[Hiring] Guest Services Specialist @Handoff

Role Description

We've teamed up with Handoff to bring on a Guest Experience Specialist who will serve as the frontline of day-to-day operations. You'll monitor guest communication, coordinate cleaning and maintenance, oversee property quality, support new property launches, and make sure open issues are documented and resolved. This is a highly detail-oriented role where success depends on proactive follow-through, strong judgment, and consistent execution across every shift.

Responsibilities

• Guest Communication & Support:
  • Provide timely, professional support to guests before, during, and after their stay, including check-in questions, access issues, property concerns, and general assistance.
  • Monitor AI-assisted and direct guest communication, ensuring every response is accurate, complete, on-brand, and handled within required response times.
  • Resolve guest issues proactively, document incidents clearly, and escalate claims or situations that require additional approval.
• Property Operations & Quality:
  • Coordinate cleaning schedules, review post-clean documentation, and flag quality issues before guest arrival.
  • Monitor property readiness, supplies, smart locks, cameras, and other operational systems.
  • Help ensure properties consistently meet established quality and guest-readiness standards.
• Maintenance & Vendor Coordination:
  • Own maintenance issues from identification through resolution, including documentation, vendor coordination, quotes, and follow-up.
  • Work with cleaners, maintenance providers, and other vendors to resolve issues quickly and keep property operations running smoothly.
  • Escalate repairs or decisions that require manager or owner approval.
• Reporting & Property Support:
  • Maintain clear shift handoffs, open-item tracking, and operational documentation so nothing is lost between team members.
  • Support monthly owner reporting, invoice organization, and property-related administrative tasks.
  • Assist with new property launches, including system setup, vendor coordination, operational checks, and guest-messaging readiness.

Qualifications

• Experience in hospitality, short-term rentals, property management, guest services, operations, or a similar service-focused environment.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to respond clearly, professionally, and quickly to guest needs.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple properties, tasks, and open issues simultaneously.
• Proactive approach to identifying problems before they affect guests or property owners.
• Strong follow-through with the ability to take an issue from identification through complete resolution.
• Comfortable coordinating cleaners, maintenance providers, vendors, and other external partners.
• Strong judgment around when to act independently and when an issue requires escalation.
• Comfortable using technology, AI-assisted tools, property management platforms, and documented SOPs as part of daily work.
• Strong documentation habits with the ability to maintain accurate records and operational updates.

Nice to Have

• Previous experience supporting Airbnb, VRBO, or other short-term rental operations.
• Familiarity with Hospitable, Notion, Google Workspace, or similar property and operations tools.
• Experience working with AI-assisted guest messaging or customer support systems.
• Experience coordinating property maintenance, cleaning teams, and outside vendors.
• Familiarity with owner reporting, property expenses, invoices, and basic operational reconciliation.
• Experience supporting new property launches or onboarding new short-term rental listings.
• Familiarity with smart locks, security cameras, and other connected property technology.

What Success Looks Like

• Guest review rating: Maintain an overall rating of 4.9+ and 9.0+ on VRBO.
• Guest inquiry response rate: 100% of guest inquiries receive a response.
• Response time: Guest messages are handled within 10 minutes or less during every shift.
• Maintenance documentation: 100% of identified maintenance issues are documented within 6 hours.
• Access code delivery: Guests receive codes at least 12 hours before check-in, or within 30 minutes for same-day or last-minute bookings.
• Owner reporting: Monthly owner reports are prepared on schedule and delivered no later than the 7th of each month.

Why You’ll Love It

• Be at the center of the guest experience: Your work directly influences how smoothly each stay runs and how guests remember it.
• Own real operational outcomes: You'll follow issues from first alert through resolution rather than simply passing them along.
• Work across the full property lifecycle: You'll touch guest communication, cleaning, maintenance, quality control, reporting, and property launches.
• Use technology every day: AI messaging, property management platforms, smart-home tools, and operational systems are central to the role.
• Build trust through consistency: Strong execution means guests feel supported, owners stay informed, and the team knows nothing is falling through the cracks.
• Make an immediate impact: The quality and speed of your work directly affect guest satisfaction, property readiness, and overall operational performance.