Job Title:General Manager – Resort Operations & Pre-Opening
Full Relocation + On-Site Private Housing + Duty Meals + Milestone Bonuses
Location:Coron, Palawan, Philippines (On-site / Relocation)
Employment Type:Full-time, Permanent
Compensation:₱65,000 – ₱85,000 gross per month + On-site Housing, Duty Meals, HMO & Performance Bonuses
Sophia’s Garden Resort is an intimate 22-room boutique property set along the coast of Coron, Palawan. We are currently redeveloping the resort to deliver an elevated, character-rich hospitality experience anchored by our open-air restaurant and bar, private deep-water pier, gym, and lush tropical grounds.
We are seeking a hands-on, commercially astuteGeneral Managerto partner directly with ownership during pre-opening. This is an active, working leadership role suited for a hospitality professional who thrives outside a corporate office—building teams, deploying operating systems, and driving high-touch daily guest experiences from day one.
Key Responsibilities
Pre-Opening Readiness & Systems Deployment:
- Formulate and execute the master pre-opening plan, operational budgets, readiness checklists, and departmental SOPs across Rooms, FOH, BOH, Housekeeping, and Security.
- Oversee the operational configuration and rollout of cloud-based PMS, POS, channel managers, and guest messaging platforms.
- Manage property handover inspections, punch-list resolutions, OS&E/FF&E setups, and initial stock procurement.
- Run end-to-end service trials and simulated operations prior to welcoming commercial arrivals.
Team Leadership & Local Recruitment:
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, and continuous training for a lean, multi-departmental team.
- Structure department schedules, attendance policies, performance reviews, and cross-functional task coverage to ensure seamless operations across managers’ rest days.
- Cultivate an accountable, service-driven workplace culture that mentors and elevates provincial talent.
Resort Operations & Guest Experience:
- Direct daily resort touchpoints across guest suites, dining room, gym, grounds, and private pier operations.
- Personally handle escalated guest situations with swift service recovery.
- Coordinate on-site guest transport, boat logistics, dive partner pickups, and third-party wellness or tour services.
- Uphold pristine standards of property maintenance, landscaping care, and operational presentation.
- Collaborate with the Resort Accountant and ownership to set and manage operational budgets, cash-flow projections, and purchasing authority limits.
- Actively optimize ADR, occupancy, RevPAR, and F&B covers across digital channels, OTAs, and local corporate/agency accounts.
- Implement preventive maintenance schedules for mechanical systems (backup generators, reverse osmosis systems, marine fleet).
- Serve as the primary liaison for municipal business licenses, health clearances, and local government compliance.
- Submit concise weekly operational updates and comprehensive monthly P&L/performance reports to ownership.
Candidate Profile & Qualifications
- Experience:At least 5 years of hotel or resort operations experience, including a minimum of 2 years in property management, operations management, or equivalent departmental leadership.
- Operational Scope:Proven background managing multi-department operations (Rooms, F&B, Facilities) in a boutique, independent, or mid-scale resort setting.
- Pre-Opening & Remote Acumen:Prior pre-opening launch experience or proven tenure running properties in remote/island logistics environments is strongly preferred.
- Systems Literacy:Comfortable deploying and managing modern hospitality tech stacks (cloud PMS, channel managers, POS systems, spreadsheets).
- Communication:Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in both English and Filipino.
- Working Style:Highly visible, decisive, and adaptable; comfortable balancing guest-facing warmth with disciplined cost management.
- Relocation:Willingness to relocate and reside full-time on-site in Busuanga, Palawan.
- Base Salary:₱65,000 – ₱85,000 gross/month, commensurate with qualifications and track record.
- Statutory & Mandatory Pay:Contractually guaranteed 13th-month pay plus all mandatory employer contributions.
- Performance Incentives:Annual performance bonus (target 1 month, up to 2 months' pay based on KPIs) + ₱40,000 Opening Milestone Bonus (paid across readiness and initial 90-day operational markers).
- Accommodations & Meals:Private, fully furnished on-site air‑conditioned quarters (inclusive of utilities and high-speed Wi‑Fi) plus three staff meals daily.
- Paid Leave:20 days paid annual leave (15 vacation days / 5 sick days).
- Travel & Relocation:Up to ₱20,000 approved relocation expense reimbursement + 2 fully reimbursed domestic return flights annually (up to ₱12,000/trip, eligible after 6 months).
- Allowances & Support:₱1,500 monthly communications allowance (or company SIM/phone) + ₱10,000 annual continuing development budget.