Important Application Note:
We read every application carefully. To be considered, please answer the application questions thoughtfully and include the requested writing sample and Monday.com/project management example. Generic applications will not move forward.
XENIA STAYS
Luxury Hospitality & Property Management · Manhattan Beach & South Bay
Operations Manager
Full-Time · South Bay, CA · Hybrid + On-Site · $28–$35/hr
Reports to: Founders · Growth Path: Director of Operations
ABOUT XENIA STAYS
Xenia Stays is a luxury hospitality and property management company. We manage and design high-end short-term rental homes across Manhattan Beach and the South Bay — combining elite operations, interior design, and concierge-level service. Our reputation is built on getting every detail right, every time.
We are a small, high-trust team. The people we bring in have an outsized impact on everything we do.
THE OPPORTUNITY
We are hiring an Operations Manager who will take on increasing ownership of the day-to-day operations of the business and grow into a key leadership role within Xenia Stays.
The biggest difference between this role and simply "doing tasks" is ownership, initiative, and accountability. We are looking for someone who can think ahead, solve problems proactively, and increasingly help remove operational burden from the founders over time.
We are looking for someone who is organized, proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of growing into greater leadership and autonomy as the company scales.
You will help protect the founders' time by taking ownership of day-to-day operational responsibilities and ensuring important details are followed through consistently. You will coordinate and help manage our network of cleaners, vendors, maintenance professionals, and field staff while maintaining Xenia's operational standards.
This is not about working endless hours. It is about growing into leadership, building strong systems, and helping operate a luxury hospitality business at a high level.
While we are looking for someone with strong operational experience, we do not expect candidates to have mastered every aspect of the role on day one. We value initiative, communication, accountability, and the ability to grow into increasing levels of ownership and leadership.
WHAT YOU WILL LEAD & TAKE OWNERSHIP OF
This role will take increasing ownership over the following operational areas:
- Property onboarding and launches — help manage the process from signed agreement through going live, ensuring timelines, details, and operational readiness stay on track.
- Property inspections and quality control — walk homes regularly, identify issues proactively, and help maintain Xenia standards across the portfolio.
- Owner communication and relationships — serve as a primary operational point of contact for homeowners while escalating larger or sensitive matters appropriately when needed.
- Incoming Dialpad calls from guests, owners, and vendors — respond professionally, communicate clearly, and help drive issues toward resolution.
- Vendor coordination and follow-through — coordinate vendors thoughtfully, confirm completion of work, and assist with invoice and expense tracking.
- Guest experience and 5-star hospitality standards — you ensure every stay reflects the Xenia brand.
- Returning guest relationships and retention — contribute to building strong guest relationships and repeat stays through thoughtful hospitality and follow-through.
- De-escalating guest issues and creating positive resolutions — approach challenges calmly, professionally, and solution-oriented while handling most day-to-day issues independently.
- Training and alignment of Xenia standards — cleaners, vendors, runners, and field staff are trained to your standard and held accountable to it.
- Operational alignment and accountability across the field team — keep contractors, vendors, and field operations organized, aligned, and accountable to Xenia standards.
- Slack tags, Monday.com items, deadlines, follow-ups, and department communication — stay highly organized and proactive across operational communication and task management.
- High-level follow-through — ensure operational tasks, issues, and guest needs are completed thoroughly and consistently.
- Xenia Stays property standards overall — contribute to maintaining and continuously improving the quality and presentation of the portfolio.
CLIENT-FACING RESPONSIBILITIES
This role is the face of Xenia Stays in the field. You will represent the brand directly with homeowners.
▸ PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT PLAN WALKTHROUGHS
- Participate in and conduct on-site walkthroughs with homeowners to assess property condition, identify improvements, and present recommendations as part of the ongoing management process.
- Assist in preparing detailed Property Improvement Plan (PIP) proposals and eventually take ownership of proposal preparation as familiarity with the process grows.
- Follow through on approved improvements — coordinating vendors, timelines, and completion without founder involvement.
▸ OWNER RELATIONSHIPS
- Build and maintain direct relationships with homeowners.
