Cluster General Manager (Hotels)

Melbourne Full time: $130,000 - $140,000 per year + superannuation

About The Business

Urban Rest is one of Australia’s fastest-growing hospitality brands in the serviced apartment and corporate housing space, with spaces across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra. As we continue to expand, we’ve also established a presence in Dublin and London. We’re a technology-enabled business reimagining a traditional sector, with a strong focus on traveller well-being, thoughtful design and seamless guest experiences. Over the past nine years, we’ve built strong guest loyalty and consistent growth, and we’re now scaling globally, making this an exciting time to join the team.

About The Role

The Cluster General Manager (Hotels) is the senior operational and commercial leader responsible for a portfolio of Urban Rest properties across a defined region. This is a multi-site leadership role that provides strategic oversight, performance management and operational consistency across all properties within the assigned portfolio. Reporting to the General Manager Australia, you will hold ultimate accountability for the portfolio’s financial performance, guest experience standards, people leadership and owner relationships. You will set the direction, standards and pace for your direct reports, coach them to deliver strong results, and act as the bridge between property-level execution and Urban Rest’s global strategy. This role suits someone who has stepped beyond single-property management and is energised by the complexity of running multiple assets simultaneously. You are equally comfortable analysing a portfolio P&L, visiting properties to set the standard, and presenting to owners and senior stakeholders. You will build a high-performing team and drive a culture of accountability, commercial rigour and exceptional guest experience across the region.

Responsibilities

Multi-Property Operational Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational oversight across all properties in the assigned portfolio
• Ensure consistent application of Urban Rest brand standards, SOPs and guest experience frameworks across all sites
• Conduct regular property visits to assess operational performance, coach team and direct reports and identify improvement opportunities
• Act as escalation point for complex operational, guest or building issues across the assigned portfolio
• Drive operational discipline across audits, compliance, preventative maintenance and safety programmes

Commercial & Financial Performance

• Full ownership of the portfolio P&L, encompassing all properties in the region
• Drive revenue performance, occupancy, ADR and RevPAR across the portfolio in partnership with Revenue, Sales and marketing functions
• Deliver budgeted GOP and cost controls across labour, COGS and maintenance at portfolio level
• Monitor forecasts, pace and demand trends by property, taking proactive action where required
• Identify and pursue opportunities to grow long-stay, corporate and contracted business across the portfolio
• Review and submit capex recommendations and refurbishment planning for properties in the area

Guest Experience & Brand Standards

• Accountable for portfolio NPS and review scores across all channels
• Establish and embed a culture of care, consistency and attention to detail across teams
• Champion service recovery standards and ensure robust guest resolution processes are in place
• Identify and implement local and portfolio-level initiatives that elevate the guest experience and differentiate the product

Team Leadership & People Development

• Recruit, develop and retain high-performing team across the portfolio
• Coach team to build strong local leadership teams and foster a culture of accountability and growth
• Set clear performance expectations, goals and development plans for each team member
• Lead regular portfolio rhythms including performance reviews, leadership forums and operational cadences
• Drive succession planning to ensure pipeline of capability across the portfolio
• Foster a positive, high-performance team culture aligned to Urban Rest values

Owners & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the senior relationship lead for owners, agents and building managers across the portfolio
• Provide regular performance reporting and strategic updates to owners and key stakeholders
• Lead building access, capital works and major stakeholder coordination across the assigned portfolio
• Represent Urban Rest professionally and commercially in all external interactions
• Work collaboratively with central functions including Revenue, Sales, Finance and Technology

Strategy & Business Development

• Partner with the GM Australia & Regional GM, APAC to shape the regional operating strategy and growth priorities
• Lead new property onboarding and integration into the Urban Rest operating model
• Provide market intelligence and competitive insights to inform pricing, product and expansion decisions
• Support due diligence and pre-opening activity for new property acquisitions in the region

Systems & Process Excellence

• Drive consistent and effective use of PMS, Field Service and reporting tools across all properties
• Ensure work orders, audits and maintenance programmes are executed on time at every property
• Lead process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency across the portfolio without compromising guest experience
• Partner with central technology and operations teams on platform improvements and rollouts

What We Look For

• 7+ years in hotel leadership, with at least 2 years in a multi-property or area management role
• Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of hotel or serviced apartment assets
• Strong commercial acumen with proven P&L ownership at portfolio level
• Experience leading, coaching and developing teams and cross-functional teams
• Proven track record of delivering revenue growth, cost control and operational excellence across multiple sites
• Confident and credible communicator with owners, investors and senior stakeholders
• Comfortable working at a tactical level while continually reviewing and refining strategy
• Calm, practical and solutions-focused under pressure with a high-pace, growth mindset
• Willingness to travel regularly across the assigned portfolio (interstate)

Diversity & Inclusion

At Urban Rest, we extend our invitation to candidates from Indigenous, neurodiverse, disabled, international, and diverse cultural backgrounds. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace ensures that all applicants receive the necessary support and accommodations throughout the recruitment and onboarding process. We encourage candidates from various backgrounds to apply, as we value diversity and believe in creating an environment where everyone can succeed. Please let us know if you require any additional adjustments or support to help you through this process so you can shine as the best version of yourself.

How To Apply

Please submit your application through the link on this website by including an up-to-date resume with relevant skills and experience alongside a cover letter addressing how you meet the criteria and your interest in the role.

If you want to learn more about our company please see our website - https://www.stayurbanrest.com

We look forward to hearing from you!