Workplace Hospitality Services Assistant Manager, NY

Workplace Hospitality Services Assistant Manager, NY

Freshfields is a major global law firm, providing corporate legal services of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,800 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions, and governments.

The Workplace Hospitality Services Assistant Manager, NY is a key member of Freshfields's Workplace Experience Team, responsible for overseeing the delivery of exceptional Hospitality Services in our New York office. This role manages a team of 25 vendor staff across Guest Services, Catering & Conference Services, Audio-Visual, and Onsite Meeting/Event Management, ensuring seamless experiences for employees, clients, and visitors.

Reporting to the Workplace Experience Manager, NY, the Assistant Manager will provide hands-on leadership, foster collaboration, and maintain the highest standards of service excellence. With consistent in-office presence, this individual will act as a key liaison between vendors and workplace leadership, ensuring operations run smoothly in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment. The ideal candidate is forward-thinking, hospitality-focused, and passionate about creating an outstanding workplace experience.

What You'll Do

Hospitality Services

• Oversee daily operations and supervision of vendor teams delivering Guest Services, Catering, Pantry, Café, Conference Center, Audio-Visual, and Meeting/Event Management.
• Set and uphold a standard of excellence in all aspects of Hospitality Services, ensuring seamless experiences for employees, clients, and visitors.
• Conduct regular spot-checks of service areas, conference rooms, food service facilities, and AV/technology setups to ensure cleanliness, accuracy, and readiness.
• Partner with Freshfields event staff and vendors to plan and execute onsite meetings, gatherings, and firmwide events (e.g., Staff Appreciation, Family Halloween, Take Your Child to Work Day).
• Drive food service providers to deliver creative, appealing, and sustainable offerings, incorporating seasonal elements and firm initiatives.
• Create, manage, and maintain the New York office event calendar, ensuring accurate scheduling and seamless coordination across all hospitality functions.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the office's reservation system, including troubleshooting issues, coordinating fixes with vendors/IT, and training staff to ensure optimal use of the platform.

Service Excellence & Leadership

• Lead by example and model behaviors consistent with Freshfields standards of professionalism and hospitality.
• Serve as the escalation point of contact for service delivery issues, ensuring timely resolution and appropriate follow-through.
• Foster strong relationships with vendors and internal stakeholders, promoting collaboration and communication across service teams.
• Continuously identify opportunities to innovate, streamline, and enhance service delivery to maximize the workplace experience.

Performance, Budgeting & Reporting

• Partner with NY Workplace Leadership on annual budgeting, ensuring optimization of resources.
• Track expenses, evaluate vendor performance, and provide recommendations to ensure cost efficiency and quality service.
• Establish and monitor SLAs and KPIs; provide regular reporting on activity, utilization, and service quality metrics.
• Analyze conference room usage, event activity, and service trends to inform decision-making and improve operations.
• Support environmental goals by implementing practices to reduce food, paper, and plastic waste.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience) required.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in corporate hospitality, operations, or workplace services, preferably within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Proven experience leading and managing vendor teams across guest services, food & beverage, conference center, and AV/meeting support.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver white-glove client and employee experiences in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence across all levels.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with the ability to prioritize, problem-solve, and adapt quickly.
• Strong business acumen with experience in budgeting, vendor performance management, and operational reporting.
• Experience with space/meeting management systems (e.g., Condeco) preferred.
• Familiarity with the unique needs and culture of law firms is a plus.
• Professional presence, integrity, and sound judgment, with a consistent commitment to service excellence and continuous improvement.