- Communicate proactively about property needs, updates, and performance.
- Help manage owner questions, concerns, and feedback, escalating larger strategic conversations when appropriate.
FIELD OPERATIONS & VENDOR OVERSIGHT
You will help coordinate and oversee a network of 1099 cleaners, maintenance staff, handymen, vendors, and boots-on-the-ground team members who support day-to-day field operations and property standards across the portfolio.
- Set the standard and reinforce expectations — ensure cleaners, vendors, and field staff clearly understand Xenia standards and operational expectations.
- Dispatch with judgment — help troubleshoot issues remotely first and coordinate vendors thoughtfully to avoid unnecessary operational spend.
- Troubleshoot property issues remotely: wifi/router connectivity, smart home systems, HVAC (filter or thermostat vs. technician), appliance operation, door access, and common property tech.
- Conduct quality-control walkthroughs before and between guest stays: perform inspections before and between guest stays to help maintain consistency and attention to detail across the portfolio.
- Track, organize, and submit vendor invoices and expenses.
- Gather competitive bids and monitor operational costs. Help ensure spending decisions are thoughtful, efficient, and aligned with company standards and budgets.
GUEST EXPERIENCE
- Manage all guest communications via Guesty and Dialpad — prompt, professional, and hospitality-driven.
- Answer incoming calls from guests, owners, and vendors directly. Communicate clearly, professionally, and help ensure issues are handled efficiently and thoughtfully.
- De-escalate issues and create positive resolutions while confidently handling most day-to-day guest concerns independently.
- Handle lockouts, access issues, and on-property needs — in-person response when necessary.
- Audit guest reviews consistently to identify patterns and drive improvements.
- Maintain and improve guest-facing materials: check-in instructions, welcome guides, in-home assets.
LISTING, CONTENT & SYSTEMS
- Write and refine high-quality listing descriptions — help create polished, hospitality-driven listings that reflect the Xenia brand and guest experience.
- Use Monday.com to help manage operations and workflows: Own and continuously improve Monday.com workflows, boards, timelines, automations, and follow-up systems.
- Deliver a daily operational summary to founders: active tasks, completions, open issues, anything requiring a decision.
- Stay responsive across Slack and department communication — help ensure operational communication and follow-ups stay organized and timely.
- Create polished proposals, mood boards, and presentations in Canva to Xenia's luxury visual standard.
WHO YOU ARE
We will be direct: we have hired people who looked right on paper but lacked what this role actually demands. Here is the honest version of what separates the right candidate from the wrong one.
You are likely a strong fit for this role if:
- You naturally take initiative and help solve problems proactively.
- You are comfortable making thoughtful decisions, taking initiative within your role, and following through on outcomes responsibly.
- You are organized, detail-oriented, and follow through consistently.
- You communicate proactively with owners and guests — they always know where things stand.
- You write clearly and professionally at a luxury brand standard.
- You have strong experience using Monday.com or similar project management systems to stay organized, manage workflows, and keep multiple operational priorities moving efficiently.
- You can walk into a physical space and immediately see what needs attention.
- You stay calm under pressure and approach problems with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset.
- You hold vendors and field staff accountable to a standard.
- You enjoy hospitality, operations, and creating exceptional guest and homeowner experiences.
- You are excited by the opportunity to grow into increasing operational leadership and responsibility over time.
This role may not be the best fit if:
- You prefer highly structured, step-by-step direction throughout the day.
- Follow-through, organization, or communication are areas you struggle with.
- Details slip or follow-through is inconsistent.
- Strong written communication and attention to detail are not areas you feel confident in.
- You are not local to the South Bay or do not have reliable transportation.
- You are looking for a purely task-based or assistant-style role without ownership or growth opportunities.
REQUIREMENTS
- 3–5+ years in operations, property management, hospitality, or executive operations — with demonstrated ownership, not just task execution
- Strong experience using Monday.com or similar project management systems — this will be assessed during the interview process
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with professionalism and attention to detail.
- Comfortable communicating directly with homeowners, guests, vendors, and clients in a professional and hospitality-driven manner.
- Ability to problem solve and de-escalate guest or operational issues calmly and professionally.
