General Manager - Entertainment Industry

Introduction

ABOUT THE ROLE

The General Manager is the number one on site, with full responsibility for the business: revenue, money, people, systems and administration across both the wind tunnel and the café. Reports directly to the owner.

We are hiring an entrepreneur-operator, not a caretaker administrator. The difference: an administrator waits for instructions and reports problems; an entrepreneur finds the problems first and arrives with solutions. This person must run the venue as if it were their own — while living in the reality of the numbers.

The mandate for the first 12–18 months: take the current team and the two existing units to sustainable profitability, and grow revenue — at minimum doubling current turnover.

This is NOT a marketing role and NOT a back-office admin role.

Duties & Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

— Sales first.

Leads the existing salesperson and the sales function: schools, corporates, birthday parties, groups, partnerships. Sets realistic targets and can personally show a salesperson how to close a deal.

— Money & administration.

Works hand-in-hand with the accountant: payables, debtors, cash flow, VAT, banking. Does not do the bookkeeping — but no number is ever a surprise.

— Systems.

Online booking, POS, CRM, payment gateways — owns them and keeps them working.

— People.

Leads a team of 10 across the wind tunnel and café. Sets written tasks with deadlines, follows up, hires and dismisses.

— Problems.

Sees risks before they become fires: seasonal dips, equipment downtime, key-staff departures, cash gaps

Desired Experience & Qualification

MUST-HAVE REQUIREMENTS

• Each requirement below will be verified at interview and via references.

• 5+ years managing a business unit with P&L responsibility (leisure, hospitality, F&B, FEC, fitness groups, multi-unit retail), including 2+ years as the no.1 on site.

• Builder track record: has personally launched or rebuilt something — a venue, a department, a sales function, a reporting system. Not just maintained what existed.

• Provable revenue growth: can state specifics — "it was X, it became Y in Z months, through these actions" — and back it with references.

• Personal B2B sales experience: has personally brought in corporate / school contracts, not only managed a sales team.

• Has led teams, including dismissals.

• Financially literate: reads P&L and cash flow, understands VAT, debtors / creditors.

• Hands-on owner of booking / POS / CRM systems (selection or implementation experience is a plus).

• Available on weekends, school holidays and public holidays — the venue's peak trading days.

STRONG ADVANTAGE

• FEC / adventure attraction operations background (wind tunnels, trampoline parks, climbing, karting, water parks) — this is where most of the venue's revenue sits.

• Personal experience with B2B and group sales: schools, corporates, birthday parties.

• Hospitality / café / F&B experience is a plus, not a substitute for the above.

Package & Remuneration

COMPENSATION

Base: R40,000 – R55,000 per month

Performance bonus: tied to revenue and profitability growth against the minimum-double-revenue target over 12–18 months.

Realistic total compensation reaching R75,000 – R90,000+ per month once that target is hit.