Operations Manager

About KAIA Koh Phangan

KAIA Koh Phangan is an ultra-luxury beachfront resort on the northeastern coast of Koh Phangan, Thailand. It is the island's first high-end tented resort, offering immersive outdoor hospitality in a natural setting with ocean views and sustainable design.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Operations Manager to oversee day-to-day operations of the Rooms Division and Experiences (Recreation & Wellness) across the pre-opening and operational phases, ensuring KAIA's guest journey, service standards, and operational procedures are consistently delivered and continuously improved.

Key Responsibilities

1. Pre-opening

• Translate KAIA's guest journey and brand standards into practical operating procedures and LSOPs for Rooms and Experiences.
• Embed KAIA's service culture, standards, and values across supervised departments through training tools and on-property scenarios.
• Partner with HR and L&D on recruitment, onboarding, pre-opening training, cross-training, and soft-opening simulations.
• Oversee implementation and testing of operational systems (e.g. PMS, guest communication, task management, activity scheduling).
• Coordinate OS&E, inventory, and operational set-up for rooms, public areas, and experience touchpoints.
• Contribute to pre-opening budgets and forecasts, including staffing, training, OS&E, and operating supplies.
• Implement quality assurance, health, safety, and emergency procedures, including mock inspections and trial runs.

2. Resort Operations

Service Excellence & Guest Experience

• Implement and monitor service standards across Rooms and Experiences, maintaining effective staffing and deployment.
• Maintain a strong on-floor presence, observing operations and engaging with guests.
• Champion a guest-first culture, overseeing VIP handling, guest feedback, and complaint resolution.
• Manage responses to written guest feedback, ensuring timely, professional, and brand-aligned communication.

Operational Oversight

• Ensure consistency and integrity of the rooms, public areas, and experience offerings, coordinating improvements with relevant departments.
• Oversee smooth day-to-day operations, resolving issues efficiently and discreetly.
• Implement and track guest satisfaction metrics, sharing insights and recognizing team achievements.

Departmental Leadership

• Guide Front Office operations, ensuring accurate and efficient check-in/out, billing, and guest communication.
• Support Housekeeping in maintaining high standards of cleanliness, presentation, and in-tent/villa experience.
• Partner with Experiences & Wellness teams to deliver safe, well-organized, and engaging on-site and off-site activities.
• Budgeting, Cost Control & Communication
• Monitor labor and controllable costs, identifying productivity and efficiency opportunities.
• Ensure effective communication between corporate/Group and property teams on standards, initiatives, and best practices.
• Support employee training, development, engagement, and performance coaching in collaboration with HR/L&D.

Education

• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Hotel/Hospitality Management, Tourism, Business Administration, or related field.

Experience

• 7 years experience in luxury resort or hotel operations.
• Strong background in Rooms Division, with exposure to guest experiences, recreation, and/or wellness.
• Pre-opening or major repositioning experience is an advantage.
• Thai speaking.

Skills

• Experience in a senior operations role (Operations Manager / Front Office Manager or similar).
• Strong service quality and SOP implementation capability.
• Solid knowledge of health, safety, and compliance standards.
• Effective cost control and labor management skills.
• Proficient in PMS and operational / experience scheduling systems.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills in multi-cultural environments.

Personal Attributes

• Service-driven with a passion for luxury hospitality.
• Adaptable and resilient in fast-paced environments.
• Decisive and proactive with a hands-on leadership style.
• People-focused and empathetic.
• Acts with integrity and professionalism.
• Calm and culturally sensitive in diverse settings.