General Manager – Upscale Lakeside Resort (Ghana)

About the job

Role Summary: 

The General Manager (GM) has full P&L responsibility and leads all day-to-day operations of an upscale 34-room lakeside resort in Ada. The GM ensures impeccable facility maintenance, guest experience, and culinary & hospitality standards while driving sales, marketing, and partnerships to achieve strong occupancy, ADR/RevPAR, and event revenues. This is a hands-on leadership role suited to a seasoned hospitality or operations leader with strong commercial acumen and a passion for Ghanaian hospitality. 

Key Responsibilities 

Operations & Guest Experience: 

• Lead daily resort operations across Rooms, Front Office, Housekeeping, F&B, Spa/Wellness, Activities/Marina, and Security. 

• Uphold brand standards for service, cleanliness, ambience, and safety; resolve guest escalations promptly. • Implement SOPs and service recovery protocols; maintain guest satisfaction scores (e.g., 4.6+/5.0 on OTAs). Facilities, Engineering & HSE 

• Own the preventive maintenance plan (buildings, guest rooms, kitchens, pools, marina/boats, grounds, generators, water systems, HVAC). 

• Ensure full compliance with health, safety & environmental regulations; manage risk assessments, fire drills, and emergency readiness. 

• Oversee vendor contracts and capex projects; maintain asset registers, warranties, and service records. Culinary, Bars & Events:

• Partner with Chef/F&B Manager to deliver consistently excellent cuisine—menu engineering, food safety, cost control, and bar profitability. 

• Curate destination-worthy dining experiences (lakeside grills, sundowner bars, themed nights). 

• Grow MICE, weddings, private events, and corporate retreats; ensure high-margin banquet operations. Sales, Marketing & Revenue:

• Own the annual sales & marketing plan: channel mix, demand calendars, rate strategy, and promotions. 

• Manage digital presence: website, SEO/SEM, OTAs/meta, social storytelling, influencer and PR campaigns. • Build partnerships: DMCs, corporate accounts, embassies/NGOs, tour operators, and local attractions. 

• Lead revenue management: pricing, inventory, and forecasting to optimise occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and F&B revenue. 

Finance & Governance:

• Build and manage budgets, rolling forecasts, cost controls, and cash management. 

• Track KPIs and produce monthly board reports; ensure accurate stock, POS controls, and audits. 

• Ensure compliance with Ghanaian labour, tax, and hospitality regulations; maintain licenses and insurance. 

People & Culture: 

• Recruit, train, roster, and develop a high-performing, guest-obsessed team; enforce grooming and service standards. 

• Drive performance management, coaching, and recognition; local community engagement. 

• Foster a safe, inclusive workplace aligned to company values. 

Candidate Profile & Requirements 

Must-Haves: 

• Experience: 7–10+ years leading upscale hotel/resort or complex operations, including 3+ years as GM/Resident Manager/Operations Manager with P&L ownership. Strong track record in both maintenance-led operations and commercial growth (occupancy/RevPAR/events). 

• F&B leadership: menu engineering, food-cost control, HACCP, and banquet operations. 

• Digital marketing & revenue management: OTAs/channel managers, RMS, website & social campaigns, PR/influencer partnerships. 

• Financial literacy: budgeting, cost control, margin management, and capex planning. 

• Hands-on leadership, excellent guest relations and communication; calm under pressure. 

• Systems: Proficiency with hotel PMS (e.g., Opera, Cloudbeds), POS, channel manager/OTA extranets, and Microsoft 365/Excel. 

Nice-to-Haves:

• Degree in Hospitality/Hotel Management, Business, Tourism, or related field (preferred but not mandatory). 

• MBA or Master’s degree, or professional certifications (HACCP/Food Safety, HSE/NEBOSH, First Aid/CPR, Revenue Management). 

• Experience with lakeside/marina operations, watercraft licensing, or outdoor activity programming. 

• Sustainability & ESG initiatives (waste/water/energy), community tourism partnerships; French or additional languages. 

Success Metrics (First 12 Months) 

• Guest Experience: guest review scores ≥ 4.6/5; complaint resolution < 24 hours. 

• Maintenance: 100% preventive tasks on schedule; unplanned breakdowns below target. 

• Commercial: Occupancy/ADR/RevPAR targets agreed in budget; Events revenue growth YoY. 

• Costs: Food cost ≤ X%, beverage cost ≤ Y%, labour cost ≤ Z%; stock variances < 1%. 

• People: Staff retention ≥ 90%; training hours ≥ X per FTE; zero lost-time accidents. 

• Governance: Timely, accurate monthly reports and board packs. 

Compensation & Benefits 

• Competitive base salary plus performance bonus tied to KPIs (RevPAR, GOP, guest scores, safety). 

• Housing/transport allowance (where applicable), meals on duty, phone/data. 

• Professional development and industry association memberships. 

Application Process Submit: CV, brief cover letter, and two references to info@africab2bmeetings.com with subject “GM – Lakeside Resort”.