Operational Resort director

Operational Resort Director

Vanara Resort & Spa – Uluwatu, Bali

Job Description

Vanara Resort & Spa is seeking an experienced, hands-on, and highly driven Director of Resort Operations to lead the day-to-day operations of the resort and ensure an exceptional guest experience across all departments.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for transforming Vanara’s vision into consistent, high-quality daily operations. The Director of Resort Operations will oversee Rooms, Guest Relations, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, Spa & Wellness, Engineering, Maintenance, Security, Landscaping, Pools, Events, and other operational departments.

The ideal candidate is not only an experienced hospitality operator, but also a strong leader who is comfortable being present on the property, working directly with department heads, resolving operational issues quickly, controlling costs, improving service standards, and continuously developing the guest experience.

Vanara Resort & Spa is developing as more than a traditional resort. The property combines luxury accommodation, wellness, spa, dining, retreats, weddings, private events, and lifestyle experiences. The Director of Resort Operations will play a key role in integrating all of these elements into one seamless guest journey.

Key Responsibilities

Resort Operations & Leadership

• Take overall responsibility for the daily operational performance of Vanara Resort & Spa

• Lead, coordinate, and supervise all operational departments

• Ensure smooth communication and cooperation between Front Office, Guest Relations, Housekeeping, F&B, Spa & Wellness, Engineering, Security, Landscaping, Reservations, and Events teams

• Conduct daily operational briefings with department heads

• Maintain a strong physical presence throughout the resort and actively monitor guest-facing operations

• Identify operational problems before they affect guests and ensure fast resolution

• Develop a culture of accountability, hospitality, discipline, teamwork, and attention to detail

• Ensure all departments operate according to approved SOPs and luxury hospitality standards

• Continuously review and improve operational processes

• Support the opening and development of new resort facilities, services, and guest experiences

Guest Experience & Service Excellence

• Take ownership of the complete guest journey from pre-arrival through check-in, stay, experiences, and departure

• Ensure consistently high standards of personalized luxury service

• Regularly interact with guests and VIPs and collect direct feedback

• Monitor guest reviews, complaints, service recovery cases, and recurring operational issues

• Personally oversee serious guest complaints and ensure effective service recovery

• Develop procedures for VIP guests, repeat guests, honeymooners, wedding couples, retreat leaders, influencers, and special groups

• Work with Guest Relations and Front Office teams to anticipate guest preferences and special requests

• Improve guest satisfaction, review scores, repeat business, and recommendation rates

• Ensure that every guest interaction reflects the Vanara brand and hospitality philosophy

Rooms, Villas & Housekeeping

• Oversee operational standards across all guest villas, rooms, and accommodation areas

• Ensure excellent housekeeping, cleanliness, room presentation, linen, laundry, amenities, and turndown standards

• Establish systematic room and villa inspection procedures

• Coordinate Housekeeping, Engineering, and Guest Relations to ensure rooms are always guest-ready

• Monitor preventive maintenance and minimize out-of-order inventory

• Ensure all villas and guest areas are maintained to luxury resort standards

• Develop effective procedures for guest check-in, check-out, luggage handling, room changes, and special requests

• Monitor inventory levels for linen, amenities, guest supplies, cleaning materials, and operating equipment

Food & Beverage Operations

• Oversee F&B operational standards together with the F&B leadership team

• Ensure quality and consistency across restaurant, breakfast, room service, bars, events, weddings, and special dining experiences

• Monitor service quality, food presentation, hygiene, speed of service, and guest feedback

• Improve restaurant atmosphere and the overall dining experience

• Support development of new F&B concepts, special dinners, wellness menus, brunches, and events

• Work with chefs and F&B management on food cost, beverage cost, wastage, purchasing, and inventory control

• Ensure F&B operations support both guest satisfaction and commercial performance

Spa, Wellness & Retreat Operations

• Oversee operational integration between accommodation, Spa, Wellness, F&B, and Guest Relations

• Ensure high service standards across treatments, wellness facilities, recovery experiences, yoga, Pilates, breathwork, sound healing, and other wellness activities

• Support the development and operational delivery of Vanara’s wellness positioning

• Coordinate operational requirements for wellness retreats and visiting facilitators

• Ensure retreat schedules, guest movements, treatment bookings, dietary requirements, spaces, equipment, and staffing are properly coordinated

• Develop operational procedures for private wellness programs and wellness events

• Ensure appropriate health, hygiene, guest safety, and operational standards throughout wellness facilities

• Work closely with the Spa / Wellness leadership team to maximize guest satisfaction and revenue opportunities

Weddings, Events & Resort Buyouts

• Oversee operational execution of weddings, retreats, corporate events, private celebrations, brand activations, and full-resort buyouts

• Coordinate all departments before and during major events

• Ensure clear event timelines, responsibilities, staffing plans, venue setup, transportation, F&B, housekeeping, security, engineering, and guest communication

• Conduct pre-event operational meetings with all department heads

• Ensure wedding couples, organizers, retreat leaders, and event clients receive a high level of personalized service

