100% free accommodation job description templates
Professional job description templates for hotels, motels, resorts and serviced apartments. Download ready-to-use templates for front office, housekeeping and guest services roles. 100% free, fully editable and award-aligned.
Browse templatesThe accommodation sector in australia
Australia's accommodation sector includes hotels, motels, resorts, serviced apartments, backpacker hostels and boutique accommodation. It's a 24/7 industry built on exceptional guest service, operational efficiency and attention to detail.
Roles range from front office positions (reception, concierge, reservations) to housekeeping, guest services and operational support. Most properties operate around the clock, requiring shift work, weekend availability and public holiday coverage. Clear job descriptions help set expectations and attract the right talent.
Most accommodation businesses fall under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020, which covers hotels, motels, resorts and similar properties across Australia.
15 free accommodation job description templates
Click any template to view the full job description and download the PDF
Bellhop
Assists guests with luggage, provides directions and information, and delivers items to guest rooms. Essential for full-service hotels offering premium guest arrival experiences.
Concierge
Provides personalized guest services including reservations, recommendations, tour bookings and special requests. A key role in luxury hotels and upscale accommodation properties.
Conference Services Assistant
Supports conference and event operations including room setup, AV equipment, catering coordination and guest liaison. Critical for properties with conference and function facilities.
Event Catering Assistant
Assists with food and beverage service for hotel events, functions and conferences. Includes setup, service, pack-down and maintaining presentation standards throughout events.
Front Desk Supervisor
Supervises reception operations, manages guest complaints, trains front desk staff and oversees shift handovers. Essential leadership role for medium to large accommodation properties.
Guest Services Officer
Handles guest enquiries, resolves concerns, coordinates special requests and ensures exceptional guest experiences. A dedicated service recovery and guest relations role.
Hotel Barista
Prepares specialty coffee and beverages for hotel guests, operates espresso equipment and maintains cafe or breakfast area presentation. Common in hotels with breakfast service or lobby cafes.
Hotel Receptionist
The front-facing role handling check-in/check-out, reservations, payments and guest enquiries. The most common position in accommodation and essential for all property types.
Hotel Shift Coordinator
Coordinates day-to-day operations across multiple departments during assigned shifts. Manages staff, handles escalations and ensures smooth 24/7 property operations.
Housekeeper
Cleans and maintains guest rooms, replenishes amenities and reports maintenance issues. A core operational role essential for all accommodation businesses.
Night Auditor
Manages overnight reception duties, processes end-of-day financial reconciliation and provides security monitoring. Critical for properties operating 24-hour front desk services.
Porter
Assists with luggage handling, guest requests, property maintenance and general support tasks. A versatile operational support role in hotels and resorts.
Reservation Agent
Handles booking enquiries, processes reservations, manages inventory and coordinates with guests pre-arrival. Essential for properties with centralized booking operations.
Room Attendant
Cleans, services and prepares guest rooms according to property standards. A high-volume operational role focused on delivering consistent cleanliness and presentation.
Valet Attendant
Provides professional parking services for hotel guests, maintains vehicle security and delivers exceptional arrival/departure experiences. Required for upscale properties offering valet services.
Award coverage for accommodation businesses
Most accommodation sector employees are covered by the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009). This award applies to hotels, motels, resorts, serviced apartments, hostels and similar accommodation businesses across Australia.
The award covers classifications for front office staff, housekeeping, food and beverage, and management positions. It sets minimum wages, penalty rates for weekend/night work, overtime, allowances and other employment conditions. Check our Hospitality Award guide for current rates and classification levels.
Always verify the correct award applies to your business, as some accommodation providers may be covered by different awards or enterprise agreements.
Common challenges hiring for accommodation roles
These issues can slow down recruitment and affect service quality
Unclear shift expectations
Candidates don't understand 24/7 operations and penalty rates
Wrong candidate expectations
Applicants underestimate physical demands or service standards
Generic job descriptions
Templates don't reflect hotel-specific systems or standards
Missing compliance details
No mention of RSA, police checks or WHS requirements
Service culture mismatch
JDs don't communicate guest-first mindset and hospitality values
Turnover and burnout
Unclear roles lead to mismatched expectations and early exits
Clear, detailed job descriptions help attract the right people and reduce costly turnover.
What should an accommodation job description include?
Essential components for hotel and resort job descriptions
All our templates include these elements and are ready to customize for your property.
Who should use these templates?
Legal disclaimer
These job description templates are designed to reflect Australian workplace standards and align with the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 at the time of publication. They are provided as a general guide only and do not constitute legal or HR advice.
You should review and customize each template to suit your specific accommodation business, property type, service standards, modern award classification, enterprise agreement (if applicable) and operational requirements. For complex employment matters, seek independent legal or HR advice.
With vs without proper job descriptions
Without clear job descriptions
- Wrong candidates apply for roles
- Shock when seeing shift patterns
- Higher staff turnover
- Inconsistent service standards
- Award classification disputes
With professional templates
- Attract qualified, suitable candidates
- Clear expectations from day one
- Better retention and engagement
- Consistent guest service delivery
- Award-aligned and compliant
Why these templates matter for accommodation businesses
The accommodation sector relies on delivering exceptional guest experiences consistently. That starts with hiring the right people and setting clear expectations from the beginning.
Professional job descriptions help candidates understand 24/7 operations, shift work, physical demands and guest service expectations before applying. This reduces mismatched expectations, improves retention and builds stronger teams.
These templates are written specifically for Australian accommodation businesses, aligned with the Hospitality Industry Award and designed to help you attract talent who understand what hotel and resort work truly involves.
Accommodation job descriptions FAQ
- Most accommodation sector employees are covered by the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009). This applies to hotels, motels, resorts, serviced apartments and similar accommodation businesses. Check our Hospitality Award guide for current rates and classifications.
- The accommodation sector has three main areas: Front Office (reception, concierge, guest services), Housekeeping (room attendants, housekeepers, porters) and Support Services (bellhops, valet, night audit). Most properties also employ shift coordinators and supervisors to manage 24/7 operations.
- Core duties remain similar, but luxury hotels and resorts typically require higher service standards, more experience and additional languages. Budget accommodation may combine roles (e.g. reception also handling housekeeping coordination). Tailor each template to match your property type and guest expectations.
- Yes, particularly for 24/7 roles. Accommodation businesses operate around the clock, including weekends and public holidays. Be clear about shift patterns, penalty rates for night work, weekend loadings and expectations around availability. Reference the Hospitality Award for penalty rate details.
- Absolutely. Many accommodation businesses need both front office and housekeeping staff. Use our Hotel Receptionist and Housekeeper templates together, or combine Concierge with Porter roles for full-service properties.
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