Brendan Gallagher
Senior Hotel Front Desk Agent | Front Office Operations & Guest Services
Galway
Professional Summary
Senior Hotel Front Desk Agent with extensive experience delivering attentive front-office hospitality in full-service Galway hotels. Skilled in property management systems, high-volume group check-ins, guest conflict de-escalation, and interdepartmental coordination to maintain reliable guest service.
Work Experience
Corrib Reach Hotel & Suites
Galway, Ireland
Senior Front Desk Agent
Apr 2018 – Present
- Coordinate daily front-desk operations across morning and evening shifts for a 135-room city-centre hotel, maintaining average check-in times under two minutes.
- Resolve complex guest enquiries, booking discrepancies, and service escalations with composure, securing consistent 94% positive post-stay survey scores.
- Manage Opera Cloud PMS room assignments, VIP itineraries, and group tour arrivals of up to 80 guests while liaising directly with housekeeping and maintenance teams.
- Train and mentor eight junior receptionists and seasonal front-desk interns in guest engagement etiquette, telephone standards, and night-audit handover protocols.
Salthill Bay Manor Hotel
Galway, Ireland
Front Desk Receptionist
Sept 2012 – Mar 2018
- Handled check-in, check-out, and concierge services for a 92-room coastal property during peak tourist and conference seasons.
- Processed guest billing, cash transactions, and corporate account reconciliations and investigated discrepancies during monthly financial audits.
- Collaborated with local tour operators and transport providers to curate bespoke regional excursions for international guests, enhancing ancillary revenue.
Education
Regional Technical College Galway
National Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management · Hotel and Catering Management · Galway, Ireland · Pass with Merit · Sept 1982 – Jun 1985
Coursework covered front-office administration, accommodation operations, hospitality accounting, and guest communications.
Professional Initiatives
Front Desk Handover Digitalisation Project
Jun 2023 – Nov 2023
- Standardised shift handover checklists and digital incident log templates across reception and concierge teams, reducing communication gaps during busy check-in windows.
Core Competencies
Opera Cloud PMS
Front Office Operations
Guest Relations & Service Recovery
Night Audit Procedures
VIP Protocol Management
Concierge & Local Tourism Guidance
Billing & Payment Reconciliation
Room Allocation & Inventory Balancing
Staff Mentoring & Onboarding
Guest Enquiry Handling
Languages
English
C2
Irish
B2
French
B1
Community Involvement
Galway Arts & Culture Welcome Desk
Galway, Ireland · Jul 2022 – Jul 2025
- Guest Services Volunteer
- Welcomed international performers and managed central registration desk logistics, ensuring smooth accreditation and local orientation.