Guest Experience Manager

Guest Experience Manager

Location: Sabi Sands

Property Type: Luxury Lodge

Salary: Negotiable DOE | Live-in

Kendrick Recruitment is recruiting on behalf of a luxury lodge in the Sabi Sands for an experienced Guest Experience Manager. This is a key leadership role responsible for ensuring that every guest journey is seamless, intentional, and emotionally resonant. The successful candidate will lead and inspire guest-facing teams while safeguarding and elevating the lodge’s guest experience standards.

Key Outcomes of the Role

• Ensure guests feel seen, anticipated, and cared for
• Deliver an intentional, consistent, and memorable guest journey
• Build confident, present, and aligned guest-facing teams
• Achieve guest feedback reflecting emotional connection, not just satisfaction
• Protect and elevate the MORE brand experience daily

Core Responsibilities

Guest Journey Ownership

• Accountable for the end-to-end guest journey from pre-arrival to post-stay
• Design and safeguard key guest rituals, moments, and transitions
• Ensure consistent experiences while respecting each lodge’s unique character
• Curate experiences for VIPs, repeat guests, special occasions, and long-stay guests
• Serve as the escalation point for complex or sensitive guest situations

Experience Delivery & Presence

• Maintain visible and engaged presence in guest areas
• Conduct daily experience walkabouts and informal quality checks
• Observe guest behaviour and emotional cues to proactively adjust service
• Ensure guest communications reflect the MORE tone of voice
• Collaborate with all departments to ensure seamless delivery across residences, in-lodge, and out-of-lodge experiences
• Elevate guest interaction through visible leadership and coaching

People Leadership & Coaching

• Lead, coach, and inspire guest-facing teams to deliver intuitive and emotionally intelligent service
• Set clear expectations around presence, language, body language, and guest interaction
• Facilitate experience-focused training and coaching sessions
• Identify and develop future talent within guest-facing teams
• Reinforce accountability while nurturing confidence and pride in service
• Serve as the connector between departments to shape a consistent guest-first mindset

Brand & Experience Custodian

• Act as on-property custodian of the MORE guest experience
• Ensure all guest touchpoints align with brand values and standards
• Protect intimacy, warmth, and authenticity as the business scales
• Collaborate with Marketing and Guest Experience leadership on storytelling and experience enhancements
• Contribute insights into broader Guest Experience strategy
• Prepare special occasions in conjunction with the Guest Experience and Interiors departments
• Embed MORE brand values into daily behaviours and team practices

Guest Feedback & Insight

• Engage with guest feedback during and after stays
• Review and respond to feedback platforms in line with brand tone
• Identify experience trends and recurring challenges
• Translate feedback into practical improvements and coaching moments
• Share insights with the General Manager and Group Guest Experience leadership

Commercial Awareness (Experience-Led)

• Enhance revenue through curated experiences rather than transactional upselling
• Support repeat visitation and guest loyalty through emotional connection
• Balance guest delight with operational and financial sustainability
• Protect brand value over discount-led decisions

Experience & Profile

Essential

• 5–8 years’ experience in luxury hospitality or lodge/hotel environments
• Proven experience in guest relations or guest experience leadership
• High emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal presence
• Comfortable leading through influence rather than hierarchy
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong situational awareness and attention to detail

Advantageous

• Exposure to guest experience design or service philosophy
• Familiarity with guest feedback platforms and PMS systems

Personal Attributes

• Enthusiastic about people and guest experience
• Calm, grounded, and emotionally perceptive
• Naturally hospitable, intuitive, and confident without ego
• Proud of service and team development
• Present, observant, and intentional

This live-in position offers a competitive salary dependent on experience and an opportunity to work in a prestigious luxury lodge in the Sabi Sands.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV to apply for this opportunity through Kendrick Recruitment.