Managing Director (Miami)
The Shelborne by Proper is an iconic Miami Beach landmark reimagined through the lens of Proper Hospitality. Set along the ocean in the heart of South Beach, our historic Art Deco property brings together thoughtful design, elevated hospitality, dynamic food and beverage, wellness, nightlife, and a distinctly Miami sense of energy. More than a hotel, The Shelborne is envisioned as a destination for both travelers and locals — honoring the character and history of the property while creating a modern luxury experience that feels deeply connected to the culture, rhythm, and spirit of Miami Beach. Position Overview We are seeking an exceptional Managing Director to lead The Shelborne by Proper and steward its continued evolution as one of Miami Beach’s most distinctive luxury destinations. This is the senior-most executive at the property and requires a leader who can operate simultaneously as a business owner, culture builder, commercial strategist, and highly visible ambassador for the hotel. The Managing Director holds full responsibility for the performance of the property, including financial results, guest experience, operations, food and beverage, nightlife, sales and marketing, people and culture, and the continued evolution of The Shelborne's position within Miami. Success in this role requires more than operating an excellent hotel. The Managing Director must understand what makes a luxury property both culturally relevant and commercially successful — building a destination that resonates equally with hotel guests and the local community. What You’ll Do Lead the Business Own the overall strategy, performance, and day-to-day leadership of The Shelborne by Proper Maintain full accountability for property financial performance, including revenue, profitability, labor, expenses, forecasting, and annual budgets Translate ownership and company objectives into clear property-level priorities and measurable results Identify opportunities to grow revenue and profitability across rooms, food and beverage, nightlife, events, wellness, and other ancillary experiences Maintain a sophisticated understanding of the Miami Beach luxury and lifestyle landscape, anticipating changes in demand, competition, consumer behavior, and market opportunity Partner closely with Proper Hospitality's corporate leadership and ownership on long-term positioning, capital priorities, and strategic initiatives Build an Exceptional Leadership Team Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing Executive Committee and senior leadership team Establish clear accountability across departments while creating a highly collaborative operating culture Develop leaders who are commercially minded, operationally disciplined, and deeply invested in the guest experience Maintain a visible presence throughout the property and establish a culture where leaders are engaged with guests, members, employees, and the operation itself Set a high standard for performance while creating an environment where talented hospitality professionals want to build their careers Deliver the By Proper Guest Experience Serve as the ultimate steward of service, ensuring the experience feels elevated, intuitive, personal, and distinctly By Proper Maintain uncompromising standards across rooms, public spaces, food and beverage, nightlife, wellness, and every guest touchpoint Remain highly connected to guest feedback and property performance, identifying opportunities before they become problems Ensure operational excellence never comes at the expense of personality, warmth, creativity, or spontaneity Create an environment where both first-time visitors and regular guests feel a genuine sense of connection to the property Drive Food, Beverage & Nightlife Treat food, beverage, and nightlife as fundamental drivers of the hotel's identity and business — not simply amenities supporting rooms Partner closely with culinary, beverage, nightlife, and corporate F&B leadership to drive performance and continuously evolve the concepts Ensure venues including the Lobby Bar and Little Torch develop strong identities, loyal local followings, and relevance within Miami's competitive hospitality landscape Understand the economics of high-volume and experience-driven F&B operations and maintain strong accountability around revenue, labor, cost of goods, and profitability Build an environment that attracts compelling operators, talent, collaborators, and guests Steward Community & Cultural Connection Serve as one of the property's most visible ambassadors within Miami Beach and the broader Miami community Build meaningful relationships across hospitality, art, fashion, entertainment, music, wellness, business, and local cultural communities Partner with brand, marketing, programming, and F&B teams to create experiences and partnerships that feel authentic to The Shelborne rather than manufactured Ensure programming and partnerships translate into sustained cultural relevance, guest engagement, local loyalty, and commercial value Develop a strong network of regulars, tastemakers, partners, and community relationships that deepen the property's connection to Miami Drive Commercial Performance Work closely with Sales, Revenue Management, Marketing, and E-Commerce leadership to maximize market share and overall asset performance Maintain fluency in key hotel performance metrics including ADR, occupancy, RevPAR, RevPAR index, flow-through, and profitability Understand the property's customer mix and continually identify opportunities across leisure, group, corporate, events, local business, and other demand segments Ensure commercial strategy and brand positioning remain closely connected rather than operating as separate disciplines Balance short-term performance with the long-term value and reputation of The Shelborne brand Protect the Asset Maintain rigorous standards around safety, security, compliance, maintenance, and physical plant Partner with Engineering and ownership to prioritize capital needs and protect the long-term quality and value of the property Ensure the hotel operates responsibly and in accordance with all company policies and applicable regulations Approach the property with an owner's mindset, balancing guest impact, operational requirements, and financial return in decision-making What We’re Looking For Significant senior leadership experience within luxury or high-end independent hospitality Previous experience as a Managing Director or General Manager at a complex, high-profile hotel or resort Demonstrated ownership of significant hotel financial performance and a sophisticated understanding of hotel P&L management Deep operational experience across rooms and food and beverage, ideally within properties where restaurants, bars, nightlife, and events are major components of the business Strong commercial instincts and the ability to connect operations, brand positioning, sales, marketing, revenue strategy, and guest experience Experience leading large, diverse teams and developing high-performing executive leadership groups Genuine understanding of luxury lifestyle hospitality and the expectations of a sophisticated international clientele Strong knowledge of — or meaningful connection to — Miami's hospitality, cultural, entertainment, and lifestyle landscape is highly desirable A highly visible, relationship-driven leadership style and comfort serving as the public face of a property Proven ability to balance creative ambition with operational discipline and financial accountability Exceptional judgment, executive presence, communication skills, and emotional intelligence The Leadership Profile The right Managing Director is both operator and host. You understand the numbers deeply, but you also understand the room. You know when a restaurant feels right, when a lobby has energy, when service is becoming transactional, and when a property is beginning to lose relevance. You are comfortable reviewing a P&L in the morning, walking the operation with department leaders in the afternoon, greeting a longtime guest at dinner, and connecting with Miami's creative community that evening. Most importantly, you understand that The Shelborne is not intended to simply be a successful hotel. It should be a place people want to return to, talk about, and be part of — and you will be responsible for making that happen. Why Join Proper Hospitality At Proper, we build experiences that move people — and that begins with the team behind them. As a best-in-class employer, we’re committed to creating one of the Best Places to Work in hospitality by nurturing a culture where creativity, excellence, and humanity thrive together. Everything we do is grounded in the belief that hospitality is more than a profession - it’s an opportunity to care for others and make lives better. Guided by the Pillars of Proper , we show up with warmth and authenticity (Care Proper), strive for excellence in everything we do (Achieve Proper), think creatively and resourcefully (Imagine Proper), and take pride in the style and culture that make us who we are (Present Proper). We believe our people are our greatest strength, and we invest deeply in their wellbeing, growth, and sense of belonging. From comprehensive benefits to meaningful development programs, Proper is designed to help you build a career, and a li
