South Africa: Assistant Lodge Management Couple posted by Kendrick Recruitment

Kendrick Recruitment is urgently seeking a hands-on Assistant Management Couple for a luxury safari lodge in a remote area of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, approximately 1.52 hours from Hoedspruit. This is a high-energy, all-rounder role for a couple who love the bush, thrive in remote settings, and are comfortable covering multiple departments in a busy lodge operation with a small team.

This lodge has a high percentage of repeat guests and maintains strict standards, so the successful couple must be guest-focused, detail-driven, and committed to building a long-term future in the bush.

Important Notes
Highly remote location; candidates must be comfortable living far from town
Role best suited to an energetic couple able to work hands-on across departments
Couples with children cannot be accommodated due to accommodation setup and remoteness
Pets may be considered but are not permitted in guest areas

Work Cycle & Start Date
6 weeks on / 2 weeks off
Start date: Immediate / ASAP
Couple will report to lodge managers and support operations, including running the lodge when managers are on leave

Package
Salary: R30,000 gross (slightly negotiable for strong candidates)
R3,000 food allowance (not paid in cash)
50% Discovery medical aid contribution and provident fund contribution after probation
Live-in accommodation provided

Candidate Requirements

Her (Front of House / Operations)
Full-time FOH role; minimum 4-star lodge experience in FOH or lodge operations essential
Strong admin, planning, and organisational skills highly beneficial
Confident team leader, flexible, and willing to handle a wide scope of duties
Strong guest interaction and hosting ability

His (Guiding / Maintenance / Operations Support)
Minimum 4-star lodge experience; guiding background essential, trails preferred
Must hold valid guiding qualifications and compliance (see below)
Hands-on, practical, able to oversee maintenance and lodge upkeep
Comfortable with stock oversight, guest hosting, and operational coverage when managers are off

Guiding Qualifications (Minimum Compliance Requirements)
Candidate must have either:

Option A:
FGASA NQF2, FGASA Lead Trails Guide, FGASA ARH
First Aid Level 1, PRDP

OR Option B:
FGASA NQF2 including unit standards 8440 and 8478 and VPDA
First Aid Level 1, PRDP

Role Overview (Hands-on, Multi-Department)

Her Responsibilities (FOH / Admin / Staff Management)
Staff management, training, and oversight
Central stores stocktakes and ordering (with chefs)
Support menu planning and kitchen coordination (experience advantageous)
Guest hosting, service flow, and lodge lock up duty on roster
Room checks, guest prep, special touches, and standards control
Weekly town trips when required
Admin duties including guest accounts, payments, petty cash balancing, gratuity processing
Orders captured and checked on arrival
Cover FOH team leave when needed
External set-ups (sundowners, bush stops, special events)
Proactive oversight of all lodge areas, ensuring standards are maintained

His Responsibilities (Guiding / Maintenance / Ops Support)
Two game drives per day (rotation basis when lodge manager is on site)
Staff management and oversight when lodge manager is on leave
Drinks and wine stock control
Oversee lodge and property maintenance and upkeep
Guest hosting and lock up duty on roster
Camp preparation checks and standards control
Weekly town trips when required
Support lodge management and GMs
Light admin support
Operational coverage and oversight when lodge manager is off

Application Process
Interested candidates should submit the following for both candidates:
CVs
Copies of valid qualifications and certificates (guiding compliance essential)
Contactable references
Recent head and shoulders photographs

Please note that if you do not receive feedback within 7 working days, your application should be considered unsuccessful.