South Africa: Reservations Manager (High-Volume Luxury Hotel) posted by HotelJobs

A prominent, high-volume luxury hotel in Cape Town is seeking a highly skilled Reservations Manager to oversee inventory and lead a dedicated reservations team. Position Overview: The successful candidate will lead the booking & reservations department to maximize occupancy and room revenue through strategic inventory management and exceptional guest service. You will oversee a team of agents, ensuring that every inquiryfrom individual FIT bookings to large corporate groupsis handled with precision and a sales-driven mindset. Key Responsibilities Departmental Leadership: Manage, train, and motivate the reservations team to meet and exceed daily sales targets and service standards. Inventory Management: Monitor room availability and manage allotments across all distribution channels (OTAs, GDS, and Direct). Revenue Support: Work closely with the Revenue Manager to implement dynamic pricing strategies and yield management. Group & Event Logistics: Oversee the administrative lifecycle of group bookings, including rooming lists, deposits, and special requests. Quality Control: Conduct regular audits of the Property Management System (PMS) to ensure data integrity and guest profile accuracy. Customer Excellence: Handle complex guest inquiries and escalations, ensuring a seamless booking-to-arrival experience. Channel Management: Ensure all online platforms are updated with correct rates, restrictions, and availability to prevent overbooking. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Conversion Rate: Percentage of inquiries successfully turned into confirmed bookings. Average Daily Rate (ADR): Achieving the targeted average rate through effective upselling and yield management. RevPAR Performance: Maintaining a high Revenue Per Available Room relative to the competitive set. Reporting Accuracy: Timely and error-free delivery of daily/weekly occupancy forecasts and pick-up reports. Direct Booking Ratio: Growth in reservations made via the hotels own website and phone lines to reduce commission costs. Team Productivity: Monitoring response times to emails and calls (Target: Minimum Requirements Experience: 5 years of experience in Hotel Reservations Management Education: Grade 12 (Matric) is essential; a Degree or Diploma in Hospitality Management is highly advantageous. Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in Opera Cloud or a similar Property Management System is a prerequisite. Yield Knowledge: Proven understanding of revenue management principles and OTA extranets. Communication: Exceptional verbal and written English skills with a professional telephonic manner. Attributes: Strong analytical skills, ability to work under pressure in a high-volume environment, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.