Head of Guest Experience

O'Brien Recruitment; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

O'Brien Recruitment is seeking a strategic hotel leader to oversee Guest Experience, Front Office, Reservations, and Night Audit. You will shape guest journeys, drive revenue opportunities and mentor managers to deliver exceptional stays.

You will balance hospitality excellence with commercial performance, working with senior leaders to achieve broader strategic objectives and sustain a 4- or 5-star standard.

Qualifications

• A Hospitality Diploma or relevant degree (NQF Level 6 or above).
• At least five years' senior management experience within a 4-star or 5-star hotel.
• Proven experience leading multiple hotel departments and managing departmental managers.
• Strong operational knowledge of Front Office, Reservations, Night Audit and Guest Experience.
• Demonstrated commercial acumen, financial management capability and an understanding of revenue optimisation.
• A proven track record of developing and implementing guest experience strategies.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire, mentor and build high-performing teams.
• Proficiency in Opera Cloud, guest feedback platforms and hotel reporting tools.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, sound judgement and a proactive, solutions-driven approach.
• South African citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Leading and executing a guest experience strategy that delivers exceptional, personalised and memorable stays.
• Providing strategic direction and operational oversight across multiple guest-facing departments.
• Driving revenue optimisation, financial performance and operational efficiency.
• Leading, coaching and developing departmental managers and their teams.
• Analysing guest feedback and performance trends to continuously elevate service standards.
• Identifying opportunities for innovation, improved systems and more effective operational processes.
• Building strong relationships across departments to ensure a seamless and consistent guest experience.
• Working closely with the General Manager and senior leadership team to support the hotel's broader strategic objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Commercial acumen

Financial management

Revenue optimisation

Guest experience strategy

Education

Hospitality Diploma or relevant degree (NQF Level 6 or above)

Tools

Opera Cloud

Guest feedback platforms

Hotel reporting tools

Job description

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the General Manager, you will assume strategic and operational responsibility for four key functions:

• Guest Experience
• Front Office
• Reservations
• Night Audit

This is a pivotal leadership position requiring someone who can balance the art of exceptional hospitality with the commercial realities of running a successful hotel.

You will be instrumental in creating seamless guest journeys, driving revenue opportunities, strengthening operational performance and developing talented managers who share your passion for excellence.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Leading and executing a guest experience strategy that delivers exceptional, personalised and memorable stays.
• Providing strategic direction and operational oversight across multiple guest-facing departments.
• Driving revenue optimisation, financial performance and operational efficiency.
• Leading, coaching and developing departmental managers and their teams.
• Analysing guest feedback and performance trends to continuously elevate service standards.
• Identifying opportunities for innovation, improved systems and more effective operational processes.
• Building strong relationships across departments to ensure a seamless and consistent guest experience.
• Working closely with the General Manager and senior leadership team to support the hotel's broader strategic objectives.

What They're Looking For

• A Hospitality Diploma or relevant degree (NQF Level 6 or above).
• At least five years' senior management experience within a 4-star or 5-star hotel.
• Proven experience leading multiple hotel departments and managing departmental managers.
• Strong operational knowledge of Front Office, Reservations, Night Audit and Guest Experience.
• Demonstrated commercial acumen, financial management capability and an understanding of revenue optimisation.
• A proven track record of developing and implementing guest experience strategies.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire, mentor and build high-performing teams.
• Proficiency in Opera Cloud, guest feedback platforms and hotel reporting tools.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, sound judgement and a proactive, solutions-driven approach.
• South African citizenship.

What Will Set You Apart?

Beyond your technical expertise and operational experience, we are looking for a leader who genuinely understands people.

Someone who can inspire confidence, create accountability and lead with both empathy and commercial intelligence.

You will be strategic without losing sight of the finer details, decisive without compromising collaboration, and passionate about creating a guest experience that people remember long after checking out.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is more than an opportunity to manage hotel operations.

It is an opportunity to influence the guest experience of an established hospitality destination, shape the performance of multiple departments and make a tangible contribution to the success of a highly respected hotel.

You will join an organisation that values its people, embraces continuous improvement and recognises the importance of exceptional leadership in delivering outstanding hospitality.