GM: COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Mogale Solution Providers; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in tourism seeks a General Manager for Commercial Operations Management at Kruger National Park. This role involves strategic leadership, enhancing commercial performance, and implementing effective tourism strategies. Strong qualifications in business management and extensive experience in hospitality are essential for driving revenue growth and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years' experience in senior management in tourism/hospitality.
• Strong knowledge of PFMA and tourism development practices.
• Advanced computer literacy with strong management reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement commercial operations strategy.
• Monitor and manage tourism operations to ensure optimal performance.
• Oversee policies and SOPs for hospitality strategies.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Analytical decision-making

Financial management

Policy development

Communication skills

Relationship building

Education

Post-graduate degree in Business/Tourism/Commerce

MBA in Business/Tourism/Commerce (desirable)

Job description

SANParks requires the services of a General Manager: Commercial Operations Management based in the Kruger National Park (KNP) to lead and drive the KNP tourism and commercial operations strategy, policies, and procedures and improve responsible operational standards, management, and revenue generation.

Key Objectives:
- Develop, align and ensure effective implementation of the KNP commercial operations by means of providing leadership, direction, structure, frameworks, models and roadmaps.
- Identify areas of commercial and revenue growth within the park.
- Monitor and manage tourism commercial operations to ensure optimal performance.
- Identify opportunities in partnership with the Business Development Unit and maintain relationships with current PPPs.
- Ensure the sound collection, analysis, and leveraging of data to ensure consistent customer service, commercial performance, and revenue targets.
- Oversee the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and SOPs in support of commercial and hospitality strategies.
- Ensure sound stakeholder and contract management in support of the commercial strategy.
- Oversee the development of visitor management and interpretation, and camp.
- Ensure implementation of tourism standards, monitoring of performance and planned refurbishment.
- In partnership with the Technical Services Department, oversee the maintenance and management of tourism infrastructure.
- Oversee the effective management and growth of KNP adventure activities.
- Ensure the development and diversification of tourism products (this should be in the top 5) in partnership with the Tourism Standards department to ensure the implementation of consistent standards of excellence in tourism products.
- Establish marketing plan and implementation from ideation to execution.
- Enhancing customer services and managing customer centricity.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Post-graduate degree in Business/Tourism/Commerce
• MBA in Business/Tourism/Commerce (desirable)
• Have a minimum of 8 - 10 years' work experience at the senior management level in tourism/hospitality commercial operations management.
• Knowledge of PFMA
• Insight into tourism development practices would be an added advantage
• Strong stakeholder management skills
• Ability to assess business models and make a rule-based analytical decision
• Thorough knowledge of business and management principles involved in planning, resource allocation, and coordination of people and resources.
• Sound understanding of hospitality management, standards, and trends.
• Contract and Project Management skills.
• Relationship building and time management skills
• High-level communication, analytical and negotiation skills.
• Advanced computer literacy and sound management reporting skills.
• Planning and organising skills.
• Sound Financial and budget management experience
• Policy development skills
• Presentation and Facilitation skills

Desired Skills:

• see above spec