General Manager

Emporium; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Emporium in Cape Town seeks a General Manager to coordinate, direct and lead the team, drive revenue and profitability while delivering exceptional guest experiences and maintaining brand standards. The role oversees day-to-day operations, asset management and implements pre-opening/refurbishment initiatives, with a focus on budgeting, cash flow and staff development.

This hands-on leadership position requires senior hotel operations experience, luxury service standards, and the ability to drive

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, Business Management, Tourism, or related field.
• Minimum 5–7 years' experience in hotel operations, with at least 2–3 years in a senior management/general manager role in boutique/luxury hospitality.
• Experience budgeting, financial management, revenue optimisation and cost control.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day hotel operations and asset management.
• Drive revenue growth and profitability while maintaining luxury service standards.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting and payroll management; monitor financial reports.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Revenue growth

Guest experience

Team development

PMS/POS knowledge

Channel management

Reservation platforms

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Diploma/Degree in Hospitality Management

Tools

PMS

POS systems

Channel management software

Reservation platforms

Job description

The General Manager is responsible for co-ordinating, directing, and leading the team with initiatives that drive revenue and maximize profitability whilst at the same time, facilitating excellent and unique guest experiences, and productive and respectful teamwork. The succesful incumbent will also manage all property assets and operations on a day-to-day basis, and to maintain standards set out by Newmark Hotels and the owners

Minimum Requirements

• Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, Business Management, Tourism, or a related field
• Minimum 5–7 years' experience in hotel operations, with at least 2–3 years in a senior management or General Manager role within a boutique hotel, luxury hotel, lodge, or similar hospitality environment
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial management, revenue optimisation, and cost control
• Experience leading and developing multidisciplinary teams
• Strong understanding of hotel operations, guest experience management, and luxury service standards
• Sound financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, payroll management, and interpretation of financial reports
• Knowledge of hospitality systems such as PMS, POS, channel management, and reservation platforms
• Understanding of labour legislation, health and safety requirements, and hospitality compliance standards
• Excellent leadership, communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills
• Strong commercial mindset with the ability to drive revenue growth and profitability
• Hands-on operational leader with a strong guest-centric approach
• Ability to work under pressure and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Professional, adaptable, and capable of representing the hotel brand positively
• Experience within luxury boutique hotels or high-end hospitality establishments
• Pre-opening, refurbishment, or turnaround experience

Duties and Responsibilities

Commercial and Financial

• Review the financial health of the business including revenue levels, cost controls and cash flow on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis in conjunction with the Finance Management and Heads of Department team
• Review and compile daily revenue and target reports for owners, directors and other relevant
• Work with Lead Team to ensure disciplined processes and effective record keeping for submission to the Financial Manager
• Work with Lead Team to review monthly consumption and usage of all consumables by ensuring accurate stock takes are managed in all departments
• Review the budget according to the purchases and consumption of goods
• Work hand in hand with the Head Office revenue management team to monitor and adjust room rates in accordance with the supply and demand of the market
• Frequently engage with the Sales and Marketing departments to establish relationships and initiatives that will lead to the property’s financial growth
• Consistently re-evaluate and reduce all fixed and variable expenses where possible
• Maintain salaries and wages cost within budget, whilst making sure all departments are optimally staffed to meet the guests demands

Day to Day Operations

• Facilitate effective daily, weekly and monthly meetings with the staff to ensure all understand the business priorities and are aware of operational requirements
• Monitor guest reviews and respond proactively.
• Coordinate all maintenance issues with the Maintenance department to make sure rooms remain aesthetically pleasing and functional
• Experiment with new ideas and take calculated risks to improve guest satisfaction and profitability
• Property walks: regular quality inspections of all areas front and back of house, to ensure aesthetics and functionality of the building is kept to a high standard
• Compile & send weekly / monthly operational reports for operations director.

Talent Management

• Recruit for attitude and in line with our brand intention
• Lead the team for high performance and high engagement
• Provide essential training for all new & existing employees
• On-board all new team members in line with company policy
• Build a learning culture and ensure all team members have clear goals and get regular constructive feedback
• Initiate and carry out disciplinary enquiries for team members who act against the policies and procedures set out in the company’s Code of Conduct
• Facilitate cross departmental reflections and idea generating discussions to ensure work processes, systems and teamwork are in place to maximize individual and overall property performance
• Constantly review staffing requirements in line with occupancies and events