Hotel General Manager - Full Service Business Hotel - Sandton

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 (SO

Ps), and fostering high employee engagement.

Key Responsibilities1. 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 (Cap

Ex) 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 Rev

PAR (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 (SO

Ps) across all departments.

Guest Relations: Monitor and review guest feedback platforms (e.g., Trip

Advisor, 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 (KP

Is)

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 (Comp

Set) regarding Rev

PAR 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., Review

Pro/Trip

Advisor 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.