VP of Resort Operations
Grand Pacific Resorts
Carlsbad, California
www.GrandPacificResorts.com

THE OPPORTUNITY

A fresh vision and successful senior leadership will combine with opportunity to take Grand Pacific Resorts (GPR) to new heights.  The right hotel, hospitality and/or Time Share/Fractional Vacation Ownership professional, with multi-unit operations experience, dynamism and leadership, will join with the Co-Presidents and others on the senior management team to make this a reality.  For this person the results will be:

• An attractive salary combined with an annual performance-based incentive plan
• Working in a dynamic, entrepreneurial culture where ethics and values are very important
• A firm with a solid financial position and 20+ year record of continued success
• Living in Carlsbad, California, one of the most desirable places in the U.S. 

THE COMPANY

Grand Pacific Resorts is the oldest and largest vacation ownership company based in California. The staff of over 800 professionals takes pride in creating memorable vacations for more than 40,000 owner families every year.

Grand Pacific Resorts manages 14 properties in San Diego, Lake Tahoe and Hawaii, including the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort, the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort, and the new Hilton Grand Vacation Club-affiliated Grand Pacific MarBrisa Resort opening in February 2008, all located in Carlsbad, California. Because Grand Pacific Resorts has made such a major commitment to providing superior vacation experiences, nearly all of the company’s resorts have been awarded the Gold Crown of Excellence from Resorts Condominium International. Grand Pacific Resorts, Inc. is a proud member of the American Resort Development Association, and is active in endorsing legislature that benefits and protects owners of timeshare vacations. Opening in March 2008 will be the 250-room Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, which is owned by Grand Pacific Resorts but operated by Azul Hospitality (this position will have no responsibility for that property). 

Tim Stripe and David Brown (Co-Presidents/Co-Owners) have led and expanded GPR since 1990.  Trained in accounting and law respectively, Tim and David have consistently sought to bring the highest level of services, facilities, and amenities to time-share industry.

The focus of the company’s operations are:

• Support effectiveness (close rate and cost) in selling time shares
• Customer service to the interval owners
• Control of costs for the HOAs (Homeowners’ Association)
• Increasing revenue and profits in other areas

THE POSITION

The Vice President-Resort Operations will function as a participating member of the senior management team and will report to David Brown, Co-President.  Peer positions will be the Director of Marketing, Chief Financial Officer, and Director of Sales.  Reporting to this position are three Regional Managers, the General Manager of the Grand Palisades Hotel and Resort, and the managers of the Owner Services and Purchasing Departments.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Vice President has the entire operating responsibility for the resorts through his or her direct reports.  He or she will cast an organizational “long shadow” of integrity, servant leadership, work ethic/balance, character, continuous improvement and enjoyment in work.  His or her overall responsibilities and involvement will include:

• Achieving goals agreed upon with the Co-President for revenue, profitability, and capital improvements for the resort management company, all 14 timeshare HOAs, and the two managed hotels: Grand Pacific Palisades & Carlsbad Inn
• Marketing plans for the company and the individual resorts
• Hiring, training, supervising, mentoring, retaining and terminating property General Managers, and through them their staff
• Service levels, employee morale, and recruiting

Resort Operations

1. Insure adherence to Preventative Maintenance program at all resorts
2. Inspect units, amenities and grounds on a regular basis—“management by walking around”
3. Hold quarterly Resort Manager meetings
4. Assist Regional Directors or managers whenever warranted-train where deficient
5. Hold Regional Directors and Resort Managers accountable for performance of resort and staff
6. Develop annual Reserve budgets, monitor progress at all 14 timeshare resorts
7. Implement and further develop SOPs
1. Review exchange company and internal comment cards
8. Respond to comments and complaints--take corrective action through manager
9. Keep the co-owners informed as to legal/legislative actions or operational issues

Resort Development

1. Involvement in the selection of new resort sites, the product design/redesign
2. Assist in general layout/design of common areas, operational support areas, and units
3. Prepare budgets and reports as required for the California Department of Real Estate (DRE)
4. Review proposed HOA CC&Rs/Bylaws/Rules and Regulations
5. Prepare item by item FF&E and consumable budgets
6. Negotiate prices, meet vendors, purchase all FF&E consumables
7. Interface with the interval exchange company, owner relations and sales as to projected use of units
8. Hire and train all staff
9. Negotiate and establish vendor and service agreements
10. Insure timely delivery and installation in support of projected occupancy
11. Perform within DRE and FF&E budget guidelines

New “Outside” Resort Management Contracts

1. Pursue any leads/potential contracts for new HOA Resort Services contracts
2. Review needs and goals
3. Prepare and present services to the HOA Board of Directors
4. Negotiate agreement terms
5. Coordinate implementation of corporate services

Purchasing Department

1. FF&E and operating supplies/consumables
2. Define scope of business and business plan/budget
3. Centralize/consolidate as practical and beneficial resort purchasing
4. Develop asset specifications
5. Bundle products and services to maximize purchasing power
   

General Business Development

1. Define and develop income opportunities within Resort Management
2. Develop business plan and budget
3. Prepare necessary proposals for co-owners
4. Obtain support of all parties within GPR
5. Insure timely implementations of plans
6. Measure plans, modify if need be, insure profitability

