What Does A House Manager Do?

WHAT DOES A HOUSE MANAGER DO?

Published: Jul 22, 2025 - The House Manager is responsible for overseeing front-of-house operations, including opening and closing the lobby, checking in volunteers, and ensuring timely coordination with the Stage Manager for seamless show execution. This role involves training and supporting front-of-house volunteers, maintaining clear communication across departments, and handling guest inquiries, service upselling, and complaint resolution professionally. The manager also ensures accurate completion of reports, adherence to billing procedures, and proper management of daily financial transactions in accordance with company policy.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for House Manager

1. House Manager Functions

Team Leadership: Organize residential staff and lead house meetings and briefings
Interdepartmental Communication: Ensure communication channels remain open between the classroom and residential settings
Task Delegation: Assist in assigning duties and activities to staff
Performance Coaching: Provide ongoing feedback and direction to all staff
Role Modeling: Responsible for being a role model to staff and participants in attitude and behavior
Inventory Management: Help manage the supply inventory, purchasing, and house budget for the summer
Program Supervision: Responsible for the development, implementation, and supervision of all residential activities
Activity Evaluation: Vet all house activities to ensure their appropriateness for Smith’s pre-college programs
Conflict Resolution: Provide intervention between house residents and mediate conflicts within the house and across houses
Parent Communication: Speak with parents and guardians of participants

2. Assistant Front of House Manager Accountabilities

Managerial Operations: Carry out managerial duties, including attending the weekly Operations meeting, preparing rotas, managing holidays, conducting job interviews, working closely with other departments, and managing performance
Process Improvement: Responsible for being proactive in driving improvement, always considering ways to implement change to enhance the guest experience
Team Development: Work to continuously develop the team’s knowledge, provide on-the-job coaching, and proactively implement procedures that improve service
SOP Writing: Write departmental standard operating procedures and always strive to improve the team’s knowledge of the wider hotel operation
Team Leadership: Lead the team to provide a consistently high level of guest service in accordance with service principles and values
Guest Recognition: Ensure that all guests receive special attention and recognition
Guest Support Services: Offer additional services to make the guest experience more seamless, e.g., making restaurant reservations, assisting with directions, and delivering items to rooms
Reception Operations: Carry out reception duties including welcoming guests, checking in and out guests, handling ad hoc requests, making reservations, performing light housekeeping tasks, and processing guest billing
Front Office Proficiency: Responsible for being fully proficient in all aspects of the front of house department, including reservations, night shift, and guest relations tasks
Guest Experience Focus: Work in line with the Dakota ethos and values to drive guest experience in all aspects of the operation
Personalized Service: Ensure a tailored and personalized stay for all guests, and collaborate with the bar and grill team to promote the complete Dakota experience

3. Front of House Manager Roles

Guest Reception: Welcome all associates, visiting associates, and visitors to the reception area
Client Service Etiquette: Handle the client’s reception duties with care, commitment, and always in a courteous manner
Email Management: Ensure reception e-mails are monitored and responded to
Information Accuracy: Ensure business information displayed is accurate and up to date
Transport Coordination: Book taxis in line with the client’s policy and procedures
Health and Safety: Ensure all activities are carried out in accordance with Health and Safety policies
Visitor Processing: Process visitors’ information and provide a visitor pass in accordance with policies and regulations, ensuring visitors are escorted at all times
Security Support: Help maintain workplace security by issuing, checking, and collecting badges and maintaining visitor logs
Situational Awareness: Maintain a secure and safe environment by being aware of activity and guest movement
Incident Reporting: Report any unusual activity

4. Front of House Manager Roles

Facility Oversight: Assure the common reception area is clean and well-maintained, reporting any issues
Conference Room Knowledge: Responsible for being familiar with conference rooms, available technology, available resources, and assisting associates
Room Booking Accuracy: Ensure accurate room booking information is displayed on each room every morning and that the room’s general condition meets the agreed standards
Meeting Room Maintenance: Monitor meeting room signage condition, furniture (cleanliness, set-up/removal, general condition), and AV/VC equipment functioning
Etiquette Enforcement: Implement and encourage adherence to meeting room etiquette
Facilities Support: Perform ad hoc facilities assignments
Client Wayfinding: Assist clients in finding their way around the office
Client Announcement: Responsible for announcing clients
Administrative Assistance: Assist with a variety of administrative tasks
Call Handling: Answer phones in a professional manner and route calls
Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service

