The Hotel GM Job Description Owners Actually Need (Outcome-Based Template)

Jeff Schmidt
Oct 27, 2025
5 min read

Hotel reception desk with general manager

A GM changes your P&L by the week: ADR discipline, compression nights, labor leverage, service recovery. If your hotel gm job description reads like a wish list, you’ll hire charisma. If it reads like an owner-outcome scorecard, you’ll hire an operator. Below is the exact, outcome-based template we use when owners want three pre-vetted finalists in 21–30 days—without cutting diligence.

Key Stats: Why an Outcome-Based Hotel GM Job Description Wins

Speed: Precise KPIs + artifacts shrink time-to-offer to 21–30 days
Fit: Scorecard alignment reduces false positives and first-year churn
Profit focus: RevPAR and ADR discipline correlate with GOP lift; ADR-led RevPAR growth typically drives stronger profitability than occupancy-only lifts. STR+1
Board confidence: Weekly “signals” report baked into the JD creates early visibility

Translation: write the hotel gm job description as a mini-contract with measurable outcomes, not adjectives.

The Core Sections Every Hotel GM Job Description Must Include

Owner-Outcome Scorecard (RevPAR, GOP, GSS, Turnover)

Revenue/Rate: RGI target vs. comp set; compression tactics; channel & fence hygiene
Profit: GOP flow-through; labor leverage; vendor discipline; banquet standards
Guest: 24-hour recovery loop; GSS trend; public-review response quality
Team: bench depth; turnover guardrails; safety/incident rate
Rhythm: daily stand-ups; weekly P&L; monthly owner readouts; 90-day plan

Responsibilities (Evidence-First)

Run rate plan, parity, and fences; win shoulder nights without eroding mix
Audit wage grid and schedules; fix overtime leakage; align staffing to demand curves
Enforce 24-hour recovery; raise review response quality; trend GSS up
Install weekly departmental P&L cadence; drive actions from variance notes
Upgrade critical roles (e.g., Front Office Manager, Exec Housekeeper) with proof of lift

Qualifications (What Actually Predicts Results)

Track record of index gains (RGI) in comparable comp sets
Demonstrated labor leverage in union/non-union settings (with artifacts)
Evidence of recovery discipline and sustained GSS improvement
Comfort presenting STAR reports and weekly signals to owners/asset managers Lighthouse
Ability to run a 90-day plan with three KPI projects (RevPAR, GOP, GSS)

Compensation & 20/25/30% Bonus Ladder

Publish the ladder in the JD; pay for outcomes, not vibes:
- 20% @ RGI flat + GOP ≥ plan + GSS neutral
- 25% @ RGI +3 pts + GOP +100 bps + GSS +0.2
- 30% @ RGI +6 pts + GOP +200 bps + GSS +0.4

Copy-Paste Hotel GM Job Description (Full Template)

Role: Hotel General Manager

Reports to: Ownership/Asset Manager or VP Operations

Location: [City, State]

Compensation: Base $[range] + 20/25/30% bonus ladder tied to RevPAR (RGI), GOP margin, and GSS + benefits.

Why this role exists: To grow RevPAR, protect GOP through labor leverage and vendor discipline, and raise GSS via a strict recovery loop.

Owner-Outcome Scorecard

RevPAR/RGI: [target vs. comp set]; shoulder-night strategy; compression plays
GOP/Flow-Through: labor model integrity; weekly P&L cadence; banquet standards
GSS/Reviews: 24-hour recovery; trend up; public response quality
Team/Turnover: bench depth; safety; schedule hygiene
Rhythm: daily stand-ups; weekly signals to owners; monthly readout; 90-day plan

Responsibilities

Own revenue rhythm: rate fences, channel hygiene, parity; present weekly STAR insights to owners. Lighthouse
Run a wage-grid and schedule audit; eliminate overtime leakage; align staffing to pacing.
Enforce recovery loop and coach frontline recovery language; publish top 3 fixes weekly.
Lead departmental P&L cadence; convert variances into actions and document outcomes.
Upgrade two critical roles in first 60 days if warranted; stabilize bench and schedules.
Maintain compliance/safety standards; run risk logs; support audits and capex light fixes.

Qualifications

Documented RGI gains and ADR discipline in comparable assets; artifacts required. STR
Labor leverage in union/non-union markets; prevented grievance examples preferred.
Recovery discipline with 24-hour close-the-loop; public response quality.
Confident communicator with owners/boards; tight documentation habits.

