Lodge Manager / General Manager
Visa sponsorship
Hospitality · Invercargill, New Zealand · Full-Time · Discussed at interview · Visa: Employer sponsored
For hospitality leaders in the Gulf weighing a considered next move, whether you work in Dubai, Doha, Riyadh or Muscat, a discreet luxury lodge in New Zealand's southern South Island is appointing a Lodge Manager / General Manager. Bordering a national park and newly restored, it receives guests again from 1 December 2026 across ten suites, two log cabins and a four-bedroom residence reserved for a single party. A further nine suites are planned for October 2027, on grounds of roughly 32 hectares.
The appointment calls for a composed, visible host, present at every arrival, at the fireside and through a full evening service, with equal command of budgets, rosters and the estate. Authority over operations is genuine, and the owners are directly accessible.
Applications are invited from New Zealand, Australia and beyond, and visa sponsorship will be considered for the right candidate.
A considered English CV matters at this level. Highlight the luxury properties you have led, guest satisfaction and trading results, and any pre-opening work. Refine your senior hospitality CV with Build AI CV before applying.
Key Responsibilities
- Receive guests personally and devote time to them throughout their stay
- Orchestrate each guest's journey, from pre-arrival arrangements through dining and guided excursions to exclusive-use house stays and departure
- Define and safeguard service standards, joining colleagues on the floor whenever the day requires
- Curate the guest experience and the culture of service, from the first welcome to a gracious farewell
- Lead the launch of nine new suites, expanding the lodge from 12 keys to 21, and refine the culinary and beverage offer with the Lodge Head Chef
- Lead a versatile team of approximately eighteen at reopening, with the Executive Chef, Maintenance & Grounds Supervisor, Assistant Lodge Manager, Housekeeping Manager and Lodge Host as direct reports
- Attract, train, schedule and develop talent capable of delivering in every season
- Steward the estate in full, including the lodge, staff quarters, vehicles, cabins, native bush, the exclusive-use house, infrastructure, grounds and driveways, with the maintenance team following a yearly programme of preventive care, presentation and compliance
- Own the yearly operating plan and profitability, grow rate, occupancy, guest spend and direct and repeat custom with reservations and finance, review trading weekly and report monthly to the directors
Requirements & Eligibility
- Leadership within luxury hospitality, ideally at Lodge Manager, General Manager or senior operations level
- Assured leadership in front of guests and a genuine affection for personal service
- Proven financial and commercial command of budgets, forecasts and operating profit
- A record of leading teams drawn from several hospitality disciplines
- Polished written and spoken communication
- Judgement to act independently at a remote property when access closes or conditions change
- A Manager's Certificate, or eligibility to obtain one before certificated duties
- A clean, full driver licence
- Highly regarded: leadership of a luxury lodge, boutique hotel or exclusive-use property; a hotel opening, refurbishment or major development; knowledge of New Zealand's luxury tourism market; experience with grounds, facilities and infrastructure in a remote setting
- You must hold, or be able to obtain, the legal right to work in New Zealand
Apply: Apply by email · WhatsApp
Visa guide: AEWV Guide for UAE & Gulf Residents