Guest Experience Manager | Luxury Safari Lodge | Thabazimbi

Salary: Negotiable DOE | Live-in

A luxury safari lodge in Thabazimbi is seeking an experienced Guest Experience Manager to lead and oversee the end-to-end guest journey across the property. This hands-on leadership role ensures every guest interaction—from pre-arrival to post-departure—is seamless, personalized, and memorable, while aligning guest-facing teams, spaces, and service moments.

Key Responsibilities

Guest Journey Ownership

• Oversee the integrity and delivery of the full guest journey (pre-arrival, arrival, in-stay, departure, post-stay)
  

• Design and safeguard key guest rituals, moments, and transitions
  

• Ensure consistency of experiences while respecting the lodge’s unique character
  

• Curate experiences for VIPs, repeat guests, special occasions, and long-stay guests
  

• Serve as escalation point for complex or sensitive guest situations
  

Experience Delivery & Presence

• Maintain a 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 all guest communications reflect the lodge’s tone and standard
  

• Collaborate with Marketing, Front Office, Hosts, F&B, Wellness, Fitness, Guides, Housekeeping, and Activities to ensure seamless experiences
  

• Elevate quality of guest interactions through coaching and visible leadership
  

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, ensuring a consistent guest-first mindset
  

Guest Feedback & Insight

• Engage with guest feedback during and after stays
  

• Monitor guest feedback platforms and respond appropriately
  

• Identify trends and recurring pain points, translating insights into practical improvements and coaching
  

• Share insights with GM and property leadership
  

Brand & Experience Custodian

• Ensure all guest touchpoints align with brand values and experience standards
  

• Protect intimacy, warmth, and authenticity in service delivery
  

• Collaborate on storytelling, special occasions, and experience enhancements
  

• Embed service philosophy into daily team practices
  

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, lodge, or 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 development
  

• Familiarity with guest feedback platforms and PMS systems
  

Personal Attributes

• Enthusiastic about people and guest experience
  

• Calm, grounded, and emotionally perceptive
  

• Naturally hospitable and intuitive
  

• Confident without ego, proud of service and team
  

• Present, observant, and intentional
  

Key Competencies

• Excellent attention to detail
  

• Strong guest-focus philosophy
  

• Effective communication skills
  

• Team player with positive attitude and emotional control
  

• Proactive with initiative and creative problem-solving
  

• Adaptable, flexible, and resilient under pressure
  

• Strong interpersonal skills with tolerance, patience, and care
  

This is a live-in role requiring a hands-on, highly organized, and emotionally intelligent leader capable of elevating the guest experience across the lodge.