5. House Manager Essential Functions

Staff Supervision: Supervises day-of-event services staff
Public Relations: Maintains the proper image and generates positive public relations with patrons and staff
Patron Safety: Responsible for getting patrons into and out of the venues safely
Complaint Resolution: Addresses complaints and concerns from patrons and solves problems in a timely manner
Cross-Department Communication: Provide clear, concise, and timely communication of directives to other departments
Policy Enforcement: Implement facility rules, regulations, policies, and procedures
Service Coordination: Works with internal service partners to provide quality service to customers
Client Relationship Management: Works with clients of all three venues to ensure the highest level of customer service for all external service providers
SOP Compliance Monitoring: Complies with standard operating procedures for the Event Services Department and monitors volunteers for their compliance

6. House Manager Roles

Guest Reception: Acting as the first point of contact for all guests arriving at the house
Call Handling: Answering the house phone
Food Service: Serving refreshments and meals
Team Supervision: Overseeing the household domestic team and offering hands-on assistance
Scheduling and Rota Management: Implementing a daily and weekly rota to ensure all domestic duties are achieved (laundry, cleaning of rooms to suit the schedule of the principals, preparation for guests)
Meal Coordination: Liaising with the Chef regarding meals and future events
Budget Management: Managing the domestic household budget
Household Procurement: Purchasing goods for the household and keeping receipts to submit monthly for domestic expenses

7. House Manager Tasks

Contractor Oversight: Overseeing all internal Contractors/Suppliers
Maintenance Reporting: Reporting any facility/handyman jobs to the Estate/Facilities Manager in a timely manner
Specialty Item Care: Overseeing the care of the china, antiques, and other specialist items
Cellar Management: Managing the wine cellar and bar
Manual Documentation: Writing and updating household manuals
Internal Security: Being responsible for the internal security of the property
Pet Care Coordination: Ordering internal pet food and looking after pets' welfare, including arranging vet appointments
IT Support Liaison: Working with the PA team to troubleshoot IT issues
Driver Coordination: Organising the Drivers in conjunction with the Estate/Facilities Manager when errands need to be run

8. House Manager Duties

Team Leadership: Provide leadership to staff in order to deliver the highest possible quality of service within a safe working and living environment
Resource Management: Manage the effective use of resources, including those that impact the financial performance of the Service, and maintain high levels of occupancy
Regulatory Compliance: Comply with all regulatory and legislative requirements at all times
Operations Coordination: Ensure the smooth and effective running of the house and liaise with external community partners
Staff Supervision: Provide leadership and supervision to the team
Infection Control: Accountable for Infection Control implementation and audit throughout the service
Role Modeling: Responsible for being a good role model for all employees, being approachable and maintaining a regular presence and visibility with all levels of employees
Quality Assurance: Monitor and maintain standards of the service provision in line with Abbeyfield's policies and procedures
Recruitment Support: Support the Business Operations Manager with recruitment activities and support new employees to be onboarded fully and comprehensively
Employee Onboarding Review: Conduct regular reviews with new employees during their probationary period

9. House Manager Essential Functions

Performance Supervision: Ensure all employees are effectively supervised as per policy and annually appraised, and that required standards of performance are being achieved using approved tools
Staff Mentoring: Ensure that all employees are mentored effectively to succeed in their roles and that mentors are appropriately briefed, trained, and directed
Complaint Management: Ensure complaints and suggestions are positively acted on and dealt with correctly within the prescribed timescales
Legal Compliance: Understand the legal requirements of the relevant legislation and ensure the house complies, sharing best practices with other staff appropriately
Policy Adherence: Have a full understanding and working knowledge of all Abbeyfield's policies and procedures, and ensure these policies are applied at all times
Rota Planning: Ensure that the rota complies with staffing ratios, meets residents’ needs, and that additional resources are not used without appropriate planning and authorisation
Regulatory Awareness: Be aware of the statutory obligations (e.g., environmental health, health and safety)
Community Partnership: Liaise effectively with community partners, building good working relationships for the effective operation of the Service
Infection Control Leadership: Work as the infection control lead for the whole house and collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure high standards are adhered to
Data Confidentiality: Ensure the security and confidentiality of records and information relating to the House

