Senior Field Guide

JOB SUMMARY                                                                                                                

To provide personalised desert activities and services for the guests and visitors of the resort through the direct coordination with other resort operational units. Being responsible for information delivery to guests with regards to the ecology, history, heritage and culture of the United Arab Emirates through the conducting of daily activities in line with the resort’s services and functionalities.

SCOPE / BUSINESS CONTEXT 

• A Full Time position based at Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa, The Luxury Collection.
• Number of Direct Reports - none
• Titles of Direct Reports – none

CANDIDATE PROFILE                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Experience:

• At least 2 year working experience in a position relevant to the job requirements.
• Experience in a similar resort would be a strong recommendation. 
• A driver’s license, and an experienced, safety conscious, confident driving manner.

Skills and Knowledge 

• A Degree, Diploma or recognized training in Ecology, Biological Sciences, or relevant area of study.
• Training in P.R. or guest services is relevant but not essential. Any of the following specialized areas of interest, ability or training would be relevant: 

1) Experience of equestrian/animal care.

2) Knowledge of Falconry and avian care.

3) Archaeology.

4) Natural Sciences.

5) Professional guiding

Education or Certification 

• Min. 25 years of age.
• The candidate should have one or more of the following abilities/experiences/traits:

1) English and additional languages such as Arabic, Spanish, German, French, Italian or a Nordic language would be beneficial.

2) A First Aid Diploma would be beneficial.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

The following are specific responsibilities and contributions critical to the successful performance of the position:

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. To ensure the required arrangements and guests’ requests for activities and tours is coordinated with Reception for guest check-in, check-out and billing procedures.
2. To ensure that allocated guests receive the activities in an informed and educational manner, while maintaining the policies, procedures and systems of the resort. This is to be done by maintaining personal contact with the guest, and providing continuity to the guest’s interactions with other departments of the resort. 
3. To ensure that allocated guests receive the activities, tours, special functions and excursions in an informed and educational manner, while maintaining the policies, procedures and safety systems of the Resort.  This to be done by maintaining personal contact and safe activities with the guest, and providing continuity to the guests interactions with the other departments of the Resort, coordinated with the Resort Operations Manager.
4. To oversee the Leisure department, and to ensure that this unit is disciplined and well-coordinated with Front Office / Guest Relations and other resort operations.  This is to ensure that the guest receives the full services of the resort in a well-coordinated and thorough manner. 
5. To coordinate with DDCR and Director of Operations concerning ecological maintenance and monitoring, and to ensure its sound development as part of an integrated environmental policy for the region.  This includes the routine works and maintenance required for the housing and care of domestic animals, and for the continual monitoring of wild animal species.
6. To pass on all relevant information, (including complaints), to the other departments in the resort, to ensure that the guest receives services in a well-coordinated and timely manner.  This includes additional information which may be relevant to developing and upgrading services, Guest History records, Management and Sales & Marketing.
7. To monitor the use and maintenance of all equipment provided for the activities, tours and excursions, (including vehicles).  Ensuring it is maintained according to the standards laid down by the Resort Management; and to report on any works to be carried out to the relevant Department.
8. To actively enquire and recommend the services, activities and facilities of the resort to guests and visitors, ensuring that they are kept informed of the full range of options available to them.
9. The position demands activities that may be physically demanding. The Recreation Manager will therefore require some sporting and other physical abilities.
10. To arrange and conduct activities and special requests of guests and visitors to the resort, ensuring that they have the maximum comfort and convenience for the duration of their visit. 
11. To pass on all relevant information, (including complaints), to the other departments in the operation, to ensure that the guests receive services in a well-coordinated and timely manner. This includes additional information which may be relevant to developing and upgrading services, updating Guest History Records, informing Management, and Sales and Marketing. 
12. To ensure that all equipment provided for the activities, including all vehicles is maintained according to the standards laid down by the Resort Management; and to report on any works to be carried out to the relevant departments.
13. To ensure that the image of the resort, the company, Dubai and its policies are maintained through provision of a disciplined, well groomed (short hair and clean shaven as per the company grooming standards for men) and professional approach, at all times promoting a friendly, informal and polite relationship between guests and the resort staff.   
14. To actively enquire and recommend the services, activities and facilities of the resort to guests and visitors, ensuring that they are kept informed of the full range of options available to them.
15. To actively maintain and update existing knowledge which is relevant to the resort’s services, and the function of being the primary information source for visitors to the resort and to the U.A.E. 
16. To ensure that the correct level of competency is reached for all activities. To maintain, practise and improve the skills necessary to conduct all the activities safely and professionally. 

