Operations Assistant

Há 6 dias

Western Cape Portugal Bright Placements Tempo inteiro
Job Title: National Operations Assistant
Reports to: CEO
Employment Type: Permanent
Purpose of the Role
Operations form the backbone of delivering warmth, reliability, and authentic luxury. The National Operations Assistant supports and strengthens operational excellence across all properties under the guidance and leadership of the CEO.
This role provides structured, reliable support so operational systems run smoothly, compliance is continuously monitored, and follow-ups are handled with discipline and care. It safeguards assets through administrative rigour, supports legal, regulatory, and safety compliance, and helps uphold uncompromising brand standards.
By managing detail, coordination, reporting, and follow-through, this role frees senior leadership to focus on strategy, people, and growth — ensuring the guest experience remains genuine, gracious, and consistently exceptional.
Valuable Final Product (VFP)
A CEO fully supported by accurate information, disciplined administration, and reliable operational follow-through — enabling the group to operate as a resilient, efficiently run collection of properties where assets are well maintained, stock is well managed, and long-term value is protected. All operational administration and follow-ups are meticulously handled so leadership is always informed and up to date.
Key Responsibilities
Division 1 – Executive Management Support
Compliance – Lodges
  • Maintain ongoing communication with each General Manager to ensure all liquor, firearm (where applicable), operating, and tourism licences are valid and compliant per property.
  • Conduct regular spot checks with General Managers to ensure all critical compliance documentation (operational files, certificates, permits, licences) is current, securely stored, and audit-ready.
  • Coordinate with legal advisors on compliance matters as required, ensuring no direct engagement with town councils occurs outside agreed channels.
  • Monitor and confirm that General Managers maintain full legal and regulatory compliance across all provinces.
Outcome: General Managers are supported and monitored so properties operate legally, ethically, and transparently, with compliance documentation always current.
B-BBEE
  • Track the B-BBEE scorecard in collaboration with relevant divisions.
  • Work closely with the CEO to review and reconcile quarterly B-BBEE spend with Accounts, ensuring alignment with projected turnover.
  • Assist with administration and coordination of initiatives, including documentation, tracking, and follow-ups.
Outcome: Consistent progress toward an annual minimum Level 4 B-BBEE status through accurate tracking and disciplined reporting.
Insurance – Lodges
  • Work with each General Manager to ensure all fixed assets, vehicles, and business operations are adequately insured.
  • Maintain accurate, up-to-date asset registers verified by General Managers, supported by photographs and video records.
  • Track insurance claims submitted by lodges, monitoring progress and escalating delays or issues.
  • Verify CAR policies are in place prior to construction and provide required documentation to banks where applicable.
  • Coordinate annual renewals of group vehicle and liability insurance policies.
Outcome: Insurance documentation is current and complete; assets and vehicles are correctly covered and claims are monitored through to resolution.
Division 2 – Marketing Coordination Support
Quarterly Marketing Plan Distribution & Inputs
  • Support the CEO and Marketing team with distribution of the quarterly marketing plan to all stakeholders (Sales, Marketing, Communications, GMs, and Graphics).
  • Gather inputs in advance to support an informed plan, including social media performance, newsletters/email marketing, stakeholder communication, campaigns, and marketing/media/sales trips.
  • Track that updated plans and feedback points are shared timeously and that stakeholders have the latest version.
Outcome: Timeous information supports a well-informed marketing plan and improved coordination across teams.
Specials & Packages
  • Collaborate with GMs, Creative, Sales, and Reservations to develop unique special offerings.
  • Support Sales in shaping creative and engaging specials, packages, promotions, and voucher offers.
  • Use guest feedback and performance insights to refine offers where appropriate.
  • Confirm that PR & Marketing shares approved specials and packages with staff and external consultants.
Promotional Material Follow-Through
  • Follow up that drafted content for specials and packages is supplied by Marketing to the design team timeously.
  • Confirm PR distribution of promotional material to relevant channels.
  • Spot check that key package categories remain current (e.g., wedding and corporate packages).
Group Marketing Meetings
  • Attend regular marketing meetings to support planning of upcoming initiatives.
  • Participate in discussions and track agreed actions to completion.
Division 3 – Financial Support
  • Support the CEO by coordinating preparation for annual operating and capital budget discussions; collate required reports and data in advance.
  • Work with General Managers quarterly to support centralised procurement initiatives and identify opportunities to improve group buying power.
  • Assist General Managers in resolving POS and accounting integration issues; escalate concerns and track corrective actions.
Outcome: Well-prepared financial engagements and improved operational financial discipline across properties.
Division 4 – Operations & Lodges Support
  • Attend monthly General Manager meetings with the CEO; prepare agendas, take minutes, and track action items.
  • Assist in planning and coordinating two in-person GM meetings annually.
  • Attend a minimum of four lodge visits per year with the CEO; document observations and follow-up actions.
Lodge Visit Focus Areas:
  • Lodge aesthetic and presentation
  • Staff uniforms, grooming, and morale
