Hotel is a luxury guesthouse located in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town. We have a reputation for excellence and currently seek to fill the mid-level position of Manager with a candidate who shares our values and dedication. The available position is permanent and offers excellent prospects for advancement for the hard-working and high-achieving successful candidate.
The job
As Manager, you will play a critical role as part of our 3-person management team in directing all aspects of guesthouse operations on a shift rotation basis. This position will entail both morning and afternoon/evening duty, typically from 06.00 to 15.00 or from 11.00 to 20.00, although you may sometimes be asked to work other shifts according to occupancy and requirements. The position also includes reservations management and support as and when required.
Responsibilities include, among others:
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Food and beverage: breakfast organisation, set-up and service – supervising the kitchen team, ensuring that standards and quality are upheld; checking stock and ordering; F&B inventory control; overseeing our Honesty bar set-up, beverage and refreshment service throughout the day, setting up our afternoon tea and soup offerings in the evening as well managing our wine set-up and service, etc.
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Reception/concierge: intensive guest relations as per typical guesthouse standard—check-in and out, conversing with guests, arranging tours and transport, making restaurant recommendations and reservations, etc.;
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Housekeeping: overseeing and organising daily housekeeping for rooms, supervising housekeeping staff, monitoring and checking standards, on occasion, cleaning and tidying rooms, managing laundry operations;
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Facility maintenance: inspecting all corners of the property on a continual basis and ensuring cleanliness and proper functioning—cleaning pool and Jacuzzi, raking leaves, sweeping outside areas and keeping bird waste under control, etc.;
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Administration: daily record-keeping and reporting, data entry, filing;
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Marketing: being involved and engaged in all ongoing marketing activities, supporting day-to-day demands of various platforms such as the web site, Facebook page and other such social media channels.
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Reservations: supporting and assisting the reservations manager, handling booking-related enquiries, extensive correspondence, managing the reservations system (SemperNightsbridge) and maintenance of records in tandem with other managers.
You report to the General Manager and owners of the property directly.
Requirements
Most critically, four essential attributes of equal importance—if you don’t have these, please don’t apply:
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Enthusiasm and positive attitude;
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Flexibility;
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Reliability;
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Honesty.
We require a candidate who will be an ambassador for Derwent House—this individual must have the innate ability to leave any problems of a personal or professional nature at the door and deliver sunshine and positivity to our guests at any and all times of the day or night. You must be calm, level-headed and quick-thinking, a good multi-tasker capable of handling the sometimes chaotic demands of guesthouse management. Strong organisational skills are key.
As Manager, you will be deployed in a critical capacity and must therefore be willing and able to take on shifts as required, usually planned in advance,
As a small team, each member of staff is entirely dependent on the performance of the other to keep to commitments and schedules—being five minutes late for whatever reason means someone else has to cover. No excuses can feed guests, clean rooms or receive new arrivals. This position demands absolute commitment and 100% reliability.
We apply a strict zero tolerance policy vis-à-vis dishonesty of any kind whatsoever.
We are looking for a candidate with ambition and commitment who seeks to advance with us.
Qualifications
Essential:
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Excellent English language competence, including writing;
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Strong people skills, confidence and interest in dealing with strangers, many foreign;
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Experience in the hospitality industry with either academic background or practical experience or both;
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Intermediate computer skills.
Desirable:
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Academic training in tourism/hospitality field;
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Familiarity with hospitality-related computer applications;
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Additional languages;
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Experience/aptitude in social media and marketing.
