Cultural Specialist

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in major U.S. gateway cities including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a growing Caribbean and Latin America footprint. The hospitality forward company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate has a proven record of developing its diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts with contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, London, Miami, and Seattle. www.highgate.com.

This Resort Cultural specialist will share the Aloha spirit with Resort guests in an attentive, courteous and efficient manner while helping them to compose their Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalow story. This position serves as the Hawaiian culture resource to assists in the implementation of the Hawaiian Cultural Programs, activities & events. To coordinate and lead a comprehensive program of Hawaiian cultural classes, programs for children and adults. Create a cultural sense of place, education with enthusiasm to participants. This position is to create an ongoing cultural sense of place training for associates and to implement initiatives as it relates to the Hawaiian Culture. Must be able to engage and involve guests, and associates in sharing the knowledge of our Hawaiian culture. This role will assist the Director of Culture with the coordination of all Royal Lahaina Resort activities to include cultural programming, demonstrated knowledge of Hawaiian Culture, entertainment, kid's activities, and pool deck programming.

• Daily knowledge of all VIP's, sites, functions, and groups.
• Assist with all resort activities to include cultural programming, entertainment, kid's activities, pool deck programming
• Help create and manage the Resort's Calendar of activities
• Liaison between resort and 3rd party operators for programming, on island events and outdoor classes.
• Assist the Director of Culture with special events and other evening activities as needed
• Assist in creating exhibits and/or crafts that celebrate the cultural and unique aspects of the 'Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows.
• Help maintain a tracking sheet to monitor events, vendor utilization, income, and expenses for each activity.
• Assist with ensuring all invoices are paid in a timely manner; document all payments.
• Assist with training for any activity department team members and volunteers.
• Assist with producing a calendar of events for the next calendar season, while ensuring to stay within budget expectations.
• Help with fundraising and community outreach to support the Resort Cultural & Activities department.
• Maintain accurate office and activity supply inventories.
• Ensure all equipment and supplies are kept in good condition.
• Ensure workstation is clean, neat and organized according to Highgate brand standard
• Perform other duties as requested by management.

• Education & Experience:

  • The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities:
  • At least 2 years' experience in the hospitality industry
  • Previous guest service experience required.
  • Computer knowledge/skills required.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of Hawaiian Culture
  • Excellent verbal and communication skills required
  • College Degree helpful.
  • Ability to use good judgment in areas of safety and security of participants
  • Creative and resourceful
  • Image of professionalism
  • Flexible and adaptable to a variety of circumstances

  Physical requirements:

  • Long hours maybe required.
  • Most work tasks are performed on the property on a year-round basis
  • Position requires walking and giving direction; must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to 4 hours in length. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task.
  • Must be able to exert well-paced ability to reach different outlets and other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
  • Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning and stocking tasks.
  • Must be able to lift to 30 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis.
  • Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
  • Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and other associates.
  • Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
  • Requires manual dexterity to use and operate all necessary equipment
  • Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers, printers, 10-key adding machine, electric typewriter, multi-line touch tone phone, filing cabinets, FAX machines, photocopiers, dolly and other office equipment as need
  • Light work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.