Group Operations Manager

Key responsibilities

1. Property visits and operational presence

• Maintain a structured programme of regular property visits, including planned reviews and appropriate unannounced checks.
• Be visible in guest and back-of-house areas and engage directly with managers, supervisors and frontline employees.
• Observe live service delivery across relevant operating periods, including breakfasts, restaurant service, check-ins, functions and peak trading periods where applicable.
• Identify operational gaps, agree practical corrective actions with property leadership, assign ownership and deadlines, and follow through to closure.
• Provide concise visit reports to Company leadership, highlighting standards, risks, actions, responsible persons and due dates.

2. Service standards and guest experience

• Set, communicate and maintain consistent service standards across the Group while respecting the character and needs of each property.
• Assess the full guest journey, including reservations, arrival, public areas, rooms, dining, departure and post-stay communication.
• Review guest feedback, online reviews, complaints and service-recovery outcomes; identify recurring issues and ensure root causes are addressed.
• Interact appropriately with guests during site visits to gain direct insight into their experience and expectations.
• Support property teams with escalated guest matters and ensure recovery is timely, professional and aligned with Company values.

3. Food & Beverage quality and standards

• Develop and maintain exceptional Food & Beverage standards across restaurants, bars, lounges, banqueting and room service operations.
• Conduct practical quality checks covering food taste, presentation, temperature, freshness, portion consistency, menu execution and speed of service.
• Monitor beverage standards, bar controls, stock handling, waste, gross profit and responsible liquor service.
• Work with chefs and Food & Beverage leaders to improve menu performance, kitchen discipline, service flow, hygiene and profitability.
• Ensure food safety systems, cleaning practices, storage, traceability and allergen controls are consistently applied.

4. Property condition, cleanliness and upkeep

• Inspect guest rooms, public spaces, grounds, kitchens, stores, staff areas and back-of-house facilities for cleanliness, presentation, safety and general upkeep.
• Ensure preventative maintenance plans, defect logs and capital priorities are current and actively managed.
• Follow up on repairs and recurring defects, balancing guest impact, operational risk, cost and asset preservation.
• Maintain consistent presentation standards for signage, lighting, furniture, equipment, landscaping and staff facilities.

5. Operational oversight

• Oversee daily operations across all properties and departments to improve consistency, efficiency and accountability.
• Support General Managers with operating plans, staffing models, standard operating procedures and cross-property coordination.
• Review operating data and property reports, identify exceptions and intervene early where performance or standards are slipping.
• Lead implementation of operational best practices and ensure improvements are embedded, not treated as once-off initiatives.

6. Financial performance

• Develop and manage operating budgets and forecasts in collaboration with property and Company leadership.
• Review property profit-and-loss performance, revenue, payroll, cost of sales, utilities, procurement, stock, waste and other controllable expenses.
• Drive commercially sound actions that improve profitability without compromising safety, quality or the guest experience.
• Strengthen operational controls, purchasing discipline, stock management and accountability for variances.

7. People leadership and employee engagement

• Lead, mentor and evaluate General Managers and senior property leaders; provide clear expectations, feedback and support.
• Build constructive relationships with employees at all levels and create safe opportunities for them to raise concerns and improvement ideas.
• Assess staffing, capability, conduct, morale, training and succession needs during property visits.
• Promote a culture of hospitality, ownership, respect, discipline and continuous improvement.
• Support fair and consistent performance management in line with Company policy and labour legislation.

8. Compliance, risk and governance

• Ensure compliance with food safety, occupational health and safety, labour, liquor licensing and all other applicable business and operating requirements.
• Confirm that required licences, inspections, registers, training records and supporting documentation remain valid and audit-ready.
• Monitor incident reporting, emergency readiness, security, cash handling and other operational risks; escalate material issues promptly.
• Coordinate corrective action arising from internal reviews, external inspections or regulatory findings.

9. Strategy and business improvement

• Collaborate with Company leadership to translate business objectives into practical property-level plans.
• Contribute operational insight to refurbishments, new concepts, openings, acquisitions and growth initiatives where required.
• Identify opportunities for revenue growth, better resource use, shared services, procurement benefits and improved systems.
• Lead selected Group-wide projects and report clearly on progress, benefits, risks and required decisions.

Performance expectations

• Consistent completion and follow-through of property visits and operational action plans.
• Improvement in service-audit results, guest satisfaction, review trends and complaint resolution.
• Consistent Food & Beverage quality, hygiene compliance and commercial performance.
• Improved cleanliness, maintenance completion and overall condition of the properties.
• Delivery against budgets, forecasts, cost controls and agreed profitability targets.
• Stronger leadership capability, employee engagement, retention and performance accountability.
• Compliance with legal, licensing, health and safety, food safety and Company requirements.

Experience and qualifications

• At least 5 years’ senior operations or general management experience in hospitality; multi-property or group-level exposure is strongly preferred.
• Proven hands-on responsibility for hotel, lodge, resort, restaurant or comparable guest-facing operations.
• A relevant degree or diploma in Hospitality Management, Business Administration or a related field is preferred; strong relevant experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated financial competence, including budgeting, forecasting, profit-and-loss analysis and cost control.
• Strong working knowledge of Property Management Systems and operational reporting tools, with proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Sound knowledge of local labour legislation, occupational health and safety, food safety and hospitality-related licensing requirements.
• A valid driver’s licence and the ability and willingness to travel frequently between properties and work outside standard office hours when operations require it.

• Visible operator
• Guest-led
• Commercial
• Firm and fair leader
• Analytical and decisive
• Strong communicator
• Resilient and adaptable