As Senior Field Guide, you will be responsible for the following areas within the Leisure department:

Archery:

• Completing spot checks on Archery range to check cleanliness and tidiness.
• Ensuring Archery range is maintained. i.e. palm leaves and rubbish is removed.
• Assisting with any other archery related matters. 
• Maintaining archery equipment in perfect working condition. 
• Conducting archery training sessions with the field guides. 

Training:

• Ensuring all relevant training is completed in a timely manner. 
• Conducting regular training sessions with grooms and guides to maintain knowledge levels.
• Improving training if and where necessary. 
• Updating and maintaining training SOPs’. 
• Keeping training records up to date. 
• Assisting with any other training related matters. 

Vehicle Fleet:

• Ensuring all 13 station wagon land cruisers are kept in prime condition. 
• Completing spot checks on land cruisers to check cleanliness and tidiness.
• Ensuring weekly vehicle inspections are done in a timely manner.
• Ensuring monthly fuel logs are maintained.
• Ensuring daily vehicle sanitization and air filter cleaning are being completed as required. 
• Ensuring all the field guide land cruisers contain the necessary recovery equipment. 
• Ensuring vehicle first aid kits are up to date. 
• Assisting with any other vehicle related matters. 

Falcon Mews:

• Ensuring the falcon mews is neat, presentable and tidy. 
• Ensuring the field guides have the necessary equipment and tools to conduct their duties at the falcon mews. 
• Ensuring the falcons are at optimal health levels.
• Maintaining adequate quail levels. 
• Maintaining sand levels around the weathering cages. 
• Ensuring falcons are being trained and that field guides follow the Standard Operating Procedures at the falcon mews. 
• Monitoring falcon-flying weights throughout the year. 
• Arranging clean-ups at the mews through-out the year, and especially after wind/rain storms. 
• Assisting with any other falcon related matters. 

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Other responsibilities of the job holder include but are not limited to:

1) The job holder is expected, as part of their guest service duties, to assist other departments in their service delivery. This is part of the personalised services offered, and provides continuity for the guest as they move between individual department services. 

2) The position requires activities which may be physically demanding. The job holder will therefore require some sporting or other physical ability. The job holder is responsible for ensuring that their weight does not exceed the maximum weight limit of 85 kg set for horse riding.

3) The job holder is responsible for exercising the horses when they are not used for guest rides.

4) The job holder will be allocated a falcon and will be responsible for its care. This includes feeding, flying, training and moving it from the weathering cage to indoors and back out to the weathering cage at particular times of the day as determined by climatic conditions and approved by the Senior Field Guide.

5) Caring for the falcons includes daily feeding, cleaning, slaughtering and gutting of the quails which are used to feed the falcons.

6) The job holder has to collect live quails and quail food from the quail farm which supplies the resort, as well as horse feed, camel equipment and falconry supplies when necessary.

7) When a falcon is sick or needs to go for its scheduled check-ups the job holder has to deliver and collect the falcon from the vet in Nad Al Sheba.

8) The job sometimes requires the capturing of snakes, spiders or lizards from guest swimming pools or suites and releasing the wildlife back into the greater conservation reserve area.

9) At times wildlife may die of natural causes within the resort and the job holder will have to remove the carcasses in a discreet and professional manner. 

10) The job holder may have to perform Oryx control duties during the summer months or whenever it is necessary, removing or dispersing animals that display aggressive behaviour.

11) It is the job holder’s responsibility to collect garbage and to assist in keeping the conservation area pristine. 

12) The job holder will have to do standby shifts when they are allocated to them. A standby shift entails being in the bar for an hour in the evening to socialise with the guests, as well as being on call throughout the night for late security gate arrivals or any emergencies. 

13) The job holder is responsible for taking both staff and guests to the hospital should it be required.

14) When guest transfers do not arrive the job holder may be called upon to take the guests to the airport in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

15) Guests that arrive at the main entrance gate to the resort in their own vehicles need to be transferred to the resort by the job holder.

