Health and wellness spa facilities can be found near tourist destinations and within local communities, and most of them employ a spa manager to conduct daily operations. The job description of a spa manager varies by the type of services offered by the spa. Traditional spas provide services like massage, steam baths and facials. Modern spas may offer these services along with special anti-aging, nutritional services and exercise instruction. Spa managers with the right combination of education, training and experience have many career opportunities available to them. Here are some of the common job functions of spa managers.
Spa Business Management
Business management is the primary job function of spa managers working in most facilities. These managers monitor the financial transactions of the spa and make supply purchases based upon need and budget. They are also responsible for generating sales for their spas by creating and conducting marketing campaigns. For example, spa managers are usually authorized to run promotions and special incentives to expand the spa’s customer base. Keeping their spa facility clean is also part of a spa manager’s job description. Depending upon the size of the spa and the nature of its services, spa managers will usually designate personnel to clean the facility on a rotating schedule or acquire janitorial services for the job. Managers who oversee larger spa facilities often spend most of their time managing business operations and supervising staff.
Spa Services
One of the chief reasons that women and men frequent spas is to rejuvenate themselves, and most spa services reflect this desire. While many spas include a selection of fitness equipment, they are most often known for the specialty services that they provide such as massage therapy, manicures and facials. Since many spa managers start their careers as licensed technicians in one of those three specialty areas, they may join other staff members in performing services in which they have expertise. This is especially true for smaller boutique spas that have limited staff. A few spas specialize in holistic rejuvenation and anti-aging techniques that involve flooding the body with nutrient rich food and beverages. Spa managers who have training in vegetarian, vegan or raw food preparation can use their skills to make healthy snacks, fresh juices, smoothies and light meals for spa guests. Many spa managers also combine their nutritional knowledge with the leadership skills that they have acquired on the job to teach guests how to prepare the spa’s special health tonics at home.
Spa Human Resource Management
As in most service businesses, spa facilities rely on their highly trained staff to deliver valuable services to their clients. Spa managers provide staff with the supervision, supplies and training that they need to make spa visits memorable events for clients. Spa staff members also rely on managers to administer payroll, create work schedules and recruit new team members.
Conclusion
Although the types of spa services frequently evolve, spa managers can make sure that they are ready to take advantage of opportunities within the spa management field by obtaining formal education like an undergraduate degree in hospitality management. Additionally, a spa manager who wants to work for a facility that offers niche services like nutritional counseling, vegan food offerings or Pilates instruction can pursue associated training and certifications to become qualified in those areas.