General Manager Single/ Couple

Bushwise; Musina; On-site; ZAR 391,000 - 558,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site accommodation

Travel and trade budget

Open to couple applications

Job summary

Bushwise in Limpopo is seeking an entrepreneurial General Manager to lead a private reserve and hospitality operations. You will drive occupancy, rate, trade relationships, and global brand visibility while overseeing guest experience and financial performance.

You will set the commercial strategy, report to the owners, and travel domestically and internationally for trade shows and partnerships, living on-site with full operational responsibility across lodges and the reserve.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in a senior commercial or general management role within luxury safari or wilderness hospitality.
• Proven ability to scale occupancy and revenue with measurable outcomes.
• Active network of tour operators, DMCs, and travel agents across Southern Africa and core markets.
• Business development, CRM/booking data handling, and leading teams under pressure.
• Resilient, proactive leader with excellent English; European language skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own occupancy and revenue performance across lodges, design annual commercial plans, manage inventory and revenue streams.
• Build and maintain relationships with tour operators, DMCs, and trade buyers; represent the property at global trade fairs.
• Shape digital and media presence, ensuring conservation narrative and heritage are central.
• Provide strategic leadership to lodge managers, uphold safety and hospitality standards.
• Oversee financial reporting, cost controls, and performance metrics with owners.

Skills

Commercial leadership

Sales & marketing

CRM/booking data

Team leadership

English proficiency

Tools

CRM software

Marketing platforms

Job description

Messina, South Africa

About the Reserve

Our private game reserve northern Limpopo. The reserve is home to the Big Five, cheetah, wild dog.

The Role

We are seeking an entrepreneurial and driven General Manager to lead our reserve and commercial hospitality operations into their next chapter. While the reserve runs smoothly with an experienced management team already in place, the core priority for this hire is to build upon this strong foundation to accelerate occupancy, rate, trade relationships, and global brand visibility.

You will set the commercial strategy and lead market representation directly, while carrying full operational, financial, and guest experience responsibility for the reserve and its lodges. This live-in position reports directly to the owners and requires regular domestic and international travel for trade and marketing purposes.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Strategy & Revenue Growth: Own occupancy and revenue performance across all lodges and camps, design annual commercial plans, manage seasonal inventory, and develop new revenue streams like trail safaris, weddings, and photographic experiences.
• Trade & Marketing Partnerships: Build and maintain high-value relationships with international and local tour operators, DMCs, and specialist safari sellers. Represent the property at major global trade fairs (e.g., Africa's Travel Indaba, WTM, ITB Berlin) and host agent familiarisation trips.
• Brand & Presentation: Shape the property's digital and media presence across its website and social channels, ensuring our unique conservation narrative and heritage connections remain front and centre.
• Operations & Guest Experience: Provide strategic leadership to established lodge and reserve managers to preserve and elevate exceptional standards, safety, and hospitality.
• Financial & People Management: Maintain a collaborative relationship with the existing team, oversee financial reporting and cost controls with the owners, and deliver transparent performance metrics.
• Conservation & Community: Champion the reserve's rewilding and community-focused mission as an authentic cornerstone of the commercial and guest story.

Requirements

Who We're Looking For

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years in a senior commercial, general management, or leadership role within luxury safari or wilderness hospitality.
• Track Record: Proven ability to scale occupancy and revenue, supported by measurable financial numbers.
• Network: An active, established network of tour operators, DMCs, and specialist travel agents across Southern Africa and core global source markets.
• Skills: A natural business developer and persuasive communicator who is comfortable navigating CRM/booking data, managing marketing campaigns from concept to execution, and leading established teams under pressure.
• Personal Attributes: Resilient, proactive, and hands-on leader with a genuine love for the bush and remote living. Excellent written and spoken English is essential; proficiency in an additional European language is a distinct advantage.

What We Offer

• Remuneration:R35 000- R50 000 (highly negotiable depending on experience) plus a performance-based bonus linked directly to occupancy and revenue milestones.
• Accommodation: Full on-site accommodation provided on the reserve.
• Applications: This position is open to both single and couple applications (where a complementary skill set within the lodge or reserve operations can be utilized).
• Additional Benefits: Dedicated travel and trade-fair budget, full ownership of the property's commercial trajectory, and the opportunity to live in one of South Africa's most visually stunning wilderness landscapes