Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Company Overview:

BeautifulPlaces, founded in 2003 in Sonoma, CA is a pioneer in complete-service, ultra-luxury vacation rental management in the United States.  Today, the company serves over 30 markets in the US and abroad with over 450  premier properties in its portfolio. BeautifulPlaces has from its inception tailored its expertise, creativity, and financial resources to fulfilling the personal interests and experiential desires of the wealthiest 2% of world travelers and homeowners. Our superb collection of villas range from sprawling mountaintop vineyard estates and tours de force of modern architecture, to painstakingly restored farmhouses, stately contemporary homes, and even large chateaux and villas. Our properties are located throughout Northern California wine country, the French regions of Bordeaux and Provence, and perennial favorites Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The modern resort community of Punta Mita and the historic vacation destination of Puerto Vallarta are the settings for BeautifulPlaces’ Mexican portfolio.  In 2014 BeautifulPlaces acquired the largest luxury vacation rental management company in the Virgin Islands. Today we offer some of the Caribbeans finest villas located on 17 islands in the region.  We are embarking presently on a simultaneous market expansion and branding strategy that will facilitate growth well into the future in new and existing markets. As we prepare to take our company to the next level, we are looking for a vacation rental industry veteran to come beside us by leveraging your experience and knowledge to lead the charge.  

ABOUT SONOMA COUNTY
A year-round destination for wine enthusiasts, foodies, outdoor adventurists, event buffs, shopaholics, and more, Sonoma County is the ideal place to live in Wine Country. With 100+ award-winning premium wineries, world-class cuisine, 13,000 acres of state and regional parks, luxury spas, and cozy bed-and-breakfasts, Sonoma County’s breathtaking 1,500-mile span offers endless discovery. Just 45 miles north of San Francisco, Sonoma is packed with vineyards, wine tasting rooms, cafes, artisan-made gift shops, breweries, parks, art galleries, and hosts a plethora of events, all providing the opportunity to create your own Wine Country lifestyle. Sonoma brings local hospitality to its Wine Country chic destination. As the birthplace of California wine and landmarks detailing California’s history, Sonoma’s enchanting style showcases preserved buildings, amongst modern tasting rooms, eclectic shops, garden chateaus, striking castles, and more. Sonoma’s excellent restaurants offer farm-to-table dining from its bountiful gardens, Tuscan country cooking, oysters on the half shell, or hand-crafted bites for any taste. Finally, and absolutely not to be omitted, Sonoma County occupies 50 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay which is considered by many to be among the most beautiful coastal drives in the world. All-in-all, a hard place to beat as a place to live and work.

Position Summary:

The right candidate will be a proven, high-performance operations executive from a comparably-sized and complex business (preferably hospitality) to serve as the Chief Operating Officer (COO)

This is an essential customer-facing role. Accordingly, you will oversee daily guest and owner interactions, manage the operational aspects of the business, and resolve issues in a timely manner. Having an ability to empathize with rental guests, homeowners and instill a collaborative, purpose-driven culture for employees and company vendors will be critical in all aspects of the role.

In this capacity, this individual will oversee the company’s ongoing day-to-day operations: housekeeping, property management, and vendor relations. Administrative responsibilities include operations and supply purchasing, expense management, and HR for ops. Special projects include improving operations, processes and achieving efficiencies in our core market with a goal of scaling our business as we expand to new markets.

As a member of the leadership team, the COO will take a hands-on approach to develop and train staff and ensure quality assurance for guests and homeowners. The COO must be able to juggle day-to-day operations with strategic thinking and longer-term projects. You must be able to work effectively with very high net worth clients – both rental guests and homeowners.

Responsibilities

• Direct and manage the activities of the Operations team.
• Ensure all staff is properly trained and have the tools and materials to effectively perform their responsibilities
• Oversee daily, weekly, and monthly operations schedule, allocation of staff, activities, tasks, and the work of vendors to deliver outstanding service.
• Manage property issues that arise with guests in residence; ensure property issues are responded to rapidly and ensure repairs and maintenance issues are completed in a timely and accurate manner.
• Maintain a safe and clean work environment free of hazards. Ensure policies and procedures are followed and enforced.
• Monitor and control resources to minimize waste.
• Prepare and plan for the seasonality of the business
• Establish strong working relationships with homeowners.
• Establish and cultivate strong working relationships with property vendors.
• Establish, improve, and implement operations systems, processes, and policies for the business including, analysis, information management, quality control, organizational planning, and objectives.
• Work closely with the heads of Sales, Marketing, and Business Development.
• Establish policies that promote company culture and vision.
• Lead employees to encourage maximum performance and dedication.
• Evaluate performance by analyzing and interpreting data and metrics.
• Oversee special projects and process improvements such as moving to keyless entry, automating house information for guests, analysis of operations expenses.
• Perform other duties as required.
• Contribute to the strategy and growth of the company.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a COO, Director or VP of Operations in a high-pressure environment
• A relentless focus on delivering the highest level of service to rental guests and homeowners
• Demonstrate the ability to grow and learn quickly and the potential to assume a high-level executive role.
• Understanding of business functions such as HR, Finance, Marketing, etc.
• Strong planning skills, exceptional time management, organization skills, and attention   to detail
• Working knowledge of IT/Business infrastructure, strong technology, and computer skills, including excel, word, google docs skills;  able to learn new systems and applications quickly.
• Working knowledge of data analysis and performance/operation metrics.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead teams and drive change
• Able to multi-task and juggle multiple priorities
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Aptitude in decision-making and problem-solving
• Meet all bi-weekly payroll deadlines and submit all vendor invoices and expenses according to monthly deadlines.
• Exhibits grace under fire, able to work with demanding individuals and diffuse difficult situations with clients
• Demonstrates resiliency and ability to bounce back from setbacks

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business; MBA desirable or equivalent experience
• 5 -10 years experience in hospitality; experience working with high net-worth individuals a plus
• Minimum 3 years managing teams, preferably in hospitality or property management
• Must be able to work a variable schedule including weekdays, weekends, and holidays, and be on-call after hours on a rotating basis

Annual Salary: $125,000 - $150,000

Bonus Plan: Annual Bonus of employee performance and that of the company as a whole.

Benefits Include: 

• Paid time off such as PTO, sick days, and vacation days
• Short term disability insurance
• Relocation assistance
• Workplace perks such as recreation activities, food and coffee, and flexible work schedules
• Company vehicle
• 401k Plan (employee contribution)
• Other