KEY OUTPUTS:

 

• Overall responsibility for the effective management and running of Lodge/Camps. To ensure the Lodge and Camps, and brand, are not only maintained but taken to the next level of service standards and excellence.
• Drive community development projects in conjunction with the Africa Foundation and provide requisite skills and support to ensure effective effort.
• Develop strategic relationships with local stakeholders including governmental organizations, wildlife organisations and communities, surrounding and involved with Private Game Reserve.
• Create and maintain a detailed skills development plan for all staff.
• Responsible for creating an environment where the company culture is continuously met and visible throughout the daily functioning of the lodges.
• Create an overall strategy and prepare annual business plans for all camps for the year and then oversee implementation thereof within specified time frames and budgets.
• Overall Day to Day Management of the Camps, and any other related infrastructure within the reserve.
• Overall Responsibility for budget creation and management, CAPEX structuring, planning and implementation.
• Ensure all group internal financial controls and systems are in place and strictly adhered to.
• Overall responsibility for all human resources in the lodge, ensuring all labour relations, leave and medical funds are managed correctly.
• Create annual and monthly training plans for all departments and structure external training and exchanges with other lodges/ regions where possible.
• Place and monitor of all lodge operational stock orders and oversee procurement function
• Create camps strategy for guest delight, staff welfare, health and safety and training. Ensure plan is implemented and managed throughout the year
• Work with Executive chef to ensure menu and food are aligned to lodge quality standards and requisite guest food scores and food budgets are being met and monitored.
• Work directly with the Lodge Managers, Assistant Managers, Head Ranger, camp managers and respective departmental Managers to ensure Lodge and Service standards are maintained at all times and ensure costs and budgets are managed and not exceeded.
• Daily meeting with the management team and Heads of Department to discuss the daily plan, including arrivals, departures, maintenance, food, special requests, bush banqueting.
• Over and above daily hosting of guests ensure you host all Agents, Media and VIP Groups.
• Oversee the maintenance and development of all infrastructure across the reserve.
• Oversee the management of the reserve within parameters of the game reserves operational manual.
• Overall management and development of the Ground Handling business including compliance to all pertinent legislature and requirements.
• Ensure all health and safety compliance standards are met or exceeded and that all necessary functions in this regard are met.
• Oversee safety and security of all guests, lodge staff and company assets.
• Maintain environmental health and compliance with company and SANPARKS environmental audits.
• Oversee lodge conservation and sustainability efforts.
• Risk Assessment – ensure lodge is risk assessment compliant
• Safari shop – manage the safari shop manager in conjunction with the regional trainer and group safari shop management team
• Massage – Ensure that both Massage business units are well managed and that the business is operating optimally
• Lodge Marketing – management of the lodge social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, etc. Ensure regular stories to the team are distributed and that the Private Game Reserve maintains a strong presence in internal comms

 

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED (QUALIFICATIONS OR TRAINING PROGRAMS):

• 3 - 5 years minimum of Management Experience in operation of similar size and complexity.
• Management degree and/or hospitality and service training.

 

SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Energetic, proactive person with well-developed concept of the importance of providing a world-class guest experience and the ability to provide that experience.
• Aware, evolved, energetic, compassionate, respectable, good communication.
• Demonstrate a strong leadership skillset and mentorship abilities. Ability to showcase strong emotional intelligence skills an advantage.
• Passionate about sustainable tourism and conservation.
• Unrelenting attention to detail and high standards.
• Diligence and ability to effectively close off projects and meet deadlines.
• Structured manager with experience of leading diverse teams.
• Practical with some experience of maintenance.
• Open minded and able to think outside of the box and to effectively problem solve.
• The ability to motivate and inspire yourself and others
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Highly Competent financial skills
• Fluent in English essential. Other European languages are beneficial as is Shangaan.
• Willingness/ability to share information and teach and inspire others.
• Competent computer skillset.

 

PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD BE BENIFICAL BUT NOT ESSENTIAL:

• Previous experience in running a luxury operation within a wildlife setting.
• Previous experience in managing a large Lodge management team.
• Previous experience in working closely with rural communities.
• Energetic, proactive person with well-developed concept of the importance of providing a world-class guest experience and ability to demonstrate this.
• Driven, energetic, compassionate and ambitious, with strong leadership and mentoring skills.

 

BENEFITS:

 

• Leave cycle would be 6/2 cycle. 6 weeks on followed by 2 weeks off. On top of this we have our 15 days annual leave.
• We of course offer medical aid cover through discovery if they don’t have medical aid. The general plan a lot of us go on is the classic saver which you would contribute 50% and the company contributes 50%.
• We of course have our provident fund, which the employee contributes to.
• Accommodation-wise it’s a 2-bedroom house with open plan lounge and kitchen and one bathroom.
• Meal-wise, the option of a food allowance or eating in the canteen.