“ONE OF THE 25 COOLEST

HOTELS IN THE WORLD”

Forbes, Selected by Tablet

“This futuristic hotel is like “New hotel concept provides “Zoku concept forgoes the “A new type of hotel
WeWork combined with global nomads with a local bed as the typical hotel’s is upping its game to
AirBnB.“ social life.” centerpiece.” compete with Airbnb“

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WHAT THE ZOKU?
Zoku, which is Japanese for family, tribe or
clan, facilitates global living and working
for the traveling professional. Zoku is a new
category in the hotel industry: a flexible home/
office hybrid, also suitable for long stays, with
the services of a hotel and the social buzz
of a thriving neighbourhood. You can live,
work, relax and socialize with like-minded
people – while getting wired into the city.
Zoku still feels very much like the high-energy
and ambitious entrepreneurial start-up from
its early beginnings; yet, it also benefits from
strong financial backing and a professional
set-up to “make it big”. Zoku is created by a
small team of highly enthusiastic and engaged
individuals who bring on board bags of
enthusiasm and gumption. It describes itself
as “a sprawling family thanks to an amazing
group of people who have supported the
company over the last few years”. To help
spread the message about its story, founders
and supporters, the Zoku team has put together
an open letter – which can be accessed here.
After opening the first Zoku in Amsterdam in
2016, the team started the European expansion
and has now several deals in the pipeline
to open in 2020 and beyond. The company
continues to pursue its growth ambition for
both Europe and US. Its ambition – to open
50 Zokus in the next ten years, creating
the world’s most desirable home base,
where people and ideas connect and grow.
Further information on Zoku can be found at
www.livezoku.com, as well as by browsing its
various social media platforms (e.g. Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and Youtube). It is also
noteworthy to mention that Zoku is planning
on becoming B-corp certified by mid-July.
On its website, under the ‘Green Zoku’ page
you can find an overview of Zoku’s social
and sustainable responsibilities as well as its
impact vision, i.e. the ‘why’ as it pertains to
how we believe we can make a difference
and create a positive impact on the world.
TELL ME MORE
The Chief Operating Officer is a newly created
position; one, which will support Zoku’s
growth in Europe from an operational point of
view whilst also tasked to further strengthen
its position as a firmly human-centric and
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data-driven company. You will assume full
responsibility for the operational business
entailing both the day-to-day management
as well as the strategic planning. You’ll form
part of Zoku’s three-legged Executive team,
proactively supporting the two founders
of the business in managing the company.
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
Tasked to create a stable and scalable operating
platform that is build first and foremost on
human interactions and focused on guests
and employee engagement, you will drive
and enhance Zoku’s unique value proposition
and help implement a culture that is truly
focused on service excellence. You will lead
by example, proactively coach and mentor
staff, and ensure consistency across the
property portfolio by identifying and sharing
best practices. Great emphasis is placed on
creating a truly aligned community, with focus
on connecting people (team members and
guests alike), that celebrates the Zoku spirit.
You will furthermore successfully manage
and spearhead openings, embrace and
implement new innovative ideas, assume
responsibility for key hiring decisions and
the selection of “Zoku” ambassadors,
drive employee engagement and create a
positive work environment and culture that
ensures retention and drives performance.
You will have full P&L responsibility and
closely collaborate in that regard with
other Leadership Team members. You are
expected to put in place, and/or fine-tune,
the necessary systems and procedures to
support the company’s rapid expansion plans.
The individual will be the first point of contact
to all operational needs and in managing
owner relations in regard to performance
aspects. Below more specific responsibilities:
GENERAL MANAGEMENT
• Develop and implement a strategic plan
for the business and its operational
department, consistent and in line with
brand standards and the company culture;
• Define and implement the corporate and
hotel-level operational structures and set-
up necessary standard operating processes
and procedures as well as systems and
tools needed in line with Zoku’s efforts to
become a truly data-driven company;
• Define and implement the operational
• business plan, set and achieve success
matrixes (e.g. review scores, staff
engagement scores), budgets and financial
goals;
• Responsible for the company’s sales and
distribution strategy;
• Act as driving force, inspiration and true
ambassador of the guest-focussed culture
within Zoku.
OPERATIONAL
• Firmly human centric: hire, train and direct
staff – for both the office in Amsterdam
and at a hotel level;
• Create an environment where people can
thrive, by leading and developing the
team members to encourage maximum
performance;
• Spearhead the critical path and guide and
direct, in close collaboration with the Head
of Pre-Opening, and the pre-opening teams
to ensure that budgets and deadlines are
met;
• Embrace Zoku’s vision and focus on
solutions. Be aware of new food & beverage
concepts, new technologies and changing
guest behaviour. Be ready to adapt and
drive positive change.
• Supervise and coach teams at unit-level
on meeting and exceeding operational
and financial goals and constantly look for
ways to improve the product and guest
experience.
• Develop and demonstrate a strong
understanding of property demand
generators, revenue management,
distribution channels, the sales process and
yield strategies to maximise performance;
• Complete detailed onsite property audits
and action plans for each unit a minimum
of four times per year; specific properties
may require additional visits.
• Work closely with all outsourced partners
(such as Housekeeping, Revenue
Management, Night personnel and PR
agency) to ensure consistency and
operational excellence.
FINANCIAL
• Overseeing, together with the Leadership
Team, the preparation of annual budgets –
at property and group level;
• Leading, together with the Leadership
Team, the monthly business unit review
process and quarterly unit business plan
reviews;
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• Overseeing detailed operational financial
analysis, performance tracking and
ongoing review of revenue management,
forecast and profit and loss metrics;
• Conduct detailed review of each
property’s monthly performance measures
