Hotel General Manager

A well established Small Luxury Business Hotel in Sandton CBD requires a hands-on General Manager.

The successful candidate will take total accountability for the strategic direction, operational execution, and financial performance of a the client’s small luxury hotel. This role requires a hands-on leader dedicated to optimizing guest satisfaction, driving revenue across rooms and food & beverage (F&B) sectors, ensuring strict compliance with corporate standard operating procedures (SOPs), and fostering high employee engagement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic & Financial Management

• P&L Accountability: Manage the property’s Profit and Loss (P&L) statement, accurately forecasting revenues, managing operational costs, and optimizing EBITDA.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Formulate annual capital expenditure (CapEx) and operational budgets in alignment with corporate financial objectives.
• Revenue Optimization: Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Management teams to execute dynamic pricing, yield management, and distribution strategies to maximize RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) and ARR (Average Room Rate).
• Procurement & Asset Management: Oversee property procurement processes, inventory control, and supplier contracts to minimize waste and exploit economies of scale.

2. Operational Excellence & Guest Experience

• Daily Operations: Direct and oversee all hotel departments including Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage (restaurant, bar, and conferencing), Maintenance/Facilities, and Security.
• Quality Assurance: Enforce strict adherence to brand standards, service protocols, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) across all departments.
• Guest Relations: Monitor and review guest feedback platforms (e.g., TripAdvisor, OTA reviews, internal guest satisfaction surveys). Implement immediate corrective actions to resolve guest grievances and sustain high review scores.
• Facility Maintenance: Direct preventative maintenance schedules and asset management strategies to ensure the physical property, equipment, and grounds remain in pristine condition.

3. People Leadership & Culture

• Talent Management: Oversee the recruitment, onboarding, training, and continuous performance evaluation of the property's management team and line staff.
• Performance Culture: Establish clear departmental objectives, conduct regular performance reviews, and implement succession planning.
• Employee Engagement: Cultivate a collaborative, high-performance working environment to minimize staff turnover and maintain high morale.

4. Compliance, Health & Safety

• Legal Compliance: Ensure full property adherence to national and local statutory regulations, including labor laws (BCEA/LRA), liquor licensing, health and safety acts (OHSA), and municipal bylaws.
• Risk Management: Implement and test emergency response protocols, crisis management plans, and property security measures to safeguard guests, staff, and assets.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Financial Performance: Achievement of budgeted Gross Operating Profit (GOP), EBITDA targets, and cost-control metrics (Labor cost % and F&B cost % vs. budget).
• Market Share: Movement and ranking within the competitive set (CompSet) regarding RevPAR Index (RPI) and Market Penetration Index (MPI).
• Guest Satisfaction: Achievement of target scores on internal Guest Satisfaction Surveys (GSS) and external online reputation metrics (e.g., ReviewPro/TripAdvisor ratings).
• Operational Audits: Performance scores achieved during internal, corporate, and external quality assurance and brand standard audits.
• Staff Retention & Development: Employee turnover rates and successful completion percentages of scheduled corporate training initiatives.

Minimum Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a closely related field from a recognized institution.
• A minimum of 5 to 7 years of experience as a Hotel General Manager or Deputy General Manager within a reputable 4-star or 5-star hotel environment.
• Proven track record managing a property with extensive Food & Beverage (F&B) operations, banqueting, and conference facilities catering to up to 150+ delegates.
• Demonstrated experience in managing comprehensive property budgets, P&L statements, and executing revenue management strategies.
• Systems Proficiency: Advanced working knowledge of Property Management Systems (PMS) (e.g., Opera, Apex, or similar), Point of Sale (POS) systems, and MS Office Suite.
• Leadership: Strong command presence with proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop diverse, cross-functional teams.
• Commercial Acumen: Deep understanding of hospitality market dynamics, financial indicators, and profit drivers.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interface effectively with corporate executives, staff, suppliers, and guests.
• Flexibility: Willingness to work irregular hours, weekends, and public holidays as dictated by hotel operational requirements.

Pay: From R65 000,00 per month

Application Question(s):

• Do you have your own reliable vehicle and valid SA drivers license?
• Kindly name any advanced working knowledge of Property Management Systems (PMS) and Point of Sale systems and how many years experience of each?
• Do you have a clear criminal record, Yes or No?
• Do you have any experience in managing small luxury hotels and how many years experience?

Education:

• Diploma (Required)

Experience:

• Hotel General Manager: 5 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Hospitality Management Diploma (Required)

Work Location: In person