Director Operations Manager Jobs in Hawaii (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Operations Manager
Department: Operations
Reports to: Retreat Director
FLSA Classification: Salary Exempt
Supervises: 11.5 Employees (Full Time Employees, Part Time and On-Call Employees)
Created / Updated: May 2026
Starting Salary Range: $72,000-$85,000 (commensurate with experience)
About Sensei:
Founded by Dr. David Agus and Larry Ellison, our ecosystem of products and experiences is designed with one intention: to empower you to grow well and lead the world toward greater wellbeing.
Based on Dr. Agus' philosophy, Sensei believes we can guide our guests to greater wellbeing by offering experiential movement, rest and nourishment classes and programs. The launch of the Retreats wellness brand took place on Lana'i, Hawaii in partnership with Four Season's lodging and food offerings by Nobu. In this location, Sensei Porcupine Creek, Sensei is operating the lodging operation, as well as world-class golf, tennis, spa, fitness, movement, nutrition, meditative, enrichment and body assessment facilities. In addition, Sensei will run the F&B operation, as part of a licensing agreement with Nobu. Sensei programs and continuing learning sessions are high-touch, evidence-led and supported by the latest technology. You can read our story here.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Operations Manager is a strategic and highly engaged leader responsible for driving the day-to-day execution of the Sensei Lāna'i guest experience and operational performance. Reporting to the Retreat Director, this role ensures a seamless, personalized, and elevated guest journey from pre-arrival planning through on-property execution. The Operations Manager leads core operational teams while maintaining real-time oversight of bookings, guest flow, service delivery, and overall retreat operations. This position serves as a central connector across departments, aligning Pre-Arrival, Experience, Spa, Wellness, and Retreat Assistant teams with Four Seasons partners including Reservations, Front Office, Engineering, Housekeeping and Food & Beverage. Through this collaboration, the Operations Manager ensures that every detail of the guest experience is executed with precision, consistency, and care. The Operations Manager is responsible for balancing service excellence with operational efficiency, including labor optimization, revenue opportunity identification, and booking accuracy. They act as a point of contact for guest experience, ensuring thoughtful recovery, proactive communication, and high-touch service at all times. This leader also plays a key role in team development and accountability, overseeing training, performance, and daily communication to ensure the Experience Specialist, PreArrival Experience Specialist and Retreat Assistant teams are aligned, informed and empowered to deliver at the highest level. Through strong leadership, operational discipline, and cross-functional partnership, the Operations Manager ensures that Sensei Lāna'i delivers a consistently exceptional, intentional, and wellness-driven experience aligned with our mission, philosophy, and standards.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Overall Operations Oversight

• Lead daily resort-wide wellness operational oversight to ensure seamless execution of the guest experience across all departments.
• Serve as the key liaison between guest-facing teams and internal operations, ensuring alignment between sales, reservations and on-site execution.
• Act as the point of contact for service escalations and high-touch guest recovery.
• Oversee the guest experience through real-time itinerary updates, bookings, and daily guest movement across departments.
• Touchpoint Execution - Oversee pre-arrival, arrival, and mid-stay guest communication and touchpoints, including alerts, welcome amenities, special requests, and surprise-and-delight moments.
• Booking Accuracy Management - Maintain oversight of booking accuracy two weeks in advance.
• Billing Oversight - Ensure guest service charge accuracy, manage billing disputes, and manage charge reconciliations.
• Balancing the Books - Review final balance of spa and wellness appointments by 7:15 a.m. daily.
• Daily Operations Communication - Post the daily Torii Time report by 8:15 a.m. daily, to prepare the property team for incoming guests, including key occupancy data, guest sentiment highlights, and operational updates.
• Property Reporting - Compile and contribute to weekly and monthly cross-departmental property reports by collecting inputs from department heads and submitting completed documents for the Retreat Director's review and executive reporting.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Retreat Director.

Revenue & Labor Optimization Oversight

• Booking Gap Analysis - Review daily/weekly bookings to identify availability gaps and support revenue conversion strategies.
• Recommendation & Enhancement Strategies - Support design and execution of strategies and team incentives that promote upsells, service add-ons, and package conversions.
• Labor Cost Monitoring - Monitor and manage labor standards across the Experience and Retreat Assistant teams to balance service and cost.
• Labor Optimization - Align team scheduling and labor strategy with forecasted demand and booking trends.
• Shift Strategy Recommendations - Recommend shift structure adjustments based on service volume and operational needs.

VIP & Group Oversight

• Itinerary Coordination - Partner with Retreat Director and Pre-Arrival Team to coordinate itineraries and logistics for VIPs, media visits, travel agents, FAMs, site visits, groups, and buyouts.
• Custom Itinerary Planning - Collaborate with Four Seasons Sales, Event Planning, Pre-Arrival, and Lāna'i Leadership to build customized group and individual itineraries.
• Operational Alignment Meetings - Attend resume review meetings and pre-conference briefings to align operational details.
• Arrival Communication Prep - Share announcements and key trip details with staff prior to arrival to ensure team readiness.
• On-Site Group Liaison - Serve as the primary on-property contact for groups and VIPs during their stay.
• Movement Communication Updates - Provide real-time updates on guest/group movement and changes via Oasis and Teams.
• Wellness Tour Coordination - Coordinate and support all Sensei wellness tour and presentation requests.
• Guest Touchpoint Execution - Execute personalized touchpoints including welcome letter, amenities, greetings, mid-stay check-in, and farewell.
• Media Request Oversight - Manage on-site media, photo, and video requests while maintaining guest privacy and experience standards.

