Villa Operations Manager (Guesthouse and Hospitality)

Full Time
Big Bend, Eswatini
Posted 1 day ago

Website LUBOMBO VILLA

Job Title

Villa Operations Manager (Guesthouse and Hospitality)

Location: Big Bend, Eswatini
Type: Full-time, on-site
Start: ASAP (handover period provided)

About Lubombo Villa

Lubombo Villa is a small, well-positioned guesthouse with a loyal base and strong potential. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys running a tight operation properly, keeping standards high, and treating the business like it is their own, with professionalism, care, and discipline.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a mid-level hospitality professional who wants real responsibility and a platform to sharpen their skills across operations, guest experience, staff leadership, and finance. If you are strong on detail, calm under pressure, and serious about doing things the right way, you will thrive here.

Key Responsibilities

1) Operations and Guest Experience

Own daily villa operations: arrivals, departures, housekeeping, maintenance coordination, guest requests.
Maintain excellent cleanliness and presentation standards.
Handle guest communications (WhatsApp, email, booking platforms) promptly and professionally.
Resolve guest issues quickly and fairly to protect reviews and repeat business.

2) Team Leadership

Supervise housekeeping and any support staff.
Set expectations, schedules, and daily checklists.
Train staff on service standards, hygiene, and consistency.
Build a culture of accountability, respect, and pride in the villa.
Provide guidance and oversight to the villa administrator, ensuring strong routines, accountability, and professional reporting.

3) Finance and Controls (Non-negotiable)

Provide day-to-day oversight of the villa administrator responsible for finance administration and work collaboratively to ensure accurate, timely outputs.
Set the standard for financial discipline: coach, train, and improve the administrator’s processes where needed (cash-up routines, filing, coding, recordkeeping, and reconciliations).
Track and verify all income and expenses, reconcile cash and payments, and maintain clean supporting documentation.
Manage petty cash with strict controls, receipts, and clear approval limits.
Produce and review weekly reporting with the administrator: occupancy, revenue, costs, variances, supplier issues, and key priorities.
Support monthly management accounts by reviewing the administrator’s work: invoices, supplier statements, payroll inputs, budget tracking, and summary commentary for owners.
Ensure procurement is controlled, cost-effective, and documented (no informal purchasing or unapproved spend).

4) Sales, Bookings, and Basic Marketing

Manage pricing, availability, and listings (e.g., Booking.com/Airbnb if applicable).
Encourage direct bookings and repeat guests.
Maintain guest review performance and respond professionally to feedback.
Identify simple revenue upsides (packages, local partnerships, longer stays, corporate rates).

5) Property Upkeep

Create and follow a basic maintenance plan.
Coordinate contractors and ensure quality and value for money.
Keep an asset and stock list (linen, consumables, appliances) and report replacement needs early.

What Success Looks Like (First 90 Days)

Villa is running smoothly with clear routines and accountability.
Financial records are clean, reconciled, and transparent.
Stock control is tight, waste reduced, and suppliers managed professionally.
Guest experience is consistent, reviews stable or improving.
Owners receive reliable weekly updates and can trust the numbers.
The administrator is aligned to clear finance routines, outputs are accurate and consistent, and reporting to owners is reliable and transparent.

Candidate Profile

We’re looking for someone who is:

High integrity: honest, dependable, and transparent with money and reporting.
Operationally strong: thrives on systems, checklists, and consistency.
Financially disciplined: comfortable with basic bookkeeping, reconciliations, and controls.
Guest-focused: warm, professional, and responsive.

Practical leader: can manage a small team firmly and respectfully.
Hands-on: willing to roll up sleeves when required in a small operation.
Comfortable leading through standards and coaching, including supervising an administrator and improving financial routines without drama.

Minimum Requirements

3 to 7 years’ experience in hospitality operations (guesthouse, lodge, villa, boutique hotel).
Experience handling bookings and guest communications.
Proven ability to manage basic finances and reporting (cash-ups, reconciliations, expense tracking).
Solid references (we will contact them).
Comfortable living/working on-site (if applicable) and being present when needed.

Compensation and Benefits

Competitive salary (based on experience).
Potential performance-based bonus tied to occupancy, guest reviews, and cost control.
Accommodation can be discussed depending on the candidate and setup.

How to Apply

Please send:

A short CV (max 2 pages)
A brief note explaining why you fit this role
Contactable references (at least two)

Applications to: hr@r4africa.com by end of business 13th March 2026

Contact Details

LUBOMBO VILLA
39 Hlandze Village, Big Bend, L311, Eswatini

Tel: (+268) 2363 6081
Cell: (+268) 7620 9411

To apply for this job email your details to hr@r4africa.com.