General Manager - Protea Hotel Durban Umhlanga

Protea Hotel Durban Umhlanga is seeking an experienced and dynamic General Manager to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight across all areas of the hotel. The General Manager is responsible for driving commercial performance, delivering exceptional guest experiences, leading and developing high-performing teams, ensuring compliance with Marriott brand standards, and achieving financial and operational objectives.

The successful candidate will be a strong people leader with a proven track record in hotel operations, revenue generation, owner relations, guest satisfaction, and talent development. This role requires an individual who can balance strategic planning with hands-on operational excellence while fostering a culture aligned with Marriott's values and service standards.

In line with local employment regulations and applicable immigration requirements, this opportunity is open exclusively to South African citizens and individuals who already possess the legal right to live and work in South Africa without sponsorship. Applicants must be able to provide proof of their right to work in South Africa as part of the recruitment process.

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the hotel, ensuring achievement of business goals and performance targets.


• Develop and execute strategic plans to maximize profitability, market share, and guest satisfaction.


• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, engagement, and continuous improvement.


• Lead, coach, and develop the hotel leadership team and associates.


• Serve as the primary representative of the hotel within the local business community and hospitality industry.

• Oversee all hotel operations, including Rooms, Food & Beverage, Finance, Sales & Marketing, Human Resources, Engineering, and Security.


• Ensure compliance with Marriott brand standards, operating procedures, and quality assurance requirements.


• Maintain exceptional levels of guest satisfaction and service delivery.


• Monitor operational performance metrics and implement corrective actions where necessary.


• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and the guest experience.

• Assume full responsibility for the hotel's profit and loss performance.


• Develop and manage annual budgets, forecasts, and capital expenditure plans.


• Drive revenue growth through effective commercial and revenue management strategies.


• Control costs while maintaining service excellence and brand standards.


• Monitor key financial indicators and implement actions to achieve profitability objectives.

• Partner with the Sales and Revenue teams to maximize occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and market share.


• Develop relationships with key corporate accounts, travel partners, and community stakeholders.


• Identify opportunities for business growth and market expansion.


• Actively participate in commercial planning and revenue optimization initiatives.

• Create an engaging and high-performance work environment.


• Support talent acquisition, succession planning, and leadership development.


• Ensure compliance with labour legislation, Marriott policies, and employment practices.


• Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and associate well-being.


• Drive associate engagement and retention initiatives.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with hotel ownership and key stakeholders.


• Provide regular business updates and performance reporting.


• Ensure alignment between ownership goals and Marriott operating standards.


• Effectively manage owner expectations and investment priorities.

• Ensure compliance with all applicable health, safety, legal, environmental, and regulatory requirements.


• Maintain robust risk management practices and business continuity plans.


• Protect company assets and uphold Marriott's ethical and compliance standards.

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related field preferred.


• Minimum 2-5 years of progressive hospitality leadership experience.


• Previous experience as a General Manager, Hotel Manager, or senior hotel operations leader within a full-service branded hotel environment.


• Strong financial acumen with demonstrated experience managing P&L performance.


• Proven success in driving guest satisfaction, revenue growth, and operational excellence.


• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced hospitality environment.


• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.


• Strong understanding of revenue management, sales strategy, and hotel performance metrics.


• Proficiency in hotel property management and business systems.


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