- Comfortable troubleshooting property and tech issues remotely before dispatching vendors when appropriate.
- Detail-obsessed: you catch what others miss and hold a high bar.
- Local to the South Bay with the ability to be on-site regularly
- Valid driver's license and reliable transportation — required
Bonus — Not Required
- Experience with AI tools for workflow, writing, or operational efficiency
- Background in luxury marketing, content creation, or social media
- Experience managing or aligning 1099 contractors or field teams
SCHEDULE & COMPENSATION
Hours: Weekdays 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (core schedule); flexibility required for time-sensitive operational matters
Expected Weekly Commitment: Typically 30–40 hours per week depending on business needs, property launches, onboarding projects, and operational priorities.
Weekends: Occasional availability as business requires. All additional hours worked are compensated
Location: El Segundo, CA 90245 — hybrid + frequent on-site across the South Bay
Pay:$28–$35/hr based on experience
Growth Path: Director of Operations — genuine succession, not a title
Exposure: Direct partnership with founders and full ownership of business operations
Car: Required
Additional Benefits:
- Performance-based bonus opportunities tied to operational KPIs, guest experience, owner satisfaction, and team performance
- Company laptop provided
- Leadership growth opportunities
- Health benefits may become available based on tenure and role progression
HOW TO APPLY
We read every application carefully. Generic submissions will not move forward. To be considered, include all of the following:
1. Why you are a fit for this specific role. One focused paragraph — not a summary of your resume.
2. A concrete Monday.com example. Describe a specific project: what you built, how you structured it, what the outcome was. Be specific.
3. A writing sample. A listing description, owner proposal, professional email, or similar.
4. An ownership example. A time you identified a problem, took action without being asked, and drove the outcome. What did you see? What did you do? What was the result?
5. (Optional) AI tools. How have you used AI tools in your work?
SCENARIO QUESTIONS
Answer all three scenarios as part of your application. These reflect real situations this role faces. Specifics matter — vague answers will not move forward.
Scenario 1: Crisis Response
A guest is arriving in 3 hours. The cleaner just canceled. The home is not ready. Walk us through exactly what you do — step by step. We want specifics, not generalities.
Scenario 2: Difficult Owner Conversation
A homeowner is frustrated. Their property had a guest complaint about cleanliness, and they are questioning whether Xenia is managing their home properly. You are handling this conversation without the founders. What do you say, and how do you handle it?
Scenario 3: Monday.com — Property Onboarding
Explain how you would build out Monday.com to onboard a new luxury rental property from zero to live. Answer in bullet points:
- What boards would you create?
- What groups or stages?
- What key tasks would be included?
- What automations would you use?
Scenario 4: Availability & Commitment
We are investing in someone who wants to grow with us into full operational ownership over time. Are you currently committed to other roles, businesses, or obligations that could impact your long-term focus and availability here?
A Final Word
This is a high-impact role within a growing luxury hospitality company. You will play an important part in representing the Xenia brand, supporting day-to-day operations, and helping create exceptional experiences for both homeowners and guests.
We are looking for someone who is proactive, organized, hospitality-driven, and excited to grow into increasing operational leadership and responsibility over time. If that sounds like the type of environment and opportunity you are looking for, we would love to hear from you.
El Segundo, CA 90245 · Hybrid + On-Site · Car Required
XENIA STAYS
Pay: $28.00 - $35.00 per hour
Benefits:
Application Question(s):
- Do you have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation?
- Are you comfortable with a core weekday schedule of 10 AM – 4 PM and an expected weekly commitment of approximately 30–40 hours depending on business needs?
- Describe your experience using Monday.com or a similar project management platform. Please provide a specific example.
- What interests you most about this role at Xenia Stays?
- A guest is arriving in 3 hours and the cleaner just canceled. The home is not ready. Walk us through exactly what you would do.
- Describe a time you identified a problem, took initiative without being asked, and drove the outcome.
- Are you local to the South Bay / Los Angeles area and able to be on-site regularly in El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, and surrounding South Bay areas? If so, where are you located?
Work Location: In person