Experience Specialist Team Management

• Team Supervision - Supervise Pre-Arrival Experience Specialist and Experience Specialists team, overseeing scheduling, training, payroll, and performance coaching.
• Team Communication - Lead daily standups, send updates via Teams and Oasis, and review itineraries for accuracy.
• Ongoing Training - Prepare and lead weekly training and development meetings for Pre-Arrival and Experience teams.
• Documentation Management - Maintain training manuals, policy documents, SOPs, and service standard resources.
• Resort Offerings Expertise - Keep the team informed of all Sensei and Four Seasons services, dining, activities and events.
• Recruitment & Recognition - Support recruitment, onboarding, and recognition initiatives.
• Experience Desk Coverage - Provide back-up support for the Experience Desk, including guest greetings, appointment scheduling, and daily closeouts.

Retreat Assistant Team Management

• Team Supervision - Supervise the Lead Retreat Assistant and Retreat Assistant team, overseeing scheduling, training, payroll, and performance coaching.
• Spa Support Oversight - Assist the Lead Retreat Assistant and Retreat Assistant Team as needed to ensure daily readiness of spa treatment rooms, pantry stock, linen processing, and therapist assistance.
• Wellness Class Support - Assist the Lead Retreat Assistant and Retreat Assistant Team as needed to ensure setup and breakdown of movement classes.
• Cross-Department Coordination - Assist the Lead Retreat Assistant as needed to ensure successful collaboration with Sensei Corporate IT and Four Seasons departments (IT, Housekeeping, Engineering, Landscaping, Laundry and Art Conservatorship) to resolve operational issues and ensure seamless guest support.
• Support Logistics Management - Assist the Lead Retreat Assistant and Retreat Assistant Team as needed to ensure back-of-house support including hale turnover, class setup, laundry flow and wellness inventory.
• Storage & Presentation Standards - Maintain high standards of organization, cleanliness, and safety across all retreat storage and support areas.
• Vehicle Oversight - Assist the Lead Retreat Assistant as needed to ensure scheduling, maintenance, and cleanliness of retreat vehicles used by team members.
• Inventory & Procurement - Assist the Lead Retreat Assistant as needed to ensure product restocking, inventory accuracy, and coordination with purchasing and receiving teams.
• Facilities Issue Reporting - Assist the Lead Retreat Assistant as needed to ensure clear reporting channels for maintenance or supply issues to ensure timely resolution.

Sensei Team Member Qualities

• Leadership - Maintain a positive, upbeat role, promote and exemplify Company values and represent departmental objectives and interests to internal and external customers.
• Customer Service - Follow up on complaints, questions, and concerns; respond to internal/external customer needs in a friendly, timely and efficient manner
• Teamwork - Develop and promote teamwork and cooperation among co-workers.
• Safety - Comply with established safe work practices and attend to all safety-related training provided or made available by the Company.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's Degree or higher desirable
• 3 years minimum experience working in the hospitality or wellness industry at a front desk or control desk, operations, reservations, call center or hotel concierge.
• Possess computer skills, literate in software packages such as Word/Excel/PowerPoint, Book4Time or booking systems, GMS, Asana and Outlook.

Required Technical / Other Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with guests, co-workers, partners and stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the guest experience.
• High commitment to guest satisfaction and service including maintaining a courteous and professional manner and a positive attitude, exhibiting a willingness to help, and promoting positive interactions with guests.
• Ability to proactively sell products and services.
• Good organizational skills and the ability to pay close attention to detail with minimal supervision.
• Must be able to work flexible hours, weekends, evenings and holidays.
• Ability to perform and lead in a team-based environment.

Required Licenses/Certifications

• None

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical requirements described in the "Physical Requirements of Position" chart are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. See attached "Physical Requirements of the Position".
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
This position has access to confidential information - (Such as customer personal data, credit cards, medical records, etc.)
Living and Working on the Island of Lānaʻi
Lānaʻi is the third-smallest island in the Hawaiian Islands and home to a close-knit family-orientated community of approximately 3,300 residents contributing to its strong sense of community and local pride. 98% of the island is owned by Oracle founder and Sensei Wellness co-founder Larry Ellison, who also owns both on-island Four Seasons resorts located just under 9 miles from each other and the average speed limit in the city is 20 mph and no stoplights.
Lāna'i is home to one K-12 school, a gas station, a few owner-operated eateries and sundries stores, a two-screen movie theatre, and the newly renovated Lāna'i City Bowling Alley.
Working for Sensei Lānaʻi offers a unique opportunity to be part of a small, collaborative team in a setting where community and connection matter. This lifestyle is best suited for individuals who are excited by serene island living, and are seeking a slower paced lifestyle. For those who choose it with intention, living and working on Lānaʻi can be deeply rewarding, offering meaningful work, strong relationships, and a rare sense of place.
Traits We Value

• Commitment to a healthier living environment and embracing the Sensei Way and philosophy espoused and science identified in Dr Agus' teachings and writings
• Collaborative mentality and the ability to recognize how to get things done as a team
• Self-confidence and composure to accept critique, process it, and apply the learnings to improve
• Resourceful and adaptable, understanding that a big idea can come from anywhere
• Open to learning, developing new skills and professional experiences
• Loves a good challenge
• A strong sense of curiosity
• Embraces feedback and constantly seeks to improve
• Collaborative and knows how to get things done as part of a team

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Medical, dental, and vision insu