Property Custodian

Dream Resorts; Sun City; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Dream Resorts is seeking a Property Custodian for Finfoot Lake Reserve to lead overall operations and drive commercial success. You will oversee all departments, ensure premium guest experiences, manage budgets and lead strategic initiatives across maintenance, guest services, sales and sustainability.

The role requires senior leadership experience in luxury hospitality, strong financial acumen and a passion for delivering world-class hospitality. Based on site at Finfoot Lake Reserve.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management, Business Management or a related field.
• Minimum of five years' senior leadership experience within a luxury lodge, hotel or resort environment.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Proven experience managing operational budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to improve business performance.
• Strong knowledge of hospitality management systems.
• Advanced computer literacy.
• Valid driver's licence.
• Excellent Food & Beverage operational knowledge.
• Strong understanding of revenue management and online travel distribution.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across all operational departments.
• Ensure smooth day-to-day operation of the lodge.
• Maintain exceptional standards throughout accommodation, food & beverage, guest facilities and public areas.
• Drive preventative maintenance programmes to ensure all buildings, infrastructure, equipment and guest facilities remain in excellent condition.
• Oversee refurbishment and capital improvement projects.
• Ensure compliance with Dream Hotels & Resorts operational standards.
• Prepare monthly operational reports and present business performance to executive leadership.
• Drive operational efficiencies while maintaining premium guest standards.
• Create a culture centred on exceptional guest service.
• Ensure personalised luxury experiences throughout the guest journey.
• Resolve guest concerns promptly and professionally.
• Drive continuous improvement through guest feedback.
• Implement innovative guest experience initiatives.
• Lead by example in delivering world-class hospitality.
• Develop and manage the annual operating budget.
• Monitor financial performance against budget.
• Analyse financial reports and implement corrective actions where necessary.
• Identify revenue growth opportunities.
• Drive profitability through effective cost control.
• Manage labour costs and departmental productivity.
• Implement yield management and revenue optimisation strategies.
• Ensure sound procurement and inventory management.
• Partner with the Dream Hotels & Resorts Sales and Marketing teams.
• Develop strategies to grow occupancy and revenue.
• Build relationships with corporate clients, travel agents, tour operators and industry partners.
• Identify new business opportunities.
• Promote the Finfoot brand within the tourism and hospitality industry.
• Support marketing campaigns and promotional initiatives.
• Recruit, develop and retain high-performing employees.
• Foster an engaged, inclusive and performance-driven culture.
• Conduct regular coaching, performance reviews and development discussions.
• Identify succession planning opportunities.
• Promote employee wellbeing and engagement.
• Ensure compliance with labour legislation and company policies.
• Ensure compliance with Dream Hotels & Resorts brand standards.
• Maintain all required operating licences and statutory compliance.
• Conduct regular operational audits and inspections.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety and environmental legislation.
• Uphold food safety and hygiene standards.
• Manage risk and emergency preparedness programmes.
• Champion environmentally sustainable business practices.
• Protect the natural assets of the reserve.
• Promote responsible tourism.
• Support conservation initiatives.
• Ensure responsible waste, water and energy management.
• Partner with environmental stakeholders where appropriate.
• Build meaningful relationships with neighbouring communities.
• Represent Finfoot Lake Reserve at tourism and community events.
• Support local economic development initiatives.
• Develop partnerships with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Promote Dream Hotels & Resorts' community engagement programmes.
• Collaborate effectively with Head Office support teams.
• Share operational best practice across the group.
• Support new initiatives and business projects.
• Participate in leadership forums and strategic planning sessions.
• Assist other Dream Hotels & Resorts properties where required.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Operational management

Financial acumen

Budget management

Revenue management

People development

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management

Business Management or related field

Tools

Hospitality management systems

Computer literacy / Office software

Job description

Position Overview

The Property Custodian is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance and commercial success of Finfoot Lake Reserve.

Position Overview

The Property Custodian is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance and commercial success of Finfoot Lake Reserve.

The Property Custodian serves as the custodian of the Dream Hotels & Resorts brand at property level and is responsible for creating a culture of excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.

Operational Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership across all operational departments.
• Ensure smooth day-to-day operation of the lodge.
• Maintain exceptional standards throughout accommodation, food & beverage, guest facilities and public areas.
• Drive preventative maintenance programmes to ensure all buildings, infrastructure, equipment and guest facilities remain in excellent condition.
• Oversee refurbishment and capital improvement projects.
• Ensure compliance with Dream Hotels & Resorts operational standards.
• Prepare monthly operational reports and present business performance to executive leadership.
• Drive operational efficiencies while maintaining premium guest standards.

Guest Experience

• Create a culture centred on exceptional guest service.
• Ensure personalised luxury experiences throughout the guest journey.
• Resolve guest concerns promptly and professionally.
• Drive continuous improvement through guest feedback.
• Implement innovative guest experience initiatives.
• Lead by example in delivering world-class hospitality.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage the annual operating budget.
• Monitor financial performance against budget.
• Analyse financial reports and implement corrective actions where necessary.
• Identify revenue growth opportunities.
• Drive profitability through effective cost control.
• Manage labour costs and departmental productivity.
• Implement yield management and revenue optimisation strategies.
• Ensure sound procurement and inventory management.

Sales & Business Development

• Partner with the Dream Hotels & Resorts Sales and Marketing teams.
• Develop strategies to grow occupancy and revenue.
• Build relationships with corporate clients, travel agents, tour operators and industry partners.
• Identify new business opportunities.
• Promote the Finfoot brand within the tourism and hospitality industry.
• Support marketing campaigns and promotional initiatives.

People Leadership

• Recruit, develop and retain high-performing employees.
• Foster an engaged, inclusive and performance-driven culture.
• Conduct regular coaching, performance reviews and development discussions.
• Identify succession planning opportunities.
• Promote employee wellbeing and engagement.
• Ensure compliance with labour legislation and company policies.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with Dream Hotels & Resorts brand standards.
• Maintain all required operating licences and statutory compliance.
• Conduct regular operational audits and inspections.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety and environmental legislation.
• Uphold food safety and hygiene standards.
• Manage risk and emergency preparedness programmes.

Environmental & Conservation Stewardship

• Champion environmentally sustainable business practices.
• Protect the natural assets of the reserve.
• Promote responsible tourism.
• Support conservation initiatives.
• Ensure responsible waste, water and energy management.
• Partner with environmental stakeholders where appropriate.

Community & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build meaningful relationships with neighbouring communities.
• Represent Finfoot Lake Reserve at tourism and community events.
• Support local economic development initiatives.
• Develop partnerships with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Promote Dream Hotels & Resorts' community engagement programmes.

Internal Collaboration

• Collaborate effectively with Head Office support teams.
• Share operational best practice across the group.
• Support new initiatives and business projects.
• Participate in leadership forums and strategic planning sessions.
• Assist other Dream Hotels & Resorts properties where required.

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma or Degree in Hospitality Management, Business Management or a related field.
• Minimum of five years' senior leadership experience within a luxury lodge, hotel or resort environment.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Proven experience managing operational budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to improve business performance.
• Strong knowledge of hospitality management systems.
• Advanced computer literacy.
• Valid driver's licence.
• Excellent Food & Beverage operational knowledge.
• Strong understanding of revenue management and online travel distribution.