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The differences between hotel managers and operations directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a hotel manager, becoming an operations director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an operations director has an average salary of $104,050, which is higher than the $69,364 average annual salary of a hotel manager.
The top three skills for a hotel manager include PET, hotel management and reservations. The most important skills for an operations director are customer service, continuous improvement, and oversight.
| Hotel Manager | Operations Director | |
| Yearly salary | $69,364 | $104,050 |
| Hourly rate | $33.35 | $50.02 |
| Growth rate | 18% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 268,415 | 114,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A hotel manager is in charge of overseeing the daily operations in a hotel, ensuring smooth workflow and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities revolve around assessing the performance of the workforce, devising strategies to improve hotel sales, coordinating with staff, managing schedules, and resolving issues and concerns promptly. They may also greet and assist incoming and outcoming guests, arrange reservations, and liaise with external agencies, including suppliers and vendors. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to maintain a safe and healthy environment for clients, all while implementing the hotel's policies and regulations.
Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates. Operations directors manage business operations effectively by constantly analyzing company data and by anticipating any challenge that may come their way. As such, they make sound business decisions and recommendations that will help strengthen the organization. Operations directors oversee finances, quality control, and even human resources. They ensure that all aspects of the business are considered in making business operations decisions.
Hotel managers and operations directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hotel Manager | Operations Director | |
| Average salary | $69,364 | $104,050 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $111,000 | Between $65,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Utah | California |
| Best paying company | Booking Holdings | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Finance |
There are a few differences between a hotel manager and an operations director in terms of educational background:
| Hotel Manager | Operations Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between hotel managers' and operations directors' demographics:
| Hotel Manager | Operations Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.6% Female, 49.4% | Male, 70.6% Female, 29.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 11.0% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |