General Manager

Lead an exceptional hotel and conference experience in the heart of Duke University.

The JB Duke Hotel is seeking an accomplished and engaging General Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership for our AAA Four Diamond hotel and executive conference center located on the campus of Duke University.

This is an opportunity for a hospitality leader who understands that exceptional results come from the intersection of people, service, operational excellence, and financial performance . The General Manager will lead a talented team while building strong relationships with Duke University, the Fuqua School of Business, our guests, conference clients, and the broader Durham community.

We are looking for a leader who is visible, approachable, financially astute, and comfortable being actively involved in the operation. Just as importantly, our ideal candidate understands the unique demands of a sophisticated conference-center environment and knows how to bring multiple disciplines together to create a seamless experience for guests and meeting participants.

What Youll Lead

As General Manager, you will have responsibility for the overall performance and direction of the hotel, including Rooms, Food & Beverage, Conference Services, Sales, Finance, Engineering, Security, and Human Resources.

You will:

- Provide visible, hands-on leadership throughout the hotel and conference center.

- Develop and execute the annual business plan, operating budget, capital plan, and revenue strategy in partnership with senior leadership.

- Drive financial performance through revenue growth, profitability, labor productivity, forecasting, expense management, and disciplined operational execution.

- Lead the complete conference-center experience, ensuring seamless coordination among Sales, Conference Planning, Banquets, Culinary, Audiovisual, Rooms, and Facilities.

- Maintain the service and operational standards expected of a AAA Four Diamond hotel and IACC-certified conference environment .

- Build strong relationships with Duke University, the Fuqua School of Business, Duke Health, Duke Athletics, faculty, administrators, executive education partners, meeting planners, and other key stakeholders.

- Develop and inspire department leaders through clear expectations, coaching, accountability, succession planning, and professional development.

- Foster an engaged, inclusive, and service-focused workplace where communication, recognition, collaboration, and accountability are part of the culture.

- Maintain a strong presence with guests, conference participants, clients, and team members and take an active role in resolving service opportunities.

- Protect and enhance the hotel asset through effective preventive maintenance, life-safety practices, security, cleanliness, and capital planning.

- Participate actively in sales strategy, account development, reputation management, community engagement, and competitive positioning.

- Provide ownership and senior leadership with timely, accurate reporting, forecasts, operational assessments, and recommendations.

- Collaborate with leadership across the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and The Lodge at Duke Medical Center on shared initiatives and opportunities.

Qualifications

What Were Looking For

Direct leadership experience within a full-service hotel conference center is required for this position. Candidates without conference-center experience will not be considered.

Our ideal candidate will also bring:

- A minimum of 8 years of progressive hotel leadership experience , including at least 3 years as a General Manager, Hotel Manager, Director of Operations, or comparable executive leader.

- Leadership experience within an upscale, luxury, university, corporate, or executive conference-center environment.

- Demonstrated success managing complex, high-touch group and conference business with significant Food & Beverage, Banquet, Audiovisual, and meeting-space operations.

- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, revenue strategy, labor management, flow-through, capital planning, and P&L accountability.

- A successful track record of developing leaders, strengthening employee engagement, elevating service culture, and creating accountability.

- Strong executive presence and the ability to build trusted relationships with ownership, university partners, clients, guests, and employees at every level.

- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

- Working knowledge of hotel technology, including property-management, sales and catering, revenue-management, point-of-sale, and financial-reporting systems.

- A bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline is strongly preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.

- IACC, CMP, CHA, or comparable hospitality credentials are preferred but not required.

- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours as business needs require.

The Leadership Qualities We Value

We are looking for someone who combines strategic thinking with operational presence . Someone who can discuss financial performance in the morning, engage with a conference client in the afternoon, recognize a team member for exceptional service, and still notice the operational details that distinguish an excellent hotel from an ordinary one.

Successful leadership in this role requires sound judgment, composure, accountability, adaptability, strong communication, and a genuine commitment to both the guest experience and the people delivering it.

Compensation

Final compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and overall alignment with the requirements of the position.

About JB Duke Hotel

Located on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, the JB Duke Hotel combines contemporary hospitality with a sophisticated executive conference environment. The hotel serves university, corporate, academic, executive education, social, and leisure guests while providing an elevated setting for meetings, conferences, and special events.

Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our success depends on leaders who understand that hospitality never really clocks out. The General Manager is expected to remain accessible and responsive to business needs and property emergencies, consistent with the executive nature of the position.

Benefits & Perks

We believe taking care of our team is essential to delivering exceptional hospitality. Eligible full-time employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

- Medical, dental, and vision insurance

- Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability coverage

- 401(k) retirement plan

- Paid Time Off (PTO)

- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options

- Employee dining and hospitality discounts

- Discounted hotel, food and beverage, and event-related offerings

- Professional development and growth opportunities

- A collaborative work environment

Equal Employment Opportunity

JB Duke Hotel is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to fostering a workplace where individuals are treated with dignity and respect and where employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.