Head of Guest Experience

In brief

**Overview** This is a pivotal leadership position for a Head of Guest Experience, reporting directly to the General Manager within an established hospitality destination. The role requires strategic and operational responsibility for Guest Experience, Front Office, Reservations, and Night Audit functions. The successful candidate will need to balance exceptional hospitality with commercial realities to create seamless guest journeys, drive revenue, strengthen operational performance, and develop talented managers. The organization values its people, embraces continuous improvement, and recognizes the importance of exceptional leadership. **What you will do** Key responsibilities include: * Leading and executing a guest experience strategy to deliver exceptional, personalized, and memorable stays. * Providing strategic direction and operational oversight across multiple guest-facing departments. * Driving revenue optimization, financial performance, and operational efficiency. * Leading, coaching, and developing departmental managers and their teams. * Analyzing guest feedback and performance trends to continuously elevate service standards. * Identifying opportunities for innovation, improved systems, and more effective operational processes. * Building strong relationships across departments to ensure a seamless and consistent guest experience. * Working closely with the General Manager and senior leadership team to support the hotel's broader strategic objectives. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * A Hospitality Diploma or relevant degree (NQF Level 6 or above). * At least five years' senior management experience within a 4-star or 5-star hotel. * Proven experience leading multiple hotel departments and managing departmental managers. * Strong operational knowledge of Front Office, Reservations, Night Audit, and Guest Experience. * Demonstrated commercial acumen, financial management capability, and an understanding of revenue optimization. * A proven track record of developing and implementing guest experience strategies. * Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire, mentor, and build high-performing teams. * Proficiency in Opera Cloud, guest feedback platforms, and hotel reporting tools. * Exceptional interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and a proactive, solutions-driven approach. * South African citizenship. **Who should apply** This role is suited for an experienced hospitality leader who genuinely understands people, can inspire confidence and create accountability, and leads with both empathy and commercial intelligence. The ideal candidate is strategic without losing sight of finer details, decisive without compromising collaboration, and passionate about creating memorable guest experiences. They should be able to influence the guest experience, shape departmental performance, and make a tangible contribution to the success of a respected hotel. **Deadline** Not specified **Reference** Original posting: https://www.jobmail.co.za/jobs/tourism-hospitality/tourism-hospitality-management/western-cape/head-of-guest-experience-id-7597484 Source: jobmail

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