including but not limited to profit and
loss statements, third party audit scores
and guest satisfaction results identifying
opportunities for continuous improvement;
• Providing operational input into CapEx
(capital expenditure) plans based on
solid return-on-investment (ROI) analysis
and needs assessment. Assist in ensuring
that CapEx programs are completed on
time and within budget with limited to no
impact on operations, performance levels
and/or or the guest experience.
TEAM BUILDING / LEADERSHIP
• Directly collaborate with the corporate
team, which includes managers responsible
for Pre-Openings, Technology, Finance, HR
and Commercial;
• Establish accountability for self and others;
identify core issues, balance intuition
and good business sense while being
emotionally stable and mature, accept
feedback, coach others, and possess the
highest levels of integrity;
• Communicate effectively and frequently
with other departments to ensure sound
business decisions, efficiency of operations,
and high standards are met;
• Develop and continuously update
training(s) (manuals) – regularly conduct
IDPs (individual development plans) with
key staff members to build and develop a
strong talent pipeline;
• Supporting the HR team in the identification
and development of future leaders to
create a stable and reliable (internal) talent
pool of hospitality employees;
• Assisting with the on-boarding of new
personnel and management positions;
• Creating a positive work environment
with the goal to achieve high employee
engagement and loyalty in all hotels;
• Becoming a brand champion and
ambassador, both internally and externally,
by living and breathing the values of Zoku.
OTHER
• Work closely with the development team
and senior management to assess the
potential and viability of development
• opportunities from an operational and
market point-of-view;
• Lead the implementation of new business
opportunities which help the company to
evolve and/or expand into new lines of
business;
• Lead the implementation and/or
adaptation of Zoku’s brand standards,
based on market intel, guest feedback and
specific data points; allowing the company
to be at the top of its game as it relates to
the guest experience;
• Work closely with the Leadership Team
in periodical and ad-hoc reporting to the
owners/investors;
• Act as a problem-solver for on-property
issues or asset fixing;
• Identify and address any potential or
existing conditions relating to life safety,
legal or physical deficiencies;
• Evaluate performance by analysing and
interpreting data and metrics.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP
You will work with Zoku’s two co-founders,
as part of the Executive Team, and will have
frequent interaction with all other members
of the Leadership Team. You will be based in
Amsterdam and required to do some travel.
WE LOVE PEOPLE WHO...
You will likely possess a bachelor’s degree
or equivalent level qualification, plus
(international) experience in managing hotel,
private members club and/or comparable
hospitality operations at cluster or multi-unit
level. Expertise in branded hotel management
and leading hotel openings as General Manager
is highly valued. Managing openings is a must
and ideally you will have been involved in
the management of lifestyle and/or hybrid
properties. Additionally, complementing
your experience on the ‘rooms’ side of the
business, you should bring on board hands-on
experience with a hospitality employer who
stood out from the rest of its competition
giving its excellent service levels. You should
furthermore be commercially and financially
savvy and interested in utilizing and
embracing new (data driven) technologies.
Exceptional leadership skills are essential as
well as past experience in creating outstanding
employee engagement and staff loyalty and
building successful and high performing
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teams. The COO must create a positive
work environment with focus on developing,
nurturing and motivating employees who
in return will add to the Zoku community.
The ability to build long lasting relationships
at all levels is fundamental. Humble, and
passionate about hotel operations and the
guest experience, you will stand out above
everyone else given his/her hands-on attitude
and go-getter mentality. You will bring on
board a good sense of humour and inspire the
team to thrive for excellence and never settle
for less. Adventurous and entrepreneurial, you
will be able to grow with the company and
have an open-mind, be forward thinking and
possess a fresh approach to embrace new
ideas and concepts. You will be highly self-
motivated, goal-orientated and competitive
whilst also appreciating that there is no “i” in
“team”. Identifying with the ‘start-up’ ethos
of the group, you will be highly adaptable, be
used to operating within a flat organisational
structure and will welcome travelling to
visit the portfolio and local / regional staff
members. You will be able to successfully
open new properties that meet Zoku’s specific
requirements and should also be tech-savvy
and aware of new trends and challenges.
Superior communication and presentation
skills, both oral and written, are critical. You will
need to be a consummate team player with
excellent interpersonal and communication
skills up and down the organisational chart.
You should be well organised, computer
literate, and detail-oriented as well as adept
at managing multiple openings at the
same time. In addition, you are proficient
in written and spoken English and ideally
speak additional European languages
(French and/or German are highly desirable).
WHEN WILL YOU BE
SUCCESSFUL?
• When high review scores, across the entire
portfolio, are reached on all channels;
• When high employee engagement scores,
across the entire portfolio, are reached;
• When you have communicated, promoted
and applied the desired company culture,
values and vision to each team member on
the work floor;
• When you have achieved the operational
performance to be in accordance with the
blueprint (or better);
• When Zoku’s brand standards (including
the guest experience) are implemented
successfully;
• When all operational processes, procedures
and systems are scalable, and efficiently
and effectively implemented;
• When all data is effectively collected and
interpreted, including feedback to all
business lines;
• When you have successfully integrated
with the Executive Team;
• When you have taken ownership of the
above and become part of Zoku.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

Base salary and incentives will be
commensurated with experience.

HOW TO APPLY?
Does this sound like you? Make sure to
send your application (CV, motivation and
if you like (we do!) something extra to
present yourself) to talent@livezoku.com.
We will get back to you as soon as possible.

“One hotelier is thinking

outside the box”
HOTEL CHATTER