About the position
An award-winning wildlife sanctuaries group requires the above to assume full operational and strategic responsibility for the sanctuaries, ensuring sustainable growth, ethical integrity, and organisational excellence.
Minimum requirements for the role:
- Previous experience having worked in senior management role within conservation, eco-tourism, or hospitality sectors is preferred for the role.
- Postgraduate or specialised training in conservation management or tourism is advantageous.
- Previous experience having worked within a wildlife sanctuary or conservation organisations or eco-tourism, or hospitality operations etc is preferred but not essential.
- Proven success managing multi-site operations and diverse teams.
- Strong knowledge of maintenance systems, infrastructure, and operational logistics as well as financial and business management expertise.
- Experience engaging with tourism operators, donor bodies, and conservation networks.
- The Successful candidate must have Strategic leadership and decisive management abilities with exceptional financial, operational, and project management capabilities.
- Must be able to delegate effectively across multiple functional teams with all levels of people as well as stakeholder engagement.
The successful candidate will be responsible for:
- Managing and overseeing the full operational and strategic responsibility for the sanctuaries, ensuring sustainable growth, ethical integrity, and organisational excellence.
- Overseeing leadership, maintenance, finance, and operational efficiency across all sites.
- Leading all sanctuary operations to ensure efficiency, visitor satisfaction, and long-term sustainability.
- Overseeing budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and P&L management while maintaining full financial transparency as well as managing maintenance and capital projects across all sanctuaries.
- Overseeing all in-house and external contractors, ensuring habitats and facilities meet world-class standards.
- Leading a workforce of over 70 employees, fostering accountability, performance, and growth while maintaining sound labour relations.
- Upholding the Group’s no-touch, free-roaming sanctuary ethos and ensuring compliance with NEMBA, CITES, and all relevant animal welfare regulations.
- Maintaining superior guest experiences through operational excellence and close collaboration with marketing teams.
- Cultivating relationships with donors, sponsors, and the community to strengthen conservation impact.
- Ensuring safety, environmental, and governance standards are upheld across all operations.
- Delivering infrastructure and development projects on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
- Driving efficiencies in energy use, procurement, and staffing while safeguarding animal welfare and visitor quality.
Salary package, including benefits, is highly negotiable depending on experience gained.
Desired Skills:
- Wildlife Sanctuary
- GM
- General Manager
- Plettenburg Bay
