Head of Operations
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We're Houst: A professional management service for properties. Our mission is to make hosting on websites hassle-free for everyone using technology to disrupt the short-term accommodation sector. We've grown fast. Since launching in 2015, we've partnered with thousands of happy hosts, helping them to make important earnings.
We are looking for a Head of Operations who is driven, innovative, and passionate about delivering operational excellence in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will be a key member of our Senior Leadership team, helping to shape the future of our business and drive growth in our global marketss
Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership across all operational areas, setting strategic direction and ensuring execution.
- Use data to identify problems and develop metrics to evaluate solutions.
- Collaborate with Commercial and Client Success teams to drive efficiency across the business.
- Develop and implement a global operations strategy for retaining and growing Houst's inventory of homes in new and existing markets.
- Oversee guest and host satisfaction through cross-department collaboration.
- Manage supplier relations and negotiate contracts for quality and competitive pricing.
- Oversee maintenance operations, ensuring properties are well-maintained, and meet high standards of cleanliness and safety.
- Manage all channels including Airbnb, Booking.com, and other distribution platforms, ensuring listings are optimised, rates are competitive, and availability is up-to-date in various markets.
- Develop and implement guest experience strategies across various markets.
- Manage budgets, ensuring expenses stay within limits and revenues are maximised in different currencies.
- Build and lead a global operations team, directly managing 3 senior managers and overseeing a team of 70+.
- Collaborate with other departments and contribute to the overall company growth strategy as part of the Senior Leadership team.
Requirements
- 10+ years' experience in operations management, delivering results in a fast-growth environment.
- Proven ability to use data for decision-making; knowledge of SQL is preferred, with strong skills in Excel/Google Sheets essential.
- Strong leadership with experience building and managing high-performing teams.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to maintain effective internal and external relationships.
- Experience in managing supplier relations and contract negotiations.
- Solid understanding of maintenance operations and guest experience strategies.
- Proven experience in managing distribution channels and optimising listings.
Benefits
- 25 days paid holiday (plus public holidays)
- Hybrid working (3 days in London HQ, 2 days WFH)
- An extra day off for your birthday - because who wants to work on their birthday?
- Employee discounts - at heaps of restaurants, shops, gym memberships, cinema tickets and more
- Pawternity - We encourage proud parents of new pets to work from home to help their new member settle in
- Pension - We provide a pension scheme for all permanent employees
- Betterhelp coverage for mental health support
- MacBook - for business use
At Houst, we embrace diversity and inclusion as fundamental pillars of our workplace culture. We believe that a diverse team fosters creativity, innovation, and success. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and has equal opportunities to contribute and succeed.