10. House Manager Roles and Responsibilities

Cellar Management: Managing the wine cellar
Library Organization: Organizing the library
Vehicle Care: Taking care of the principal’s car collection
Wardrobe Management: Caring for the principal’s garments and organizing wardrobes
Travel Preparation: Responsible for packing for trips
Table Setting: Responsible for setting the table
Tableware Maintenance: Ensuring cutlery and crockery are always clean and polished
Food Service: Grocery shopping, preparing and serving exceptional food
Event Support: Assisting in the planning of (and attending/serving at) events and dinner parties
Errand Running: Responsible for running errands
Manual Documentation: Drawing up a household manual
Vendor Coordination: Liaising with vendors and contractors
Pet Care: Caring for the principal’s 2 cats
Household Maintenance Oversight: Running point on all general household maintenance

11. House Manager Responsibilities

Residential Operations Management: Provide for the staffing and operation of a specific residence, including hiring and scheduling staff, budgeting, shopping, cleaning, etc., and ensure individuals maintain a clean, safe, and healthy home environment
Objective Implementation: Implement all ISA objectives for Residential and CPS, as well as ADLs
Stakeholder Communication: Facilitate communications between Service Coordinators, other Community Strategies staff, family members, and other relevant parties
Staff Supervision: Evaluate staff performance at least annually and provide ongoing supervision to all staff
Records Management: Ensure that complete and appropriate individual records are maintained in accordance with DHHS and Community Strategies regulations and policies
Community Engagement: Foster good relations with neighbors, local merchants, and the community to promote a better living standard for individuals living with mental retardation
Service Coordination: Ensure that personal, medical and nursing care, behavior plans, teaching programs, and other services are delivered by program staff in an appropriate and consistent manner
Individual Empowerment: Empower individuals to speak out for themselves, initiate ideas, and exercise choice about needed supports
Developmental Support: Provide for normal developmental experiences by informing and encouraging individuals to participate in social and cultural activities in the community

12. House Manager Key Accountabilities

Event Oversight: Oversee performance arrangements for events held at the UCCC
Volunteer Supervision: Responsible for supervising front-of-house volunteer staff, overseeing audience safety and comfort, and administering general building services during an event
Client Liaison: Act as liaison between the tenant and UCCC in a non-technical capacity
Event Coordination: Ensure follow-through on all details for the event
Venue Preparation: Verify that the UCCC is correctly set and prepared for the tenant's use
Pre-show Briefing: Conduct pre-show meetings with volunteer staff to assign responsibilities and place equipment and programs
Show Timing Management: Work with the ticket office and stage manager to ensure the event begins on time and to the tenant's satisfaction
Post-event Closure: Notify recreation staff when the event has concluded and secure and lock the front of house

13. House Manager Additional Details

Safety Culture Leadership: Drive Safety to be ingrained in the culture of the Cast House employees
Employee Safety Oversight: Responsible for the safety of all Cast House employees
Performance Evaluation: Responsible for the performance management evaluation process for the Cast House employees, both salaried and hourly
Accountability Management: Responsible for the willingness and ability to hold subordinates accountable for their areas of responsibility
Training and Quality Control: Responsible for maintaining quality standards and keeping training up to date for both direct and indirect reporting employees
Scrap Optimization: Responsible for maximizing scrap utilization and minimizing prime utilization
Productivity Monitoring: Responsible for monitoring productivity trends and actions for improvements
Delivery Performance: Accountable for on-time delivery to the next customer, both internal and external
Operational Execution: Responsible for Cast House productivity and execution of standard processes and procedures
Reporting Accuracy: Responsible for accurate reporting

14. House Manager General Responsibilities

Continuous Improvement Leadership: Pulls from all resources to ensure that continuous improvement is ingrained in the workforce culture
Problem Resolution: Responsible for problem-solving and corrective actions
Budget Planning: Responsible for making the monthly spending budget for the Cast House
Capital Planning: Responsible for developing and maintaining a 1 to 3-year and 3 to 5-year Capital plan
Event Execution Planning: Responsible for developing action plans and the execution of the plans for large events within the Cast House
Stakeholder Relations: Maintain a good working relationship with the Central Metals Group
Training Recordkeeping: Maintain all Cast House training records and the annual Training Checklist
Staffing Management: Accountable for the staffing plan of the Cast House
Leadership Development: Responsible for the development of Cast House Supervisors and Team Leaders