  • Guest areas, housekeeping, and cleanliness
  • Furniture condition and asset upkeep
  • Staff housing and back-of-house standards
  • Health & Safety compliance and emergency readiness
  • Stock control and spot stock-take checks
  • Capital expenditure verification
  • Community projects
  • Company vehicles and signs of misuse
  • Printed collateral and brand accuracy
  • Curio stock levels and retail presentation
  • Support development and maintenance of a group supplier manual
  • Track utilities and service provider costs monthly and flag unusual variances to the CEO
  • Monitor that GMs enforce group operational and guest experience standards, including signature recipes, rituals, and presentation protocols
  • Maintain close communication regarding Curio retail standards and supplier alignment
Outcome: Strong operational visibility and disciplined follow-through that protects guest experience, asset value, and brand consistency.
Problem Solving with General Managers
  • Act as a first point of coordination for operational issues raised by GMs; filter information and prepare structured summaries for the CEO.
  • Support GMs in developing solution-focused proposals, including context and operational implications.
  • Assist in coordinating collaborative problem-solving sessions where cross-property alignment is required.
Outcome: Clear, well-structured escalation support enables effective decisions and timely resolution.
Division 5 – Quality Assurance (QUAL)
  • Proactively identify and flag quality assurance concerns to GMs and the CEO.
  • Assist in resolving quality issues by tracking corrective actions and supporting follow-up.
  • Submit written visit feedback and quality reports to the CEO following lodge visits.
Outcome: Quality issues are identified early, addressed consistently, and prevented from recurring.
Strategic Project – Standards Bible
  • Support the development, maintenance, and ongoing refinement of the Standards Bible — a comprehensive, practical guide to brand and operational excellence.
Content Examples:
  • Pre-opening and opening checklists for new lodges
  • Turndown procedures and guest communication templates
  • Uniform branding and presentation standards
  • Arrival and departure rituals
  • Room folders, stationery, and printed collateral standards
  • Food, beverage, and signature recipe standards
  • Housekeeping, maintenance, and service benchmarks
  • Emergency, health & safety, and crisis response protocols
Objective: Provide every GM with a clear, current, and inspiring reference to execute brand ethos consistently, beautifully, and without compromise.
Boundaries & Escalation Matrix
Guiding principle: Support first. Track always. Escalate early — calmly and with context.
What the Assistant Owns:
  • Tracking actions, deadlines, and follow-ups
  • Preparing agendas, minutes, summaries, and reports
  • Maintaining compliance trackers, insurance records, and documentation
  • Coordinating information flow between GMs, Head Office, and CEO
  • Flagging risks, delays, or gaps clearly and early
  • Maintaining standards documentation (Standards Bible, SOPs, templates)
What Stays with GMs:
  • Day-to-day lodge operations
  • Staff management and discipline
  • Guest experience delivery
  • Budget adherence and cost control
  • Compliance execution at property level
  • Immediate operational decision-making
When to Escalate to the CEO:
  • Legal, compliance, or safety risk identified
  • Deadlines or renewals repeatedly missed
  • GM unresponsive or unable to resolve an issue
  • Financial exposure, reputational risk, or guest safety involved
  • Decision exceeds agreed authority
  • Patterns of concern appear across multiple properties
Escalation Guidelines:
  • Include clear facts, actions tried, what is blocked, and suggested options
  • Do not escalate minor issues, personality clashes, or situations being actively resolved
  • Escalate timely, calmly, and factually, focusing on resolution
Governance, Quality Control & Tracking
  • Maintain an operational action tracker (single source of truth) for all CEO/GMs follow-ups
  • Define review cadences: compliance check-ins (monthly), licence renewals (60/30/7-day reminders), supplier/manual review (quarterly), utilities variance review (monthly)
  • Maintain a clear document storage map for asset registers, compliance files, insurance policies, supplier agreements, and Standards Bible versions
  • Maintain confidentiality standards and POPIA-aligned handling of sensitive information
  • Create a simple handover/SOP pack covering recurring reports, lodge visit templates, and escalation protocols


Qualifications
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
  • Experience:
    • Minimum 5 years' experience in operations, administration, or executive support, preferably within luxury hospitality, lodges, or multi-property environments.
    • Proven track record in compliance, insurance, and financial coordination.
    • Experience supporting senior leadership (CEO or equivalent) in a high-demand operational context.
  • Technical Skills:
    • Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
    • Experience with accounting/finance software (e.g., Xero) and POS systems.
    • Comfortable with reporting, data analysis, and KPI tracking.
  • Knowledge & Competencies:
    • Strong understanding of operational standards in hospitality or luxury property management.
    • Knowledge of legal, regulatory, and B-BBEE compliance requirements.
    • Excellent planning, coordination, and follow-up skills.
    • Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
    • Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion (POPIA compliance).
  • Personal Attributes:
    • High levels of integrity, reliability, and accountability.
    • Strong communication and interpersonal skills; able to liaise across all levels.
    • Solution-focused, proactive, and able to work independently.
    • Adaptable and capable of thriving in a dynamic, multi-property environment.

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