Cape Town Region: Assistant Reservations Manager | Luxury Safari Collection | Cape Town | Ss posted by Kendrick Recruitment

Assistant Reservations Manager | Luxury Safari Collection | Cape Town Kendrick Recruitment is currently seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Assistant Reservations Manager to join a leading luxury safari collection based in Cape Town. This permanent, full-time role supports the Head of Reservations and combines hands-on travel design with team supervision, systems governance, and commercial accountability. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate luxury travel professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-performance environment and is committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences. Minimum Requirements: • Proven experience in a leadership role within luxury hospitality, safari, or high-end travel • Strong background in reservations, travel design, and itinerary planning • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Demonstrated ability to meet and exceed sales targets • Impeccable attention to detail and strong organisational skills • Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word) • Experience with Res Request, Safari Portal, and HubSpot advantageous • Ability to work flexible hours in line with business requirements • Genuine passion for luxury safari travel Key Responsibilities: Travel Design & Reservations Leadership • Research, design, and curate high-end B2B and B2C itineraries • Support Travel Designers in crafting seamless, brand-aligned journeys • Review complex or high-value bookings to ensure feasibility and guest alignment • Monitor enquiry management and conversion ratios • Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities • Approve discretionary discounts within authorised thresholds • Step into full managerial capacity in the absence of the Head of Reservations • Manage domestic/international flights and third-party service bookings Booking Performance & Revenue Integrity • Support occupancy management and peak period inventory control • Monitor cancellation trends and rate integrity • Participate in weekly commercial reviews and revenue discussions • Ensure compliance with internal discount and rate-loading policies • Work towards departmental revenue targets Team Leadership & Development • Supervise, mentor, and motivate the Reservations team • Conduct quality control audits on bookings and communications • Support onboarding, probation processes, and training implementation • Manage team scheduling and ensure adequate market coverage • Handle escalated guest or agent matters professionally Systems & Process Governance • Ensure accurate use of reservation and CRM systems • Maintain CRM hygiene and pipeline tracking • Oversee data integrity, booking documentation, and rate loading • Identify system inefficiencies and support process improvements • Ensure consistent application of booking terms and cancellation policies Financial & Compliance Oversight • Monitor deposits, outstanding payments, and reconciliations • Support margin awareness and responsible discount application • Assist in preparing weekly and monthly performance reports Customer Retention & Guest Care • Monitor guests travelling and proactively manage in-travel concerns • Resolve complaints efficiently and professionally • Follow up with guests during and post-travel to ensure satisfaction Salary: R37,000 – R40,000 DOE This is an exceptional opportunity for a commercially minded reservations professional to step into a strategic leadership role within a globally respected luxury safari brand. To apply, please submit your CV, reference letters, and a recent head & shoulders photo Please note: Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates who meet the listed requirements will be contacted. If you do not receive a response within 7 working days, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.