15. House Manager Functions

Errand Management: Dry cleaning, shopping, deliveries
Package Handling: Shipping and tracking various packages, managing returns
Personal Shopping: Responsible for personal shopping
Child Transportation: Driving children to various activities and picking them up
Household Inventory: Keep an inventory of all household supplies (light bulbs, batteries, cleaning supplies), and restock
Personal Item Inventory: Keep an inventory of personal items for principals, and restock
Storage Support: Assist with the inventory of all items in storage
Household Procurement: Responsible for shopping for household items
Home Security: Secure residence at the end of the day – all doors locked, security system armed
Child Meal Prep: Meal preparation for children

16. House Manager Roles

Adult Meal Prep: Responsible for meal preparation for adults
Child Snack Prep: Healthy snack preparation for children
Child Oversight: Overseeing children's schedules, homework, and activities
Appointment Scheduling: Scheduling appointments for children and taking them
Schedule Tracking: Keeping a meticulous schedule of what the children need and projects due
Laundry Services: Responsible for laundry services
Space Organization: Clean and organize drawers, cabinets, and cupboards
Linen Management: Change bed linens and towels
Supply Inventory: Inventory and restock household supplies
Guest Reception: Respond to incoming calls and greet guests

17. House Manager Duties and Roles

Vendor Oversight: Oversee onsite vendors
Appointment Scheduling: Schedule personal appointments
Office Supply Management: Order home office supplies and monitor inventory
Daily Reporting: Responsible for emailing a daily activities report to the Principals
Gift Management: Purchase gifts, develop and maintain a gift tracker, and review and audit receipts
Expense Reporting: Prepare and submit expense reports
Wardrobe Maintenance: Responsible for occasional wardrobe maintenance, i.e., cleaning out children's closets as they get older
Archival Support: Assist with personal archival projects
Home Organization: Organize throughout the house of personal effects, children's belongings, etc.

18. House Manager Tasks

Procurement Management: Responsible for shopping for food, beverages, and household and office supplies for general use and group meals
Meal Scheduling Coordination: Coordinate the scheduling of meals with the conveners of each support/formation group
Meal Preparation: Cook and serve meals (includes set-up and clean-up) for support/formation groups
Snack Stocking: Maintain the supply and availability of snacks
Maintenance Coordination: Coordinate and supervise maintenance and repairs
Liturgical Supply Ordering: Order liturgical supplies (altar bread and wine, sanctuary candles)
Bill Payment: Pay bills and submit required paperwork to the ADW finance staff
Linen Laundry: Launder bed linens, towels, and altar linens
Room Preparation: Make beds and restock towels in bedrooms
Housekeeper Supervision: Supervise housekeeper (4 hours/week)
Light Housekeeping: Responsible for light housekeeping (vacuuming, dusting, and dishes) in between weekly cleanings

19. House Manager Job Description

Individual Care: Caring for individuals in all aspects of their lives
Staff Supervision: Supervising and training staff
Medical Transportation: Responsible for transportation to doctors' appointments
Schedule Management: Managing house schedules
Documentation Maintenance: Maintaining daily documentation
Multitasking and Compassion: Caring, detail-oriented, and able to multitask
Residential Operations: Responsible for the complete operation of a living unit and the IDD individuals who reside there
Home Life Development: Responsible for developing and implementing all facets of home life, as close to a normal family unit
Daily Oversight: Responsible for the supervision and evaluation of staff and directing ongoing daily activities and the enforcement of all policies and procedures

20. House Manager Responsibilities

Household Operations Management: Develops and implements household organization and ensures that daily operations run smoothly
Interior Maintenance: Performs tasks covering total care of the house interior, including vacuuming, dusting, cleaning inside windows, cleaning and waxing floors, cleaning woodwork, cupboards, drawers and closets, laundry and ironing, changing bed linens, polishing silver, brass and copper, and sweeping patio
Repair Coordination: Responsible for facilitating repairs, house grounds maintenance and appearance, and upkeep through the physical plant and grounds staff
Relationship Building: Aids in establishing strong, successful relationships with a wide range of people, internally and externally, on the campus
Event Coordination: Coordinates with the President’s Office and the Director of Special Events to prepare for social events that take place in the house
Staff Supervision: Manages the President’s House staff
Health and Safety Compliance: Responsible for adhering to health and safety guidelines established by the residents of the President’s House, including pandemic protocols, which may be more restrictive than general college requirements
Guest Experience Support: Work with management to create a memorable experience for guests

