General Manager

Wild Dreams Hospitality; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 000 000; Full time

Job summary

A boutique hotel in Cape Town seeks a General Manager to lead a high-performing team and shape unforgettable guest experiences. The role demands a dynamic leader with over 10 years of hospitality experience and a strong focus on luxury service. Responsibilities include executing business strategies, enhancing guest interactions from arrival to departure, and effectively managing staff and financial operations. Join a community that values heartfelt hospitality while enjoying a vibrant working environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Staff discounts

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 10-15 years of hospitality experience, with 5+ years in senior leadership.
• Proven track record in luxury boutique hotels and/or fine dining environments.
• Strong financial literacy and commercial acumen.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute business plans for the hotel and restaurant.
• Lead the guest experience from pre-arrival to post-departure.
• Manage and report on property-level budgets and forecasts.
• Recruit, onboard, and manage key personnel.

Skills

Leadership

Guest-centric mindset

Financial literacy

Emotional intelligence

Strategic thinking

Education

Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management or Business Administration

Tools

PMS

POS

Revenue management systems

Job description

This is more than a job title. Its a calling for someone who brings not only proven leadership but also depth, grace, and a genuine love for hospitality. Were looking for a General Manager with character, intuition, and charisma someone who has already mastered the art of big-brand luxury but now longs for something warmer, and more soulful. A space where hospitality is not scripted, but lived. Where attention to detail isnt about ticking boxes, but creating moments that matter.

This boutique hotel and its award-winning fine dining restaurant in Cape Town offer just that : a place where you can lead a high-performing team, shape an unforgettable guest experience, and be part of a community that values heart as much as head. Youll be the visible anchor of the property hosting guests with natural warmth, working shoulder-to-shoulder with your team, and guiding the business with both wisdom and a lightness of touch.

If you're someone who finds joy in greeting returning guests by name, who knows how to create magic in the everyday, and if youre looking for a lifestyle fit for the next chapter in your career and life, wed love to meet you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Develop and execute annual business plans for the hotel and restaurant ensuring alignment with the group's vision and goals.
• Align operational goals with brand positioning, guest experience targets, and financial objectives.
• Lead cross-functional coordination between hotel and restaurant operations.
• Maintain and communicate the goodwill of the brand through site inspections, hosting journalists, and engaging with the market.
• Act as the primary liaison between the support office and the hotel and restaurant, ensuring effective communication and alignment of goals and strategies.

Guest Experience, Innovation & Brand Standards

• Lead the guest experience from pre-arrival to post-departure, ensuring seamless luxury service across guest touchpoints.
• Monitor guest feedback channels and personally manage key complaints, using feedback as a learning opportunity.
• Maintain brand-aligned design, ambiance, and experiential offerings.
• Benchmark against industry trends and competitor offerings to maintain innovative service standards.
• Take a proactive, visible role in guest hosting to build relationships and ensure a personalized experience throughout the guest journey.

Financial Management & Procurement

• Develop, manage, and report on property-level budgets and forecasts.
• Control costs, optimise profitability, and manage P&L for both entities.
• Support procurement negotiations to achieve favourable property and group-level agreements.
• Approve purchasing and capital expenditure in line with company policy.

Team Leadership, Succession & Culture

• Recruit, onboard, and manage key personnel across the hotel and restaurant.
• Conduct monthly departmental meetings and one-on-one sessions with all direct reports.
• Champion a culture of accountability, innovation, and service excellence.
• Implement a structured performance management system, including personal KPIs, mid-year reviews, and succession planning.
• Step in temporarily during vacancies in key roles to ensure operational continuity.
• Facilitate staff development and identify high-potential talent for future leadership roles.
• Support cross-property training and coordinate with external trainers as needed.

Sales, Marketing & Revenue Generation

• Collaborate with the central sales and marketing team to drive direct bookings and foot traffic.
• Support event sales, brand partnerships, and guest engagement initiatives.
• Monitor pricing, packages, and promotions to maintain competitiveness.
• Manage and host key site inspections to ensure they are professionally hosted and aligned with the brand positioning.

Compliance, Community & Standards

• Ensure compliance with labour legislation, health and safety, and food safety regulations.
• Oversee maintenance and hygiene standards across hotel and restaurant facilities.
• Implement SOPs and quality control audits across departments.
• Strategically evaluate and implement sustainable, energy-efficient practices that strengthen the long-term viability of the business, with specific consideration to business risks within the city such as water shortages and load shedding.

Neighbourhood Engagement

• Establish and support community partnerships that reflect the business in a strong, positive light to relevant stakeholders.
• Manage the hotel and restaurants role as a stakeholder in the broader Kloof Street and Gardens community.
• Actively engage in neighbourhood groups, forums, body corporates and community initiatives to foster goodwill and local collaboration.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with neighbouring businesses to promote and strengthen the Kloof Street district brand.
• Drive initiatives that contribute to the improvement and aesthetic upkeep of the surrounding district, ensuring it aligns with guest expectations and brand image.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management or Business Administration
• Minimum 10 - 15 years of hospitality experience, with 5+ in senior leadership
• Proven track record in luxury boutique hotels and / or fine dining environments
• Deep understanding of Cape Towns tourism and culinary market
• Familiarity with PMS, POS, and revenue management systems
• Valid drivers license and ability to work flexible hours, including weekends
• Strategic thinking with hands-on operational ability
• Strong financial literacy and commercial acumen
• Guest-centric mindset with luxury service orientation
• Leadership, motivation, and people development skills
• Calm and solution-driven under pressure
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• High emotional intelligence and stakeholder engagement capability

MAXIMIZING YOUR IMPACT AS A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY

• Excellent attention to detail.
• Guest focus philosophy, living the brand and driving the experience.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), practicing honest communication.
• Team player with positive attitude, enthusiasm, and emotional control.
• Excellent time management and self-discipline, interpersonal & solution seeking skills.
• Proactive, use initiative and creative flair when required.
• Committed and loyal, adaptable, and flexible.
• Must work accurately under pressure.
• People skills tolerance, patience, and care, ability to receive constructive feedback openly.