General Manager

HotelJobs; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

HotelJobs in Johannesburg is seeking a hands-on Operations Director to own daily operations end-to-end across all departments. You will set standards, drive performance, and ensure guest experience remains exemplary from opening to close.

The role demands 8–10 years in senior operational leadership within hospitality, strong financial judgment, and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams. Based in Johannesburg or willing to relocate, you will report to ownership and shape the business

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of senior operational leadership experience in hospitality.
• Experience running a full multi-department operation end-to-end.
• Based in Johannesburg or willing to relocate.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end operations across all departments with accountability.
• Set and enforce operational standards across front- and back-of-house.
• Lead department heads and develop their teams.
• Own financial performance: budgets, cost control, revenue targets.
• Escalate and resolve guest matters, staffing conflicts, and crises.
• Drive recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance management.
• Ensure compliance with labour, health, safety, licensing regulations.

Skills

Operational leadership

Financial acumen

People management

Stakeholder communication

Education

Business Administration

Hospitality Management

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly capable, hands‑on Operations Director to take full end‑to‑end ownership of the business's daily operations. This is a director‑level role for a decisive, all‑terrain operator — someone able to step into any function, set the standard, and hold the entire operation to account. The successful candidate will act as the driving authority across every department, ensuring the business runs seamlessly from opening to close, with full accountability for performance, people, and guest experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full operational ownership of the business end‑to‑end, across all departments and functions, with the authority to direct, correct, and hold teams accountable
• Set and enforce operational standards across front‑of‑house, back‑of‑house, and support functions, ensuring consistency at every touchpoint
• Lead, manage, and develop department heads and their teams, building a culture of accountability, discipline, and pride in the work
• Own full financial performance of the business — budgets, cost control, revenue targets, and reporting to ownership/leadership
• Act as the final point of escalation for operational issues, guest matters, staffing conflicts, and crises, resolving them decisively and in real time
• Drive recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance management across the business
• Ensure compliance with all relevant labour, health, safety, and licensing regulations
• Design and implement systems, processes, and controls that reduce reliance on the Operations Director's personal presence over time
• Be available for extended, non‑standard hours as required to lead a business with early‑morning and late‑night operating demands, including regular weekend coverage
• Report directly to ownership/leadership on performance, risks, and strategic priorities

Requirements

• Minimum 8–10 years' experience in senior operational leadership, ideally within hospitality, hotels, restaurants, or a comparable guest‑facing, multi‑department environment
• Demonstrated experience running a full business or large multi‑department operation end‑to‑end, not just a single function
• Strong financial acumen — proven ability to manage budgets, control costs, and deliver on revenue targets
• A track record of building, leading, and holding accountable teams across multiple disciplines
• Relevant qualification in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, or a related field (or equivalent demonstrated experience)
• Based in, or willing to relocate to, Johannesburg
• High tolerance for pressure, ambiguity, and the demanding operating rhythm of an owner‑operator business
• Uncompromising standards and the presence/authority to enforce them across a full team

Key Competencies

• True end‑to‑end operator — equally comfortable on the floor and in the numbers
• Decisive, direct authority that people respect and follow
• Builds systems and people, not just personally fixes problems
• Resilient under sustained pressure without losing standards
• Commercially sharp, with a bias for action