21. House Manager Essential Functions

Home Cleaning: Responsible for home cleaning
Meal Preparation: Cooking meals for the co-living people
Meal Service: Meal prep style and sometimes served meals
Laundry and Linens: Laundering and putting away clothing, or changing linens
Schedule Management: Managing the household’s schedules and calendar
Maintenance Coordination: Managing home maintenance and repair work
Package Handling: Handling Amazon deliveries and returns
Daily Operations Oversight: Oversee day-to-day operations

22. House Manager Role Purpose

Service Delivery Coordination: Facilitate the delivery of services in line with individuals' plans and budgets
Team Leadership: Develop, lead, motivate and manage a team to provide a first-class service
Quality Improvement: Ensure the delivery of high-quality services through regular reflection and review of outcomes with a focus on continuous improvement
Risk and Compliance Management: Manage all areas of risk and compliance in line with organisational and legislative requirements
Budget Accountability: Accountable for the income and expenditure for the allocated site
On-call Support: Provide on-call support to ensure the delivery of a quality and responsive 24-hour service for clients and to support the team in managing emergencies, enquiries and rostering issues
Stakeholder Engagement: Develop and maintain effective and productive relationships with clients' families, support networks, community partners and other stakeholders
Systems Adherence: Work within standardized systems and processes

23. House Manager Overview

Direct Care Support: Provide direct care and behavioral support
Medical Coordination: Coordinate medical appointments
Financial Management: Manage client finances and budget
Household Operations: Manage house processes and cleanliness
Staff Supervision: Manage direct support staff
Family Communication: Manage communication with support coordinators and/or family
Documentation Accuracy: Complete monthly documentation and reports for accuracy
Culture Development: Develop staff culture

24. House Manager Job Summary

Crisis Intervention Support: Assist in crisis intervention by supporting program employees, answering crisis calls, and contacting appropriate service and support team members
Medication Supervision: Manage and supervise medication monitoring for all residents
Collaborative Care: Collaborate with all individuals involved in treatment, including family members
Staff Scheduling: Coordinate the shift schedule to ensure adequate staffing
Emergency Coverage: Responsible for after-hours telephone calls and emergency shift coverage
Guest Relations Oversight: Oversee and assist in the smooth running of all guest-related issues
Complaint Resolution: Ensure all customer complaints are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner
Guest Check-in Support: Help check in guests and inform them of hotel facilities, parking arrangements, and restaurants
Guest Check-out Processing: Help check out guests and process payments via the appropriate method, whether credit card, cheque, or cash
Health and Safety Compliance: Help to ensure a safe environment for both staff and guests and adhere to the company’s health and safety policy and procedures

25. House Manager Details

Service Delivery Coordination: Facilitate the delivery of services in line with individuals' plans and budgets
Team Leadership: Develop, lead, motivate and manage a team to provide a first-class service
Quality Improvement: Ensure the delivery of high-quality services through regular reflection and review of outcomes with a focus on continuous improvement
Risk and Compliance Management: Manage all areas of risk and compliance in line with organisational and legislative requirements
Budget Accountability: Accountable for the income and expenditure for the allocated site
On-call Support: Provide on-call support to ensure the delivery of quality and responsive 24-hour service for clients and to support the team in managing emergencies, enquiries and rostering issues
Stakeholder Engagement: Develop and maintain effective and productive relationships with clients' families, support networks, community partners and other stakeholders
Staff Guidance: Serve as a leader to direct care staff, ensuring that the needs of the individuals' support are met
Direct Care Oversight: Provide direct care to individuals while overseeing the daily needs of running the home
Activity Planning: Plan weekly and monthly activities for the individual's support

