns and operational improvement opportunities.
• Empowers Reservations Officers to troubleshoot, resolve and document client issues promptly while ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.
• Collaborates closely with Revenue Management, Sales, Marketing and Hotel Operations to optimize inventory management, revenue opportunities and guest experience.
• Participates in weekly and monthly Revenue Management, Sales and Commercial meetings as required.
• Develops and maintains Reservations onboarding, training and competency programmes for new team members, including training on approved AI tools, digital systems and technology-enabled work processes.

Team Development and Resource Management

• Provides leadership and direction to the Corporate Reservations team and Cluster Reservations teams by fostering a high-performance, collaborative and customer-centric culture.
• Utilizes strong interpersonal and communication skills to lead, influence and motivate team members while promoting sound business decision-making and demonstrating integrity.
• Coaches, mentors and develops Reservations leaders and team members through regular performance reviews, training and career development initiatives.
• Builds strong teamwork and collaboration across Corporate and Hotel Reservations teams to achieve common operational and commercial objectives.
• Communicates Reservations strategies, policies and operational expectations clearly and effectively to ensure alignment across all teams.
• Implements and maintains a comprehensive training framework to ensure employees possess the knowledge, skills and competencies required to perform their roles effectively.
• Promotes continuous learning, innovation and digital adoption by encouraging the effective use of AI-enabled technologies and productivity tools to improve efficiency, service quality and employee effectiveness.
• Monitors team performance through appropriate operational and service KPIs and implements action plans to drive continuous improvement.

Other duties

• Identifies and recommends new initiatives, including digital transformation and AI-enabled process improvements, to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Reservations function.
• Keeps abreast of industry trends, emerging hospitality technologies and AI innovations that can strengthen Reservations operations and customer experience.
• Support the company's sustainability initiatives and contribute to its efforts in building a more sustainable and inclusive organization.
• May require to undergo digital transformation by process improvement and the adoption of technology to enhance business performance.
• Undertakes any other ad hoc duties and projects as assigned by the Revenue Head.

Job Requirement

• 7-10 years' experience in Hotel Reservations at the hotel property and/or corporate level is essential.
• 3-4 years' supervisory experience as an effective Team Lead is required.
• Strong working knowledge of hotel distribution systems (Hotel PMS, GDS, CRS and related reservation technologies) and possesses the exceptional ability to communicate clearly and tactfully under challenging circumstances (e.g. guest recovery).
• Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management, Business and/or other equivalent professional qualifications.
• .Excellent written and verbal communication, analytical, problem-solving and customer service skills.
• Experience using AI-powered workplace productivity tools (e.g. Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT or other approved AI applications) to improve operational efficiency, reporting, communication or process automation will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated interest in digital transformation, process improvement and the adoption of technology to enhance business performance.
• Having the highest ethical standards.
• A high degree of self-motivation and drive for high performance, while instilling a culture of positive engagement, innovation and care in the workplace.