Guest Communications Manager

Position Summary

The Guest Communications Manager exists to deliver an exceptional, consistent guest experience across the Hallson portfolio, so that escalations are the exception rather than the norm. Reporting to the Director of Guest Experience, this role leads and coaches the team of Guest Experience Agents, provides hands-on guest support at Starr Piano Suites, and ensures every guest interaction reflects Hallson's standard of care.

The Director of Guest Experience holds full ownership of guest communication strategy across the portfolio, from booking confirmation through checkout. The Guest Communications Manager puts that vision into practice day to day, and steps in personally, including handling escalations by phone, when a guest issue needs a manager's attention.

This role also serves as Manager on Duty during scheduled shifts, acting as the point person who bridges communication between the Guest Experience team and Operations and responds to all Guest Experience Agents in real time. All virtual Guest Experience Agents report to this position. The Guest Communications Manager runs the GX team's daily performance independently, brings solutions rather than problems, and partners with the Director on strategy and anything that requires other departments.

This is a self-sufficient role. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who takes initiative, works well without close oversight, and actively looks for ways to improve how Guest Experience operates rather than waiting to be told.

Hallson is scaling quickly, and this role will grow along with it. We're looking for someone who wants to grow with the company, not just fill a static seat — new properties, new systems, and new responsibilities are the norm here, not the exception.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Coaching

• Serve as the direct manager for all virtual Guest Experience Agents, who report to this position.
• Coach and train the team of Guest Experience Agents on communication quality, tone, and brand voice, so that guests receive a consistently excellent experience from the first message.
• Monitor agent response times and communication quality, and provide direct, ongoing feedback.
• Lead day-to-day performance, process, and coaching conversations with team members.
• Identify training gaps and run training sessions to close them, including onboarding for new hires as the team grows.
• Own team scheduling and day-to-day staffing logistics — including onboarding of new hires — within Guest Experience.
• Partner with the Director of Guest Experience on hiring and termination decisions for Guest Experience Agents; final hiring and termination decisions are made jointly with the Director rather than unilaterally.

Starr Piano Suites Guest Communication

• Own guest communication for Starr Piano Suites leading up to and during each stay, with particular attention to multi-suite group bookings.
• Coordinate directly with guests and, where needed, group organizers to confirm arrival details, logistics, and any special requests ahead of check-in.
• Greet high-profile or high-needs guests in person for select stays, ensuring a hands-on, elevated welcome.
• Work on-site at Starr Piano Suites on high-turnover days to assist guests with luggage drop-off, support the cleaning team, and be present for guest arrivals.
• Monitor the stay in real time and resolve issues on the ground as they come up.

Proactive Guest Management

• Implement systematic follow-up protocols to confirm guest satisfaction throughout the stay.
• Maintain uninterrupted guest support during technology or platform outages.

Manager on Duty & Cross-Team Bridging

• Serve as Manager on Duty for every scheduled shift, acting as the primary point of contact for all Guest Experience Agents.
• Bridge real-time communication between Guest Experience and Operations/Maintenance, routing urgent issues to the right owner and following up to confirm resolution.
• Make timely, sound decisions on in-the-moment guest issues (refunds, service recovery, dispatching help) within scope, escalating only when a situation requires the Director.
• Document incidents clearly, including what was tried and where any breakdown occurred, for hand-off to the Director and Operations.

Guest Escalations

• Serve as the primary point of contact for guest escalations, unhappy-guest situations, and issues Guest Experience Agents are unable to resolve on the front line.
• Handle escalated guest calls directly, staying calm and solution-focused in real time on the phone — for example, personally calling a guest when something significant happens during their stay, such as an HVAC failure.
• Own service recovery decisions on escalated cases, including refunds for guests with issues, and see each one through to resolution.
• Monitor escalation trends across the team and flag recurring root causes to the Director.
• Provide specialized attention to upcoming bookings at newly onboarded properties to prevent service disruptions during transitions.

Reporting

• Provide regular operational summaries and surface trends and recurring issues to the Director.
• Document incidents and escalations with clear context on what was tried and where the breakdown occurred.

Working Relationships

• Runs Guest Experience daily operations independently and resolves day-to-day guest and team matters within their own scope; these are not director-level conversations.
• Escalates to the Director when a process has been attempted and hit a wall, coming with the specifics of what was tried.
• Brings any cross-departmental need or request that requires another department to change to the Director, rather than navigating it alone, outside of active Manager-on-Duty coverage.
• Where a guest issue during a Manager-on-Duty shift touches maintenance or operations, coordinates directly as the acting bridge between teams, then reports the outcome to the Director and Maintenance Manager.

Success Metrics

• Guest-satisfaction scores and reviews at or above brand targets (4.5+ stars).
• Response times consistently within standard across all Manager-on-Duty shifts.
• High service-recovery success rate and reduced escalations over time.
• Clean, timely reporting that keeps the Director informed without requiring day-to-day involvement.

Requirements

Qualifications

• 2+ years in hospitality, guest services, or short-term rental operations (Airbnb, VRBO, or similar).
• Proven track record of maintaining high guest-satisfaction ratings under pressure.
• Proficiency with property management systems (Guesty preferred) and multi-channel guest communication platforms.
• Tech-savvy and comfortable learning and adapting to new tools and platforms as we grow, including leveraging AI tools to work more efficiently.
• Excellent written communication with a professional, empathetic, solution-oriented style.
• Strong service recovery, conflict resolution, and triage skills.
• Can't be shy about picking up the phone — comfortable handling guest escalations by phone, not just in writing.
• Comfortable operating independently as a decision-maker while serving as Manager on Duty.
• Experience coaching, training, or supervising a team required.
• A self-starter who takes initiative and operates effectively with minimal oversight.
• Proactively identifies and helps implement new ideas and process improvements that strengthen the operation.
• Excited to grow with a fast-scaling company — comfortable with change and taking on new responsibility as the role evolves.

Schedule

• Location: Hybrid, based in Nashville, TN. Candidates must live locally, with the ability to work on-site at Starr Piano Suites on high-turnover days and as otherwise needed.
• Work Days: Four days a week, Thursday through Sunday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
• Days Off: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
• Manager on Duty: Acts as Manager on Duty for every scheduled shift (Thursday–Sunday), serving as the point of contact all Guest Experience Agents respond to and escalate through.
• Flexibility: Willingness to pick up the phone for real-time escalations, and to extend hours or respond outside the standard window when a significant guest or property issue arises.

Benefits

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual Salary: Based on experience and achievement.
• Paid time off, such as PTO, sick days, and vacation days
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Short-term disability insurance
• 401(k) option
• Employee recognition programs