26. Front of House Manager Responsibilities

FOH Operations Improvement: Responsible for the constant improvement of FOH operations
Staff Recruitment: Responsible for store-level recruitment
Training and Compliance: Responsible for training and enforcing Parm's best practices and policies
Guest Experience Management: Ensuring that guests enjoy and participate in the Parm experience
Inventory Management: Manage inventory
Schedule Coordination: Manage employee schedules
Service Standards Enforcement: Enforcing all standards of service
Ingredient Recordkeeping: Maintain the photo records of sub-ingredients used in cafes, Micro-Kitchen, and catering

27. House Manager General Responsibilities

Talent Development: Builds team talent - ensures only the right people are being developed as the brand grows
Sales Leadership: Drives sales through great guest experiences
Guest Service Training: Delivers, trains, and monitors over-the-top guest service
Hands-on Leadership: Leads by example - touches every table
Floor Management: Manage a very busy floor and ensure any challenges are handled quickly and efficiently
Physical and Behavioral Support: Assist with client physical care and behavioral support
Life Skills Support: Support social and life skills by planning and participating in activities with individuals
Environmental Support: Assist clients in maintaining a clean environment
Daily Documentation: Complete daily documentation
Transportation Assistance: Transport individuals to doctor appointments

28. House Manager Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Lobby Operations: Opening and closing of the lobby
Volunteer Coordination: Checking in all front-of-house Volunteers and ensuring they are brought up to speed on performance details
Performance Timing Management: Making sure things happen on time before, during, and after the performance (opening lobby, auditorium, communicating with the Stage Manager Volunteer in time to start the show)
Reporting Duties: Filling out the house manager volunteer report
Volunteer Training: Training and assisting front-of-house Volunteers
Interdepartmental Communication: Ensure good communication between the front office team and all departments
Guest Services and Upselling: Communicate, offer, and up-sell services and facilities to guests
Guest Relations: Handle all guests’ inquiries, requests, and complaints in a professional and timely manner
Billing and Cash Handling: Ensure that all billing and cash procedures, charges, and floats are maintained and carried out in accordance with Company policy
Account Management: Correct handling and charging of all daily business accounts

29. House Manager Responsibilities

Staff Scheduling: Complete the home staffing schedule and ensure the staff shifts are always covered within optimal hours with supervisory assistance
Hiring Support: Assist the supervisor in making hiring decisions for the home
Direct Care Support: Work direct care shifts
Consumer Advocacy: Responsible for advocating on behalf of consumers
Health Communication: Communicate with the Nurses and/or CSMs regarding any health or behavioral issues
Documentation Review: Review Residential Support Service (RSS) logs and Medication Administration Records for completion and accuracy, and follow up on corrections needed
Performance Monitoring: Ensure that staff are completing job duties efficiently
Staff Training: Train direct care staff to ensure that all paperwork for training programs in the home is completed
Incident Documentation: Complete and/or follow up on the completion of documentation needed, including but not limited to Incident/Accident/Injury reports, Behavior Tracking Data Sheets, Vehicle Accident reports
Goal Implementation: Direct care staff are to ensure that consumer-specific goals and objectives are followed and addressed

30. House Manager Job Summary

Health and Hygiene Oversight: Direct care staff to ensure good health, hygiene, and grooming of consumers, and that consumers maintain adequate and appropriate personal belongings
Housekeeping Supervision: Direct care staff to ensure housekeeping is done and cleaning checklists are filled out
Activity Planning: Plan weekly/monthly activities for the consumers and follow up with weekend staff about the activities participated in
Transition Coordination: Coordinate and prepare all consumer transitions, including consumer placements, visits, and movements
Procurement Oversight: Purchase and/or oversee the purchase of necessary household supplies, food, and consumer purchases
Receipt Management: Maintain all receipts, including house purchase card, gas card, and consumer trust fund receipts
Maintenance Coordination: Coordinate, complete, and follow up on home maintenance requests
Emergency Kit Maintenance: Maintain house and vehicle emergency kits
Drill Documentation: Document and conduct monthly fire drills and evacuation drills
Transportation Support: Provide and/or coordinate transportation for consumers
Vehicle Maintenance Management: Ensure vehicle maintenance is current and maintained
On-call Availability: Responsible for being available for mandatory on-call rotation, which includes 24-hour availability (via telephone) and in-person during office hours, unless other arrangements can be made

Relevant Information

What Does A Front of House Manager Do?