Lodge Manager / General Manager
Visa sponsorship
Hospitality · Invercargill, New Zealand · Full-Time · Discussed at interview · Visa: Employer sponsored
Guests arrive at the edge of a national park in the south of New Zealand's South Island at an intimate luxury lodge about to reopen, and the owners need a Lodge Manager to lead it. The lodge returns on 1 December 2026 after full reinstatement, offering ten suites, two log cabins and a four-bedroom house for one party at a time. Nine further suites arrive in October 2027, on about 32 hectares.
This hands-on general manager position carries real autonomy, direct owner access and responsibility for guests, team, budget and estate. New Zealand, Australian and international applicants are all welcome, and visa sponsorship will be considered for the right candidate.
Tanzanian hospitality managers with experience in Arusha lodges or Dar es Salaam hotels can lead the CV with the properties run, teams managed and commercial results achieved. Create a lodge-ready CV with Build AI CV.
Key Responsibilities
- Host guests and oversee their whole visit, from pre-arrival to farewell, including dining, guided days out and the exclusive-use house
- Keep service standards high and shape the service culture, working alongside staff as needed
- Lead the opening of nine new suites, taking the lodge from 12 keys to 21
- Build the food and beverage offer jointly with the Lodge Head Chef
- Manage a cross-trained team of about eighteen at reopening: the Lodge Host, Assistant Lodge Manager, Housekeeping Manager, Executive Chef and Maintenance & Grounds Supervisor; recruit, train, roster and develop them year-round
- Take care of the lodge, log cabins, exclusive-use house, staff quarters, grounds, native bush, driveways, vehicles and infrastructure, following an annual estate plan for maintenance, presentation and compliance
- Own the operating plan and the lodge's profitability; boost occupancy, rate, guest spend and direct and repeat business with support from reservations and finance
- Review trading every week and report to the directors every month
Requirements & Eligibility
- Luxury hospitality leadership background, ideally General Manager, Lodge Manager or senior operations level
- Personable, guest-focused leader who loves personal hospitality
- Financial and commercial track record with budgets, forecasts and operating profit
- Experience managing teams across hospitality disciplines, with clear written and spoken communication
- Independent judgement in a remote place when roads close or weather changes
- A Manager's Certificate, or eligibility to obtain one before certificated duties; full, clean driver licence
- Highly regarded: luxury lodge, boutique hotel or exclusive-use property management; hotel opening, refurbishment or major development; New Zealand luxury tourism market knowledge; remote-property grounds, facilities and infrastructure experience
- You must hold, or be able to obtain, the legal right to work in New Zealand
Apply: Apply by email · WhatsApp
Visa guide: New Zealand AEWV Guide for Tanzanian Applicants