Compensation & Bonus Ladder

Base: $[range by profile/state]
Bonus: 20/25/30% (RGI/GOP/GSS thresholds as listed above)
Relocation/temporary housing available for high-cost markets (to protect start date).

How we hire (21–30 days)

Week 1: structured screens; artifacts submitted (wage grid, schedule, recovery log)
Week 2: parallel back-channels; first on-property visit scheduled
Week 3: floor walk + live recovery scenario; offer with 90-day plan

Interview & Proof Pack (Questions + Required Artifacts)

Required artifacts (anonymized allowed):

Wage grid before/after; one schedule redesign; rate-fence changes; recovery log

Five owner-critical questions:

Compression win: show the pre-arrival fence, your move, and the RGI delta.
Labor leverage: where did overtime leak and how did you fix it? (show schedule)
Recovery loop: your 24-hour compliance rate and GSS trend after 30 days.
Vendor discipline: one renegotiation that moved GOP (proof: invoice series).
Owner cadence: your weekly signals report—what gets one line?

On-Property Finals & 30-Day Hiring Timeline

Floor walk: observe how the finalist moves a compressed period—people and minutes
Live recovery: stage a real guest issue; watch language and escalation choices
Night audit (when feasible): inspect handoff hygiene and after-hours control

Decision rule: A+ interview < B- floor walk? Pass. Score on a 0–3 rubric; advance only if no section <2.

Table: Hotel GM Job Description → 30-Day Hiring Timeline (Phase-by-Phase)

Phase	Days	What You Publish/Do
JD & Scorecard Locked	0–2	Outcome KPIs, artifact list, comp ladder, decision rule
Sourcing & Screens	3–6	8 structured screens; tag answers “proof-present” vs “story-only”
Parallel Back-Channels	7–10	Owners/asset managers + Sales/F&B/Finance peers
First Rounds	7–9	Evidence-mapped interviews; artifacts pre-submitted
On-Property Finals	15–20	Floor walk + live recovery + (ideally) night audit
Offer & Close	21–30	Clean offer + 90-day plan; relocation/temporary housing if needed

State Benchmarks & Links (AZ, TX, FL, NV + more)

Arizona (Phoenix/Scottsdale). Seasonal resorts and banquet intensity: your hotel gm job description should emphasize shoulder-night strategy, banquet standards, and schedule redesign before peak weekends.Link: recruiting.jdisearch.com/hiring/hotel-general-manager-arizona

Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio). Convention swings + non-union dynamics: bake comp-set index leadership and weekly P&L cadence into the JD.Link: recruiting.jdisearch.com/hiring/hotel-general-manager-texas

Florida (Orlando, Miami, Tampa). Leisure peaks + group variability: require recovery compliance at 24 hours and a shoulder-night playbook.Link: recruiting.jdisearch.com/hiring/hotel-general-manager-florida

Nevada (Las Vegas, Reno). Casino complexity and 24/7 ops: add player-development calendar integration and banquet/F&B flow-through to responsibilities.Link: recruiting.jdisearch.com/hiring/hotel-general-manager-nevada

Mini Case: Rewriting the JD, Cutting Time-to-Offer to 23 Days

An urban full-service hotel (340 keys; union housekeeping, F&B 32%) had a generic JD and two failed searches. We rebuilt the hotel gm job description around outcomes (RGI +3 pts, GOP +100 bps, GSS +0.2), required artifacts, and published the 20/25/30% ladder. Back-channels ran by day 9; finalists completed a floor walk + live recovery on day 18. Offer issued day 21, accepted day 23. By day 90: overtime normalized, banquet margin improved, GSS trended up.

Takeaway: The JD is not paperwork—it’s your selection instrument.

FAQs: The Hotel GM Job Description

What’s the fastest way to improve a hotel gm job description? Tie it to an owner-outcome scorecard (RGI/GOP/GSS), publish the bonus ladder, and require artifacts.

How long should the hiring process take with a strong JD? 21–30 days when interviews map to the scorecard and references run in parallel.

Do we need on-property finals? Yes. A floor walk + live recovery reveals operating behavior no interview can.

How should we handle union markets? Ask for a prevented-grievance example and documentation habits; verify in back-channels.

What comp should we publish? State a range by property profile and market, plus the 20/25/30% ladder. (See bands below.)

Ready to See GM Candidates?

Get 3 pre-vetted GM finalists in 14–30 days. Start a 21-day search. Contact: recruiting.jdisearch.com/contact (select “Hotel (GM / Corporate)”).

JDI: Joseph David International