Guest Experience Manager | Prestigious Sabi Sand Lodge | LV

Kendrick Recruitment is seeking an experienced Guest Experience Manager for a prestigious lodge in the Sabi Sand.

This is a key leadership position focused on creating an exceptional and highly personalised guest journey from pre-arrival through to departure and beyond. The successful candidate will lead and inspire guest-facing teams, ensuring that service feels intuitive, warm and genuinely memorable while maintaining the highest luxury hospitality standards.

Key responsibilities:

Take ownership of the complete guest journey, from pre-arrival through to post-stay

Ensure every guest feels recognised, anticipated and genuinely cared for

Create and maintain thoughtful guest touchpoints, special moments and experiences

Curate personalised experiences for VI

Ps, repeat guests, special occasions and long-stay guests

Maintain a visible and engaged presence throughout guest areas

Conduct regular guest experience walkabouts and informal quality checks

Anticipate guest needs through strong observation, attention to detail and emotional awareness

Act as the escalation point for complex or sensitive guest situations

Ensure seamless communication and coordination between all departments

Work closely with operational teams to deliver consistent in-lodge and external guest experiences

Lead, coach and inspire guest-facing teams to deliver intuitive and emotionally intelligent service

Set clear expectations around guest interaction, communication, presentation and service standards

Facilitate guest experience training and ongoing coaching

Identify and develop talent within guest-facing teams

Foster a positive, confident and guest-focused team culture

Ensure all guest touchpoints consistently reflect the lodge's luxury standards and values

Coordinate special occasions and personalised guest arrangements

Engage with guest feedback during and following stays

Identify trends and recurring challenges and translate feedback into practical improvements

Share relevant guest insights with senior lodge management

Support guest loyalty and repeat visitation through meaningful, personalised experiences

Maintain an awareness of operational and financial considerations while prioritising exceptional service

Requirements:5–8 years’ experience within luxury hospitality, preferably in a lodge, safari or high-end hotel environment

Proven experience in guest relations, guest experience or a similar leadership position

Strong leadership and team-development abilities

Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills

High emotional intelligence and the ability to read guest needs and situations effectively

Outstanding attention to detail and situational awareness

Confident leading and influencing teams across departments

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Calm and professional when dealing with sensitive or challenging guest situations

Passionate about people, hospitality and creating memorable guest experiences

Naturally warm, intuitive and engaging, with a confident but understated approach

Strong sense of pride in service excellence and team development

Guest experience design or luxury service training would be advantageous

Familiarity with guest feedback platforms and PMS systems would be beneficial

The ideal candidate will be present, observant, emotionally perceptive and naturally hospitable, with the ability to create genuine connections with both guests and team members.

This is a live-in position offering a competitive salary dependent on experience and the opportunity to join an exceptional safari operation in the Sabi Sand.