16) The job holder will have to assist with any and frequent activity day packages, site trips, film shoots, journalist visits, photo shoots and any other media exposure or external functions.

17) The job holder is responsible for frequent picnics for both in-house and external guests. This includes collecting the food from the kitchen, setting up the picnic site, dropping off and collecting the guests and then clearing the site and returning all the food and equipment to the kitchen. One picnic involves four round trips between the resort and the picnic site and may take anything between three to five hours. On some occasions even longer.

18) When there are frequent dune dinners between September and June for either in-house or external guests the job holder is responsible for transferring the guests to and from the dune dinner site. They will also have to be on standby at the campsite for the duration of the event to assist with any transfers, and to assist with the clearance procedures once the event has finished. 

19) When entertainment has been arranged for the dune dinners, such as Arabic bands and belly dancers, the job holder has to collect them from the security gate and drop them off again once they have finished their performance at the end of the night.

20) The job holder is responsible for maintaining and keeping the vehicle clean that is allocated to them. This includes weekly checks of all the fluids, cleaning out the air filter, cleaning out the air conditioner filter, any basic maintenance and informing the Senior Field Guide when the vehicle requires a major service or if there are any problems with it.

21) Tyres that are pulled or punctured are to be repaired by the job holder.

22) Any guest vehicles or transfer vehicles that become stuck in the sand will be recovered by the job holder.

23) When vehicles have bumpers or roll cages installed the vehicles have to be dropped off in Dubai and again collected after installation.

24) The job holder may be responsible for the first aid equipment and supplies in the resort. 

They will keep the first aid cupboard in reception fully stocked as well as the first aid boxes in each department and in the field guides vehicles. They will be responsible for doing monthly checks on the AED machines and for keeping the oxygen cylinders full and maintained and for ordering any first aid supplies that are needed.

25) The job holder will help to drop off and collect guests at their suites using the buggies during busy times or when there are large groups in-house.

26) During the summer months when activities finish early it is the job holder’s responsibility to collect the newspapers for the resort from the main gate and deliver them to reception.

CRITICAL COMPETENCIES:

a) Customer and Service orientation: The job holder is responsible for carrying out the supervision of guests, and delivery of wide range of guest services. The job will require a person who is disciplined, punctual and aware of the customers’ needs and who has the natural ability to respond to this in an enthusiastic, open and professional manner.

b) Adaptability:   The position calls for a diverse range of activities. Being in the ‘front line’ and dealing with guest requests/complaints the job holder will be required to make independent judgements which respond to individual needs. The ability to take these decisions and action the appropriate response will be part of the day to day duties of this position. 

c) Team Orientation: The job will require the co-ordination of services from many support departments and persons. In providing the guest with the best possible services from these departments the title holder must ensure co-operation and support from the service providers they should therefore be aware of the limitations and capabilities of fellow staff, and be willing to participate with others to achieve results.

d) Communication Skills: The job-holder is expected to initiate and develop rapport, and to be informative towards their allocated guests. The ability to listen, interpret and manage the response to guests is of primary importance in meeting the guest’s expectations and enhancing their appreciation of the resort. Equally this applies to providing of clear and accurate information to other departments of the resort ensuring the required results are achieved. 

 e) Diplomacy: The job holder, in dealing with the diversity of guests and the many internal departments, will require sensitivity, and the ability to produce clear results from these interactions. A self-disciplined, sincere and enthusiastic response to situations, people and departments will be a requirement for producing the desired results. 

f) Professional knowledge: The job holder will be required to put knowledge and experience to practical use, utilising these skills to manage their daily resort functions, while being able to convey this knowledge to the guests, visitors and other staff of the resort.

OTHER RELATED INFORMATION:

a) The job holder will be required to live on site in the accommodation provided. Staff accommodation is restricted and it would be preferable for the job-holder to be unmarried.

b) Since all resort staff will be accommodated on the property, there is a requirement that all staff have consideration for the comfort and privacy of others, and the temperament to maintain easy relations with colleagues.

The Field Guides maintain a guest orientated ‘front line’ position, while combining their professional knowledge with their guest relations experience and the wide range of skills that are necessary for conducting the activities ensuring guest satisfaction and safety. Their conduct is critical to the guests’ perception of the resort, and it is therefore seen as ‘key’ position.

At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated. Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.