The Standard Brussels

Guest Experience Manager (GEM)

The Standard Brussels

Guest Experience Manager (GEM)

Opening in early 2025, The Standard, Brussels marks the hotel brand’s third outpost in Europe. Set in the city’s Northern Quarter, The Standard, Brussels brings the brand’s design, culture, and activation-driven philosophy to Belgium.

With 180 guestrooms (plus 20 residences), the modern, new-build project features many stages for The Standard’s renowned day- and nightlife. A ground-floor greenhouse welcomes guests and locals into the lobby lounge, restaurant, and terrace. Upstairs, The Rooftop features its own restaurant, bar, and garden—set to become a neighbourhood destination. Throughout the building, additional public and private event spaces are platforms for happenings.

The Standard, Brussels will welcome a new set of creative, dynamic guests into the brand ethos. In Brussels, The Standard’s signature mix of playful, sophisticated, unexpected hospitality finds roots and resonances in local culture. The simple premise behind The Standard is that it is anything but. Founded in 1999, the goals of every Standard are to up the aesthetic stakes and defy convention while attending to every detail, embracing our local communities, providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for our teams and, of course, delivering a smashing good time for our guests.

We are defined by our richness of personality, diversity of background and lifestyle and are now looking for a Guest Experience Manager (GEM) who will embody our ‘Anything but Standard’ ethos as we commence our pre-opening period.

Your role

As our Guest Experience Manager (GEM), you will oversee an exceptional Guest Experience team (Concierge, Bell & Door) in their day-to-day operations from pre-arrival (conducting pre-arrival checks, identifying VIPs and arranging amenities) through to post-departure (overseeing and responding to online reviews). You will also support our Front Desk team to provide an unparalleled level of hospitality, from seamless arrivals and departures to extensive reception services.

You’ll meet all of key groups and VIP guests (in particular those from the music, entertainment and fashion industries), coordinate services and follow-up with other Heads of Departments to ensure delivery of exceptional guest service. You’ll also personally handle some of our key accounts or regular VIP guests each time they stay with us, where your mission is to delight and surprise our guests to create the ultimate guest experience in Brussels, that is Anything but Standard.

You will be responsible for coordinating a range of bespoke services to select VIP guests from pre-arrival and transfer arrangements, itinerary services throughout the guests stay to post departure. You’ll oversee our concierge team who will take care of any tickets, restaurant bookings or other arrangements.

During the pre-opening period you will be responsible for curating the guest journey and operating procedures for the Guest Experience team. You will also be responsible for the recruitment of our Guest Experience team, creating our pre-opening training plans for the team, and supporting the Front Office Manager with other Rooms related pre-opening projects to ensure that the hotel opening runs to schedule, pre-opening budgets are managed and most importantly that everyone knows that The Standard, is coming to Brussels…

This is not a ‘Standard’ Guest Experience Manager role, as you'll be the go-to person for information about hotel services and be in know about all the ‘happenings’ and what’s going on in Brussel. So, being enthusiastic, upbeat, and friendly is a must! With this in mind you'll need to be confident, handle pressure well, thrive in a high-energy environment, and manage both detailed administrative tasks and guest interactions with ease.

Do you have what it takes to be our Guest Experience Manager (GEM) at The Standard, Brussels...

A minimum of 3+ years’ experience as a Guest Experience Manager, Guest Relations Manager or Head Concierge gained within a similar Lifestyle Hotel or large 4- or 5-star Hotel in Brussels is essential for this role

In addition to this you may also have…

• A sold understanding of all Hotel and Front Office operations and the creation of operating procedures (in particular VIPs)
• Have your finger on the pulse of what’s new and happening in Brussels Culture, from Dining out, nightlife, the arts and city events
• Ideally have pre-opening Hotel Experience with strong project management skills
• Previous experience of implementing a PMS (ideally Opera) and managing guest profiles
• A solid understanding of the Brussels Hotel market, local business requirements and understanding of the local labour market
• A background in a large Hotel +200 bedrooms
• Have previously led and managed a large team
• Experience across a range of senior management disciplines, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience of using Opera / Opera Cloud PMS and Knowcross is preferred with strong Administration and IT and Excel skills
• Fluency in French and/or Dutch in addition to English is preferred for this role
• During the pre-opening period you will need to have a flexible approach to working hours which may include some late finishes and weekends as we prepare the hotel for opening.

If you think you have what it takes to be our Guest Experience Manager (GEM) at The Standard, Brussels we’d love to hear from you!

All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the European Union. Documented evidence of eligibility will be required from candidates prior to commencing employment.

Benefits Include

• CDI - Contrat à Durée Indéterminée
• 20 Days Holiday + Public Holidays
• Meals on Duty (once hotel is open)
• Worldwide Travel Discounts via The Standard Advantage platform
• Employee & Family Rates across all Standard and Bunkhouse properties
• In-house Experience Programme
• F&B Discounts ranging from 25-50%
• Recruitment Referral scheme
• Local Transport benefit
• Eco-vouchers
• Social Committee with regular monthly social activities