Talent & Culture Manager

FAIRMONT; Gqeberha; On-site; ZAR 400,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading conservation-focused hotel group seeks a proactive Talent & Culture Manager for its luxury lodge. In this pivotal live-in role, you will lead recruitment, employee relations, and develop an inclusive workplace culture, enhancing the guest experience in a beautiful, remote location.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years' experience in an HR generalist role.
• Strong knowledge of South African labour law.
• Comfortable living and working in a remote lodge setting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end recruitment process focused on local hiring.
• Act as the main point of contact for employee relations.
• Lead performance management cycles and training programs.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Conflict resolution

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources

Job description

Company Description

Mantis is a leading, conservation-focused hotel group with eco-lodges, waterways and eco-escapes located all over the world. Sustainable travellers have been enjoying eco-tourism, safaris and adventure travel with Mantis since 2000. Rooted in conservation, Mantis pursues sustainable business practices and develops tourism products that are respectful of the environment and communities in which they operate.

Whether small and intimate or vast and complex, on a sweeping African plain, beach-side escape or bustling city, each is an exceptional place for guests to find themselves. While uniquely different in the experiences they offer, all are linked through a collective obsession to be extraordinary, to be rare in a world that mass-produces sameness.

Job Description

We are seeking a proactive and people-focused Talent & Culture Manager to lead all aspects of Talent & Culture at our luxury lodge in a remote, conservation-driven environment. This pivotal live-in role will be responsible for driving recruitment, employee development, labour relations, and compliance, while building an engaged, inclusive workplace that reflects our values of locality, sustainability, and excellence in service.

The ideal candidate will be hands-on, culturally aware, and passionate about working in a diverse, remote setting where people are at the heart of the guest experience.

Duties and Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Oversee the end-to-end recruitment process, from job posting to selection and onboarding, with a focus on local community hiring and skills development.
• Ensure a smooth, welcoming onboarding experience for new hires and seasonal staff, tailored to remote lodge operations.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Act as the main point of contact for all employee-related matters, ensuring a fair, supportive, and legally compliant workplace.
• Manage employee relations issues with discretion and professionalism.
• Maintain full compliance with local labour laws, employment regulations, and lodge policy.
• Support disciplinary and grievance processes with consistency and documentation.

Training, Development & Performance

• Lead lodge-wide performance management cycles, including appraisals, coaching, and feedback.
• Coordinate and implement training programs in partnership with department heads to upskill staff and foster continuous learning.
• Identify leadership and succession opportunities to grow talent from within.

Organizational Culture & Engagement

• Promote a positive, respectful, and inclusive workplace culture, aligned with the lodge’s mission and brand values.
• Plan and execute staff engagement initiatives, wellness activities, and recognition programs.
• Partner with operations leaders to ensure staff morale remains high during peak and off-peak periods.

Administration & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and confidential employee records, contracts, leave tracking, and disciplinary records.
• Prepare monthly HR reports and insights for senior leadership.
• Monitor and advise on HR policies and procedures, updating as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field, with minimum 3 years' experience in an HR generalist role
• Strong knowledge of South African labour law and HR compliance standards
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills in English (additional languages advantageous)
• Demonstrated success in managing diverse teams in multicultural environments
• Highly organised with ability to handle sensitive situations diplomatically
• Comfortable living and working in a remote lodge setting
• Passion for hospitality and purpose-driven work preferred

Additional Information

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:We are an inclusive company, and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.

Why work for Mantis/Accor?We are far more than a worldwide leader. We welcome you as you are, and you can find a joband brand that matches your personality. We support you to grow and learn every day, making sure that work brings purpose to your life, so that during your journey with us, youcan continue to explore Accor’s limitless possibilities.

About the Mantis Collection: Mantis is a boutique hospitality group that was founded by conservationist Adrian Gardiner in 2000, with its main focus predominantly in Africa andthe Middle East. Mantis grew from Adrian’s vision to restore and rewild degraded farmland which he developed into a widely acclaimed Private Game Reserve. This was the first private game reserve in the Eastern Cape and the beginning of eco-tourism in a poverty-stricken province that had few opportunities outside of commercial farming. Adrian and the Mantis team successfully created a place where man and nature could co-exist sustainably. From this initial success, the Mantis model was then developed worldwide, understanding that consumers could use the Mantis portfolio as a mark of quality, consistency and character. Today the diverse portfolio of handpicked propertieslinks up to create travel journeys, which offer guests the opportunity to experience the essence of the location in a setting of tailored luxury. Rooted in conservation, Mantis pursues sustainable business practices and develops tourism products that are respectful of the environment and communities in which they operate. Visit https://www.mantiscollection.com/ to discover more about our incredible brand.

By joining Accor, every chapter of your story is yours to write and together we can imagine tomorrow's hospitality. Discover the life that awaits you at Accor, visithttps://careers.accor.com/

Do what you love, care for the world, dare to challenge the status quo! #BELIMITLESS