Resort General Manager

Job Title: Resort General Manager

1. Job Purpose

The Resort General Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and performance of the resort. The role ensures the delivery of exceptional guest experiences while achieving operational, financial, commercial, and service excellence.

The General Manager provides strategic direction to all departments, develops and motivates the management team, maintains high standards of hospitality and guest service, and ensures that the resort operates efficiently, profitably, and in line with the company’s vision, policies, and values.

2. Key ResponsibilitiesA. Overall Resort Operations

• Provide effective leadership and direction across all resort departments.
• Ensure the smooth and efficient day-to-day operation of the resort.
• Establish and maintain high standards of service, cleanliness, safety, and guest satisfaction.
• Monitor departmental performance and ensure operational targets are achieved.
• Develop and implement operational policies, procedures, and controls.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, statutory requirements, health and safety regulations, and hospitality standards.
• Conduct regular operational inspections and ensure identified issues are promptly addressed.

B. Guest Experience

• Champion a strong guest-focused culture throughout the resort.
• Ensure guests receive a consistently high level of service from arrival to departure.
• Monitor guest feedback, reviews, complaints, and satisfaction levels.
• Establish effective procedures for resolving guest complaints and service issues.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the guest experience and increase repeat business.
• Maintain strong relationships with key guests, corporate clients, tour operators, and other business partners.

C. Financial Management

• Take overall responsibility for the resort’s financial performance.
• Prepare and manage annual budgets, forecasts, and business plans.
• Monitor revenue, expenses, profitability, cash flow, and departmental performance.
• Identify opportunities to increase revenue and improve profitability.
• Ensure effective cost-control measures are implemented without compromising guest experience.
• Review financial reports regularly and take corrective action where necessary.
• Ensure appropriate controls are maintained over purchasing, inventory, cash handling, payroll, and other operational expenses.

D. Sales and Marketing

• Work closely with the Sales and Marketing team to achieve occupancy, revenue, and profitability targets.
• Develop strategies to increase room occupancy, food and beverage revenue, events, conferences, and other resort income streams.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, pricing, and customer preferences.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key corporate accounts, travel agents, tour operators, and strategic partners.
• Support promotional campaigns and initiatives that strengthen the resort’s market position.

E. People and Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop the resort’s management team.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability across all departments.
• Ensure effective recruitment, onboarding, training, development, and retention of employees.
• Promote teamwork, professionalism, discipline, and a positive workplace culture.
• Conduct regular management meetings and performance reviews.
• Identify succession planning and leadership development opportunities.
• Address employee relations and performance matters fairly and in accordance with company policies.

F. Food & Beverage and Hospitality Standards

• Ensure food and beverage operations meet required quality, service, hygiene, and profitability standards.
• Monitor menu quality, pricing, portion control, purchasing, wastage, and inventory.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and hygiene requirements.
• Support the development of new products, packages, events, and experiences that increase revenue.

G. Procurement, Inventory and Asset Management

• Ensure effective purchasing procedures and appropriate authorization controls are maintained.
• Monitor stock levels, inventory movements, wastage, and variances.
• Ensure proper receiving, storage, issuing, and recording of goods.
• Protect and maintain all resort assets, equipment, buildings, and facilities.
• Ensure preventative maintenance programmes are implemented and monitored.

H. Health, Safety, Security and Compliance

• Ensure the resort provides a safe environment for guests, employees, and visitors.
• Maintain appropriate emergency, fire, security, and risk-management procedures.
• Ensure all relevant licences, permits, inspections, and regulatory requirements are maintained.
• Investigate incidents and ensure appropriate corrective and preventative actions are implemented.
• Promote a strong culture of safety, compliance, and risk awareness.

I. Facilities and Maintenance

• Oversee the effective maintenance of resort facilities, guest rooms, public areas, landscaping, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Ensure preventive maintenance schedules are followed.
• Monitor major repairs, renovations, and capital expenditure projects.
• Ensure the resort consistently presents a clean, safe, attractive, and well-maintained environment.

J. Reporting and Business Planning

• Provide regular operational and financial reports to the ownership/board or senior management.
• Prepare and present monthly performance reviews.
• Analyse key performance indicators and develop corrective action plans where required.
• Develop annual business plans and strategic initiatives to support the long-term growth of the resort.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Resort General Manager will be measured against, but not limited to:

• Overall revenue and profitability.
• Occupancy and average daily rate (ADR).
• Guest satisfaction and online review scores.
• Food and beverage revenue and profitability.
• Cost-control and budget performance.
• Employee engagement, productivity, and retention.
• Compliance and audit performance.
• Stock and inventory control.
• Health, safety, and security performance.
• Maintenance and asset-management standards.
• Sales growth and market share.
• Achievement of strategic and operational objectives.

4. Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Hotel Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 7–10 years of progressive experience in hospitality, with significant experience in a senior management or General Manager role.
• Proven experience managing a resort, hotel, lodge, or comparable hospitality operation.
• Strong financial and commercial management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong knowledge of hotel/resort operations, guest service, sales, food and beverage, and facilities management.

Desirable:

• Professional hospitality management certification.
• Experience managing a luxury resort, safari lodge, beach resort, or destination property.
• Experience working with international guests, tour operators, and corporate clients.
• Experience with hotel property-management and financial systems.

5. Skills and Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Strategic and operational thinking.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• High levels of integrity, accountability, and professionalism.
• Strong negotiation and relationship-management skills.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to service excellence.
• Ability to analyse performance data and translate it into practical action.
• A proactive and hands-on management approach.

6. Personal Attributes

The ideal candidate will be:

• Guest-focused and service-oriented.
• A confident and inspirational leader.
• Commercially minded and results-driven.
• Professional, mature, and dependable.
• Adaptable and solutions-oriented.
• Passionate about hospitality and service excellence.
• Comfortable working in a multicultural environment.
• Committed to developing people and building high-performing teams.

7. Authority and Accountability

The Resort General Manager has overall operational accountability for the resort and is expected to make decisions within approved company policies, budgets, and delegated authority.

The position is accountable for ensuring that the resort operates safely, efficiently, profitably, and in accordance with the organisation’s standards and strategic objectives.