General Manager: Hospitality (Stellenbosch)

Introduction

Ernie Els Wines is seeking an experienced, commercially minded and guest-focused General Manager: Hospitality to lead and grow its hospitality operation.

This is a senior leadership role for an individual who can successfully balance exceptional guest experiences, operational excellence, people leadership and commercial performance .

The successful candidate will take overall responsibility for the strategic, operational, financial and commercial performance of the Hospitality business unit, including visitor experiences, food and beverage operations, events, tourism engagement and hospitality team performance.

Duties & Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will take overall responsibility for the strategic, operational, financial and commercial performance of the Hospitality business unit and will be responsible for:

• Developing and implementing the hospitality strategy in support of the Ernie Els Wines brand, commercial objectives and premium guest experience.

• Leading and developing the hospitality management team and broader hospitality operation, promoting a high-performance, accountable and guest-focused culture.

• Taking accountability for hospitality revenue, profitability and financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting and ongoing commercial analysis.

• Managing and improving key commercial drivers, including revenue, pricing, average guest spend, labour costs, food and beverage costs, operating expenses, margins and profitability.

• Providing strategic and operational leadership across the visitor experience, food and beverage operations, events, tourism engagement and estate-facing guest services.

• Working closely with the Head Chef and Hospitality Manager on food concepts, menu development, pricing, product offering and the commercial and operational performance of the food and beverage operation.

• Ensuring consistent operational excellence across all hospitality touchpoints, including service standards, guest experience, service recovery, operational readiness, stock control and SOP compliance.

• Identifying opportunities to improve revenue growth, profitability, guest journeys, operating efficiencies and service standards, and implementing appropriate improvements.

• Building strong working relationships with internal stakeholders, suppliers, contractors, corporate and private clients, tourism partners and other industry stakeholders.

• Balancing hands-on operational leadership during peak periods with strategic planning, financial management, people leadership and longer-term business development.

Desired Experience & Qualification

• Approximately 5–10 years' experience within the hospitality industry .

• Experience within a wine estate, restaurant, tourism, premium guest experience or destination hospitality environment would be advantageous.

• At least 3 years' experience in a General Manager, Assistant General Manager or comparable senior hospitality leadership role .

• Proven experience managing teams, budgets, operating standards and guest experience.

• Strong experience in financial planning, forecasting, revenue management, cost control and driving profitability within a hospitality or food and beverage environment.

• Experience working with senior culinary leadership on menu development, pricing and operational performance would be advantageous.

• A qualification in Marketing, Business, Economics or Hospitality , or equivalent relevant experience, is required.

• Qualifications or certifications relating to hospitality, tourism, wine, food and beverage, sommelier studies or WSET would be advantageous.

Package & Remuneration

​​​​​​​ A competitive, market-related salary will be offered in line with experience and the level of responsibility.

Interested?

Please note: If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date , please consider your application unsuccessful.