Operations/Hotel Manager

Operations / Hotel Manager – Commercial, Finance & F&B Location: On property, Nairobi Reports to: General Manager (day-to-day) / Owners (monthly P&L, controls, budget, pricing strategy) Direct Reports: F&B Manager, Executive Chef (costing/purchasing), Reservations/Sales, Accounts and Cost Control Key Responsibilities 1. Financial & Cost Control Leadership Own the property P&L (USALI format), monthly budgeting, forecasting, and line-by-line variance reporting. Enforce purchasing controls: approved suppliers, three-quote policy, GRN matching, par levels, and monthly stock-takes. Manage labor efficiency and productivity relative to occupancy and dining covers. Implement tight internal controls to eliminate leakage, stock loss, unauthorized voids, and comps. Maintain compliance with local taxes, levies, and statutory filings (VAT, Catering Levy, KRA, PAYE). 2. Food & Beverage and MICE Growth Treat F&B and event operations as high-margin profit centers through menu engineering, yield management, and recipe costing. Manage the wine and beverage program, including pricing, pouring costs, cellar controls, and supplier terms. Lead banqueting discipline: BEOs, event costing, minimum spend policies, deposits, and post-event reconciliations. Drive MICE sales suitable for a boutique luxury house (board retreats, private dining, diplomatic/corporate receptions, small weddings). Increase average spend and cover volume at the signature restaurant while protecting luxury positioning. 3. Revenue Management & OTA Distribution Oversee channel manager integration, PMS alignment, and extranet optimization (Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, Google Hotel Ads, TripAdvisor). Apply revenue management principles: dynamic pricing, length-of-stay controls, ADR, RevPAR, and pace analysis. Audit and optimize listing content, photography, rate parity, and review scores. Shift market mix away from OTAs to lower commission costs and increase direct/trade booking share. Position the property on key luxury channels (Virtuoso, Signature, Serandipians, Amex FHR, Tablet, Mr & Mrs Smith). 4. Travel Trade & Corporate Sales Build and actively-manage relationships with inbound tour operators, safari DMCs, corporate travel desks, and local diplomatic/NGO accounts. Represent the property within key trade networks (KATO, Kenya Tourism Board, regional trade circuits). Negotiate contracted rates, corporate packages, and preferred supplier agreements. Requirements Required Skills & Qualifications Experience: 8–12 years in hospitality, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role (Hotel Manager, EAM, F&B Director, or Director of Sales) in a luxury or upper-upscale property. Background: Strong foundation in F&B operations paired with proven commercial and financial management expertise. Education: Degree or diploma in Hospitality Management (e.g., Utalii, Strathmore, Glion, EHL, Les Roches, or equivalent). Finance certifications (e.g., CPA) are an advantage. Systems: Advanced proficiency in PMS (Opera/Protel), POS (Micros/Simphony), Channel Managers (SiteMinder), inventory software, and advanced Excel. Market Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of the local Nairobi/East Africa corporate, diplomatic, and trade networks. Personal Attributes: Commercially driven, operationally hands-on, high integrity, strong analytical communicator, and an effective mentor to team members. Key Performance Metrics (KPIs) Performance Area Target / Indicator Gross Operating Profit At or above approved budget monthly Food Cost 28% – 32% Beverage Cost 22% – 28% Labor Cost Maintained to budget per occupied room and cover RevPAR & ADR Year-on-year growth; ADR maintained in luxury tier Channel Mix Quarter-on-quarter increase in direct and trade bookings Distribution Cost Reduction in total commission percentage Stock Variance Under 1%; zero unresolved audit findings Reputation 9.0+ score on Booking.com with rising rank