Telecommunications

1. Maintain all Resort telecom systems-phone/cell accounts/voice mail
2. Obtain HOA BOD support
3. Monitor performance

Capital Expenditure Reserve Studies

1. Oversee Annual Updates
2. Ensure constantly updated work as completed
3. Communicate financials and projected/completed work to HOA owners

Central Reservations

1. Promote use by HOAs
2. Make sure the Internet interface is effective
3. Maximize Occupancy/ADR/RevPAR
4. Reducing Annual Operating Assessments to the HOAs

HOA Boards of Directors

1. Establish professional and personal relationship with all board members
2. Serve on critical and/or sensitive Boards
3. Insure professional and timely correspondence and communication
4. Conduct and direct Board meetings as appropriate (Resort General Managers or Regional Directors usually handle such)
5. Keep Boards at “policy” level, and not at “operational” levels
6. Reflect at all times fairness, honesty, and a consistent sense of high standards and attention to detail
7. Insure all Board meetings are recorded, minutes transcribed and circulated
8. Report resort status and present procedural plans i.e. budget

Financial

1. Develop budget with Resort Manager and Regional Directors
2. Present budgets to the HOA Boards and get approved
3. Monitor each resort monthly
4. Insure performance to budget (revenue & expenses)
5. Forward to Accounting all necessary support documentation and copies relative to HOA BOD actions (i.e. Reserves)

Owner Services Dept.

1. Direct staff as to special projects, i.e. owner votes/quorum
2. Expedite problem solving as needed i.e. Exchanges/Owner Complaints
3. Meet with Sales and Resort Condominiums International (RCI) as needed to discuss policies and/or new procedures
4. Work with Collections to reduce delinquency or respond to interval owners Monitor bulk bank account (ResorTime)
5. Direct articles for newsletters

Retail & Office (at Carlsbad Inn)

1. Minimize vacancies of retail outlets
2. Negotiate rental contracts
3. Respond to concerns/problems i.e. legal
4. Review annual budget
5. Direct improvements as needed/warranted

Internal Communications

1. Review all newsletters to interval owners
2. Design and distribute first class product that promotes readability
3. Produce newsletter cost effectively
4. Hold Resort Manager meetings as needed
5. Attend HOA Council meetings
6. Meet with direct reports weekly

Community Relations

1. Become actively involved in Carlsbad affairs
2. Represent company to honorably develop community relationships and maintain credibility

CHARACTERISTICS

The successful candidate will enjoy the challenge of serving three masters:  the customer (primarily interval owners but also public guests), the associates (staff and management) and the co-owners.  Additionally, this person should have effective, cordial working relationships with peers on the senior management team, and provide resort operations services and support to fulfill needs of the timeshare Sales & Marketing departments. He or she will not be successful unless effective in all these areas.  The needed characteristics or experience will include:

• Being a good businessperson; knows how to make money and control costs
• Experience with producing excellent customer service in the hospitality field, probably in hotels
• Multi-unit oversight of General Managers and has overseen 3-30 properties simultaneously, perhaps with regional managers under him or her
• A sterling reputation, known for being among the best in the business, great people management skills and the highest integrity
• High energy and a very healthy work ethic, yet with balance
• Has breadth of knowledge in hospitality management: front office, revenue management, accounting, food and beverage, housekeeping, grounds, maintenance, construction, sales and marketing, and IT
• Has a contagious enthusiasm that excites others about the vision or idea
• Believes in the worth and dignity of people, treating them well and fairly
• Is decisive, neither acting too fast nor too slowly
• Willingly confronts problems, yet in a sensitive and respectful manner
• Is both accountable and holds others accountable
• Is articulate and  persuasive both verbally and in writing
• Enjoys social interaction and genuinely cares about people
• Is proactive; not just reactive; stays on top of operations and is readily accessible
• Values continuous learning and improvement, and makes that part of the corporate culture he/she engenders
• Is both a team player and knows how to develop and motivate a team
• Is fair, understanding, a good listener and can keep a confidence
• His or her words and reports are accurate (not inflated or erroneous)
• Is typically on time for appointments and with reports/work product
• Is entrepreneurial, yet values process as is needed to achieving consistent quality; is not a bureaucrat
• Is approachable; while has a healthy, even high level, of self-confidence, has humility, not being arrogant or condescending
• Is willing to take calculated risks, and encourages his/her people to; welcomes new ideas
• Is a good negotiator, and knows how to structure “win-win” results“
• Street Smarts”
• Is comfortable in the limelight, yet doesn’t need it
• Is driven for excellence

Experience, character and abilities are all that is needed.  A four-year degree is required, with one in hospitality, accounting or an MBA being helpful.  A candidate must already have U.S. citizenship or the legal right to work in the United States.

OPPORTUNITY

For a dynamic, entrepreneurial hospitality operations executive wanting to be part of a professional team in a hospitality organization of the finest quality, this will be a great opportunity. An attractive salary and incentive will be offered, along with good benefits.

Our client is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status or physical handicap.

We fully respect the need for confidentiality of information supplied by interested parties and assure them that their backgrounds and interests will not be discussed with anyone, including our client, without their prior consent, nor will reference contacts be made until mutual interest has been established.

As part of the process of being a candidate, the person will authorize a background check for driving, history, and criminal records.

For further information on this position, please contact: