How to Record a Hotel Assistant Manager Video Job Ad

Hotel Assistant Manager is the final preparation for general management. It's where department head experience becomes property-wide perspective, where exposure to P&L and owner relations begins in earnest, and where future GMs prove themselves ready. The candidates who excel are hungry for that next step and willing to do the work to earn it. Your video job ad should emphasise the developmental opportunity—what they'll learn, what exposure they'll gain, how this role specifically prepares them for GM. An AM position that's merely "duty manager with a better title" attracts nobody worth developing.

Step 1: Open with the Opportunity

Assistant manager candidates are investing in their trajectory toward GM. The role matters primarily for where it leads.

The GM pathway: This is the core attraction. How long does AM-to-GM typically take? What does someone need to demonstrate? Have recent GMs come through AM roles at your property or group?

Be specific. "18-24 months in this role with strong performance typically leads to GM appointment within the group" means something. "Development opportunities" means nothing.

Learning scope: What exposure will they actually receive? P&L review and budget involvement? Owner communication observation? Capital planning participation? Revenue strategy input? The depth of GM-relevant exposure determines the role's value.

Candidates are comparing your AM role against others. The one offering deeper learning wins.

The GM they'll learn from: An AM's development depends enormously on their GM. Is your current GM a developer of talent who teaches, delegates meaningful responsibility, and creates learning opportunities? Or someone who hoards the interesting work while AMs run shifts?

This relationship often determines whether AMs develop into GMs or stagnate. If your GM is known as a talent developer, lead with that.

Property context: What will they learn from this specific property? Complex full-service operations? Turnaround management? New opening execution? High-performance maintenance? Each context teaches different skills.

Step 2: Show Your Property

Film the hotel comprehensively—AMs need to see the full operation they'd be learning to manage.

Operational breadth: All departments briefly—rooms division, F&B, housekeeping, engineering. The AM role touches everything; they should see the scope.

Guest-facing areas: Lobby, restaurants, meeting rooms, guest areas. The experience they'd help deliver and eventually be responsible for.

Back-of-house reality: Offices, staff areas, operational infrastructure. Where the management work actually happens, beyond the guest-facing polish.

Current leadership team: GM, department heads, peer AMs if applicable. The leadership environment they'd be joining and learning within.

Property character: Size, style, positioning. The hotel's personality and market position that the AM helps maintain and develop.

Step 3: Paint a Picture of the Role

Hotel AM roles vary between "junior GM with real exposure" and "glorified duty manager." Candidates need clarity about which you're offering.

GM support and exposure:

P&L involvement: Do they review monthly financials with the GM? Participate in budget development? Own any cost areas directly? The commercial exposure determines learning depth.

Owner relations: Do they attend owner meetings? Participate in reporting? Understand the ownership dynamic? Exposure here is valuable preparation for GM.

Strategic planning: Involvement in annual planning, revenue strategy discussions, capital planning? Or purely operational execution?

Operational responsibility:

Duty management: Running the hotel during assigned shifts. Being the senior manager on site, responsible for all decisions and problems. This is likely where most time goes.

Department oversight: What departments do they supervise? Front office typically; F&B supervision varies; housekeeping involvement varies. Which areas are theirs to manage?

Which shifts are theirs? Evenings and weekends when the GM is off? Specific days? The schedule pattern matters.

People leadership:

Team scope: Who reports to them? Direct reports versus dotted-line supervision? How many people are they actually managing?

HR involvement: Recruitment input, performance management, disciplinary processes, training coordination? What people management exposure exists?

Project work: Beyond daily operations, what development projects might they lead? Initiatives, improvements, cross-departmental work? This project exposure develops broader skills.

Still very operational: AMs work the operation. They're visible, present, handling issues, supporting teams. The ratio of floor time to office time matters.

Hours reality: AM schedules are demanding—covering GM absence, working the shifts others don't want. What's the realistic weekly commitment? Which services and days?

Step 4: What the Role Requires

Hotel AM hiring bridges operational excellence with management potential.

Operational credibility: They need to understand hotel operations across departments. Front office depth likely. F&B exposure helpful. Housekeeping awareness. The credibility to lead department heads comes from operational knowledge.

Leadership demonstrated: Evidence of managing teams, developing people, handling performance issues. Not just supervising—actually leading. References should confirm leadership capability, not just competence.

Commercial curiosity: Do they care about the business, not just the hospitality? Interest in revenue, costs, margins, strategy? This mindset separates AMs who become GMs from those who remain operational.

Not expecting expertise—that's learned. But curiosity and engagement with commercial aspects indicates development potential.

Multi-department thinking: Can they see beyond their home department? Think about the whole property? Understand how departments interconnect? The perspective shift from specialist to generalist.

Administrative capability: Reports, rotas, budgets, plans—management involves systematic work. Someone who avoids admin will struggle with GM responsibilities.

Experience calibration: What background do you need? Front office management? Multiple department experience? What's the minimum that indicates readiness for AM?

Ambition alignment: AM is demanding. The workload makes sense as a stepping stone; it makes less sense as a destination. Candidates should genuinely want GM, not just a bigger title.

Step 5: Make the Offer Compelling

AM compensation should reflect the developmental investment candidates are making.

UK compensation context:

• Assistant Manager (small property): £32,000-40,000
• Assistant Manager (mid-size): £36,000-45,000
• Assistant Manager (large/luxury): £40,000-55,000

Bonus structures: Performance bonus tied to property performance, personal development goals, both? What percentages are realistic? How have previous AMs performed against targets?

Development-linked incentives can be more attractive to AM candidates than pure revenue targets.

Service charge: How does service charge work for AMs? What's typical additional income?

Development investment: Training budget: management courses, industry certifications, leadership development. What does the company invest in AM growth?

Mentorship: formal development conversations, GM coaching commitment, group-level support. The development promise needs to be real.

Progression clarity: GM pathway specifics: typical timeline, what's assessed, internal preference versus competitive process. This is what AMs are buying—make it concrete.

Benefits: Pension, healthcare, meals, accommodation if applicable. At AM level, benefits package matters.

Schedule honesty: Hours are demanding. Which shifts typically? How many per week? Weekend and holiday coverage expectations? Honest conversation prevents resentment.

Accommodation: Is live-in accommodation available or required? This has value and lifestyle implications—be clear about what's offered.

Step 6: The Application Process

Hotel AM candidates expect thorough assessment for a management-track role.

Application requirements: CV highlighting supervisory and management experience across hotel departments. Cover letter explaining GM ambition and why this role fits their development. Salary expectations. Notice period.

Assessment stages: Initial conversation: fit, ambition, experience, mutual interest. Operational interview: department knowledge, problem-solving, multi-department thinking. Shift observation or working trial: seeing them in operational context. GM conversation: relationship assessment and development discussion. Group/owner meeting if applicable: for final approval of management-track hire.

What you're assessing: Operational depth: do they understand hotel operations broadly? Leadership evidence: can they develop and direct teams? Commercial interest: do they engage with business thinking? Development appetite: are they genuinely hungry to learn? GM potential: can you see them running a property?

The GM relationship: AM-GM partnership is critical. Include substantial GM interaction in the process. Both parties should feel confident about working closely together.

Reference depth: For management-track hires, reference thoroughly. Previous managers about leadership and development potential. Verify performance claims. Understand career trajectory and why they're moving.

Development conversation: As part of the process, discuss development expectations explicitly. What do they want to learn? When do they expect GM readiness? Alignment prevents problems later.

Mutual evaluation: Good AM candidates evaluate you too. How does the GM develop people? What's the property's trajectory? What's the real pathway to GM? Answer honestly.

The best AMs become your future GMs—at this property or others in a group. Investing in selection quality pays dividends in management pipeline.