Lodge Manager / General Manager
Visa sponsorship
Hospitality · Invercargill, New Zealand · Full-Time · Discussed at interview · Visa: Employer sponsored
Southern New Zealand, on the edge of a national park: a small luxury lodge there is looking for a Lodge Manager. Its full reinstatement over, the lodge opens its doors again on 1 December 2026, offering ten suites, two log cabins and a four-bedroom house for one party at a time, with nine more suites in October 2027 on an estate of about 32 hectares.
The post is hands-on, with real operational autonomy and direct access to the owners. One day you greet guests and steady dinner service; the next you work on budgets, rosters and the grounds. Candidates in New Zealand, Australia and overseas can apply, and visa sponsorship will be considered for the right candidate.
Kenyan hospitality leaders should open the CV with the properties led, how guest satisfaction was kept high and the budgets you ran. Let Build AI CV shape your lodge-manager CV.
Key Responsibilities
- Host guests personally and guide each stage of their visit, from before arrival through dining and guided days out, the exclusive-use house and departure
- Set the tone for service and culture, pitching in with the team where needed
- Open and bed in the nine new suites as the lodge goes from 12 keys to 21, and shape the food and beverage offer alongside the Lodge Head Chef
- Lead the cross-trained team of about eighteen at reopening, including the Assistant Lodge Manager, Lodge Host, Executive Chef, Housekeeping Manager and Maintenance & Grounds Supervisor, and recruit, train, roster and develop them for year-round service
- Answer for the whole property: lodge, log cabins, exclusive-use house, staff quarters, grounds, native bush, driveways, vehicles and infrastructure, with an annual estate plan for upkeep, presentation and compliance
- Own the annual operating plan and profit, working with reservations and finance to lift occupancy, rate, guest spend and repeat and direct bookings
- Review trading each week and report to the directors monthly
Requirements & Eligibility
- Luxury hospitality leadership, ideally at General Manager, Lodge Manager or senior operations level
- Excellent with guests, with a love of personal hospitality
- Demonstrated financial and commercial grip: budgets, forecasts and operating profit
- Has led teams spanning several hospitality disciplines
- Communicates clearly in writing and speech, and can lead alone in a remote place when the road closes or the weather turns
- A Manager's Certificate, or eligibility to obtain one before certificated duties, plus a full, clean driver licence
- Highly regarded: managing a luxury lodge, boutique hotel or exclusive-use property; a hotel opening, refurbishment or major development; knowledge of the New Zealand luxury tourism market; experience with the grounds, facilities and infrastructure of a remote property
- You must hold, or be able to obtain, the legal right to work in New Zealand
Apply: Apply by email · WhatsApp
Visa guide: The AEWV from Kenya: a Complete Guide