PRIMARY PURPOSE
Reporting
directly to the Operations Manager, the Hospitality Support Manager provides leadership and management for service and
standards to high performance teams in the Kenyan camps in order to deliver
high quality outcomes for customers and ensure consistency in customer
experience across Wilderness Kenya. As part of the Operations Management Team,
the Hospitality Manager works closely with operations to plan, develop and
implement strategies to maintain the Wilderness brand and attain quality and
efficiency in hospitality at all lodges/camps through the Wilderness Way.
*This
position is based in Maasai Mara.
Detailed Responsibilities
Leadership
& people management
- Provide leadership, oversight and direction to
the Hospitality and Service teams to maintain a motivated and engaged
team.
- Recruit and retain staff for the hospitality
department and Implement succession plan guidelines and process.
- Identify skills and competency gaps within the
hospitality department and organize, coordinate and oversee on the job
skills and competency development to achieve business requirements in line
with the human resources development strategy and plan.
- Build and establish high performance teams,
teamwork and a culture of support the Wilderness Way.
- Ensure a culture of open and transparent
communications throughout the hospitality services. Work with HR to
identify, groom, train and accelerate up and coming key performers and
future talent.
- Manage the performance of the staff in the
department in line with Wilderness Kenya performance management system.
- Delegate responsibilities to ensure staff
members grow as capable participants.
- Lead implementation of initiatives for
entrenchment and sustainability of the Wilderness ecotourism values,
culture principles and experience in the day-to-day provision of the
hospitality services, to staff and guests.
- Undertake to address findings from staff
engagement and collaborate with the management team to address such
findings.
Finance
Management
- Prepares hospitality department budget forecast.
- Manages and controls hospitality operations
expenditure.
- Work with Camp Managers to aid in compiling
Style and Appearance CAPEX needs for Camps.
- Suggest and implement cost saving strategies
without compromising quality.
Service
Standards, Style, Décor, Branding
Work
closely with Group Operations Quality Standards Manager to ensure Regional
SOP`s are set and upheld
Set
annual service goals and facilitate their achievement.
- Provide input in the design and development of
Wilderness Kenya offerings based on customer feedback and research on
trends in the hospitality industry to ensure sustainability.
- Research in the high-end safari hospitality
market to keep abreast with developments and drive initiatives to keep
above the competition and aligned with group standards.
- Define and constantly expand on the appearance
and style standards per camp. Establish a creative process to ensure style
and appearance standards are maintained at camp level.
- Establish a creative process to enhance service
in each camp relative to company framework.
- Commission regular service audits at each camp
and follow up corrective actions on all audit findings.
- Engage with regional Project/Interior Managers
ensuring new refurb projects are compliant with company standards and
standards are updated.
- Monitor and ensure company brand compliance
across the region.
- Manage the guest recognition and appreciation
program, repeat guest monitoring and gifting and acknowledgement thereof.
- Ensure our service offering concentrates on a
personal approach and emphasis to service.
- Responsible for uniform management in camps.
Work with Procurement dept and Camp Managers to ensure Standards are
upheld.
Food and
Beverage Service
- Oversee the food and beverage experience and
engage with Food Experience Manager.
- Incorporate food into the camp standards audits
and follow up findings and implementation of corrective measures.
- Align the food and beverage service to the
Wilderness group standards and monitor adherence to standards.
- Formalize offering and menus to a group
standard.
- Ensure our wine offering is married with our
food offering.
Qualification:
Degree
in Tourism/Hospitality/business or relevant field with a postgraduate
qualification diploma in business administration.
Experience:
- Solid experience in the high-end, luxury safari
hospitality market. Minimum of ten (10) years in the eco-tourism industry,
of which at least five (5) is at a senior management level
- Experience and in-depth knowledge of dealing
with travel trade partners, as well as comfort with interacting with
guests from around the world.
- Lodge Management background and knowledge of the
Safari lodge business is preferable.
How to Apply
