We’re Sonesta International Hotels.
The 8th largest hotel company in the U.S.—and growing fast.
An epic blend of full-service and focused hotels in major cities, Sonesta’s uniquely diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties makes us everywhere you want to be. Driven by the human side of hospitality, we deliver service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and experiences that truly connect.
Together We Thrive—bringing quality, value, and amazing hospitality to every guest, every stay, across 1000+ properties in eight countries and counting.
Job Description Summary
The Chief of Staff serves as a principal advisor and operational partner to the senior leadership team and reports to the Chief Executive Officer. This role is responsible for driving enterprise-wide operational excellence, executing strategic priorities, facilitating cross-functional alignment, and ensuring accountability for key business initiatives across the hotel portfolio.
The Chief of Staff provides leadership, coordination, and oversight of critical operational, financial, and organizational initiatives that support company growth, operational performance, guest satisfaction, and long-term business objectives. The position serves as the central point of integration between Operations, Corporate Functions, and Key vendor relationships, ensuring strategic priorities are translated into actionable plans and measurable results.
The Chief of Staff drives organizational effectiveness through disciplined project management, performance monitoring, executive communications, change management, and continuous improvement efforts while reinforcing a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence.
This is hybrid position, and the candidate must be able to commute to our Newton, MA office 3 days per week.
Job Description
Strategic Leadership & Executive Support
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Senior Leadership Team on strategic priorities, organizational effectiveness, and business performance.
- Lead execution of enterprise initiatives and strategic projects across the organization.
- Facilitate the coordination of strategic planning processes, annual operating plans, and long-term capital planning.
- Coordinate executive-level decision-making by developing business cases, recommendations, analyses, and presentations.
- Ensure organizational priorities are clearly communicated and aligned across field and corporate teams.
- Monitor progress against strategic initiatives and provide regular updates to executive leadership.
Operational Performance & Business Excellence
- Lead cross-functional initiatives designed to improve financial performance, operational effectiveness, guest satisfaction, and organizational efficiency.
- Oversee enterprise performance reporting, scorecards, dashboards, and operational analytics.
- Monitor portfolio performance against budgets, forecasts, historical trends, competitive benchmarks, and company objectives.
- Identify performance gaps and coordinate corrective action plans with operations leadership.
- Facilitate operational reviews, site visits, and performance improvement workshops.
Executive Communications & Leadership Alignment
- Lead preparation of executive presentations, board materials, leadership communications, and operational updates.
- Organize and facilitate leadership meetings, business reviews, operational calls, and strategic planning sessions.
- Drive follow-up and accountability on action items, deliverables, and key organizational commitments.
- Serve as the communication bridge between leadership, field operations, and support functions.
- Ensure senior leadership teams remain focused on priorities, timelines, risks, and execution plans.
- Develop governance structures and project management disciplines that improve execution and transparency.
Cross-Functional Integration
- Act as the primary liaison between Hotel Operations and Corporate departments including Finance, Commercial, Revenue Management, Marketing, Human Resources, Information Technology, Engineering, Food & Beverage, Procurement, Quality Assurance, and Brand teams.
- Ensure consistency in implementation of programs, standards, policies, and strategic initiatives across the portfolio.
Guest Experience & Commercial Performance
- Partner with operations and other constituents to improve guest satisfaction, loyalty engagement, and retention.
- Oversee performance analysis related to guest experience metrics, service recovery, and reputation management.
- Support initiatives that drive ancillary revenue growth, operational efficiencies, and profitability.
- Ensure guest-centric strategies remain integrated into operational decision-making and business planning.
Ad-Hoc activities
- Lead high-priority executive projects and enterprise initiatives.
- Participate in executive committees, task forces, and strategic working groups.
- Support the coordination of mergers, acquisitions, integrations, and other transformational initiatives as required.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration (Hospitality Management, Finance, Operations, or related field; Master's degree preferred.)
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in hospitality operations, corporate strategy, consulting, business operations, or related fields.
- Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-wide initiatives and cross-functional teams.
- Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, forecasting, P&L management, and business analysis.
- Proven ability to influence senior leaders and drive organizational alignment.
- Experience with operational excellence methodologies, project management, and change management practices.
- Exceptional communication, executive presentation, facilitation, and relationship management skills.
- Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking capabilities.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
Success Measures
- Achievement of strategic and operational business objectives.
- Improvement in operations financial results and key performance metrics.
- Increased organizational alignment and execution effectiveness.
- Successful delivery of enterprise initiatives and transformational projects.
- Enhanced guest satisfaction and loyalty performance.
- Improved leadership accountability, communication, and decision-making effectiveness.
Additional Job Information/Anticipated
Pay Range
Pay Range: $175,000 to $185,000. Base pay offer may vary depending on various factors, including but not limited to job related knowledge, skills and job specific overall experience
Benefits
Sonesta recognizes that benefits play a vital role in helping ensure the health and financial security of employees and their families. We offer a variety of benefits to our employees including:
- Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Health Savings Account with Company Match
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
- Paid Vacation and Sick Days
- Sonesta Hotel Discounts
- Educational Assistance
- Paid Parental Leave
- Company Paid Life Insurance
- Company Paid Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance
- Various Employee Perks and Discounts
- Hospital Indemnity
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Accident Insurance
Sonesta is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Upon submitting your application, please ensure you complete a full application in addition to attaching a resume. Incomplete applications received will not be considered.