• Manage operational coordination with external wedding planners, production companies, photographers, decorators, musicians, instructors, and other vendors

• Ensure events generate revenue without compromising the experience of other resort guests

• Conduct post-event reviews to identify improvements and operational lessons

Engineering, Maintenance & Property Standards

• Oversee Engineering and Maintenance together with the responsible department head

• Implement an effective preventive maintenance program

• Ensure villas, pools, public areas, restaurants, Spa, equipment, utilities, and infrastructure remain in excellent condition

• Monitor maintenance response times and recurring technical issues

• Ensure effective management of electricity, water, air conditioning, pumps, pools, wastewater systems, internet, and other resort infrastructure

• Coordinate landscaping standards across the property

• Ensure public areas and back-of-house areas are maintained to appropriate standards

• Plan maintenance activities with minimal disruption to guests

• Work with ownership and project teams on renovation, CAPEX, new facilities, and property improvement projects

Safety, Security & Compliance

• Ensure strong safety and security procedures throughout the resort

• Maintain appropriate emergency response procedures

• Ensure fire safety, electrical safety, pool safety, food hygiene, workplace safety, and guest safety standards

• Conduct regular operational and safety inspections

• Coordinate emergency preparedness and staff training

• Ensure security operations provide guest safety while remaining discreet and appropriate for a luxury resort environment

• Ensure compliance with relevant local operational requirements, permits, licenses, and hospitality regulations

• Maintain incident reporting and follow-up procedures

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and develop department heads and operational managers

• Establish clear responsibilities, KPIs, and performance expectations

• Participate actively in recruitment of key operational positions

• Develop onboarding and training programs for resort employees

• Ensure ongoing luxury service and hospitality training

• Conduct regular management meetings and performance reviews

• Identify high-potential employees and create development plans

• Maintain appropriate staffing levels according to occupancy, events, and business volume

• Improve staff productivity while maintaining service standards

• Build a positive work culture based on professionalism, respect, ownership, and accountability

• Reduce unnecessary staff turnover and build a strong long-term management team

Financial & Commercial Performance

• Take responsibility for operational cost control without compromising guest experience

• Participate in preparation and management of annual operating budgets

• Review departmental expenses, payroll, utilities, purchasing, maintenance, and operating costs

• Monitor departmental P&L performance together with Finance and department heads

• Identify opportunities to increase operational efficiency

• Control purchasing, inventory, wastage, and departmental consumption

• Work closely with Revenue, Sales, Marketing, Reservations, and Finance teams

• Understand occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, total resort revenue, departmental revenue, and profitability

• Ensure operations are properly prepared for occupancy fluctuations, high season, low season, groups, retreats, and events

• Identify additional revenue opportunities through F&B, Spa, Wellness, experiences, upgrades, activities, events, and guest services

• Balance commercial performance with long-term brand reputation and guest satisfaction

SOPs, Quality Control & Reporting

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve operational SOPs

• Create daily, weekly, and monthly operational reporting procedures

• Establish quality-control checklists for all major departments

• Conduct regular property inspections

• Monitor guest satisfaction metrics and operational KPIs

• Track recurring complaints and implement permanent corrective actions

• Establish clear escalation procedures for operational problems

• Prepare regular operational performance reports for management / ownership

• Develop operational action plans with clear responsibilities and deadlines

Candidate Requirements

• Minimum 5–7 years of hospitality experience, including significant senior operational management experience

• Previous experience as Director of Operations, Resort Manager, Hotel Manager, Executive Assistant Manager, Rooms Division Director, or similar senior leadership position

• Strong experience within luxury resorts, lifestyle hotels, boutique resorts, or international 5-star hospitality

• Strong knowledge of Rooms Division, Housekeeping, Guest Relations, F&B, Engineering, Security, and resort operations

• Experience managing multiple department heads and large multicultural teams

• Strong understanding of hotel financial performance, budgeting, cost control, and operational KPIs

• Strong guest relations and service recovery skills

• Ability to create and implement SOPs and operational standards

• Experience with weddings, groups, retreats, events, or resort buyouts is highly desirable

• Spa and wellness resort experience is a significant advantage

• Pre-opening or resort-opening experience is highly desirable

• Experience working in Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, or other international resort destinations is an advantage

• Strong English communication skills

• Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving abilities

• Comfortable working in a fast-changing entrepreneurial environment

Candidate Profile

We are looking for someone who is:

• Hands-on — not a director who manages only from an office

• Highly attentive to details

• Guest-focused and naturally hospitable

• Commercially minded

• Strong at building and managing teams

• Calm and decisive under pressure

• Structured and disciplined

• Able to solve problems quickly

• Comfortable working directly with ownership and senior management

• Capable of building systems, not only maintaining existing systems

• Passionate about luxury hospitality, wellness, lifestyle, and memorable guest experiences

The successful candidate should be equally comfortable reviewing a monthly operating budget, inspecting a guest villa, meeting a VIP guest, resolving a maintenance issue, preparing for a 100-person wellness retreat, conducting a department-head meeting, or personally checking the setup for a destination wedding.