South Africa: F&B Director – Benin posted by HotelJobs

About the Brand A contemporary upscale hospitality brand designed for modern travellers seeking vibrant experiences, authentic local connections, and stylish social spaces. The brand combines dynamic food and beverage offerings, wellness, and experiential hospitality with a strong focus on lifestyle-driven guest engagement. This exciting pre-opening property will feature multiple destination dining and entertainment venues, extensive MICE and conferencing facilities, and a strong emphasis on creating innovative and memorable guest experiences within the local market and international travel landscape. Position Overview We are seeking an experienced, commercially driven, and hands-on Director of Food & Beverage to lead the pre-opening and operational execution of a large-scale Food & Beverage division within a contemporary upscale hotel environment. This role is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of a dynamic F&B portfolio comprising: 3 Restaurants 3 Bars 1 Snack Bar Extensive MICE and Banqueting Operations The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in establishing the hotels F&B identity, guest experience standards, operational systems, financial performance, and team culture from pre-opening through to full operational maturity. The ideal candidate will possess strong luxury or upscale hospitality experience, excellent commercial acumen, and a proven ability to lead complex food and beverage operations within international hotel environments. Fluency in both French and English is essential. African hospitality experience and pre-opening exposure will be highly advantageous. Key Responsibilities Pre-Opening Responsibilities Lead all pre-opening Food & Beverage planning and operational setup. Develop and implement F&B concepts, service standards, SOPs, and operational policies. Collaborate with Executive Chef and senior leadership on outlet concepts, menus, beverage programming, and guest experiences. Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training, and development of all F&B leadership and operational teams. Coordinate procurement and setup of operating equipment, inventories, uniforms, and systems. Assist in budgeting, forecasting, staffing structures, and pre-opening timelines. Drive readiness for launch across all outlets and banquet operations. Partner closely with Sales & Marketing to position the F&B offering within the local and international market. Operational Leadership Direct and oversee all daily F&B operations across restaurants, bars, snack bar, in-room dining, and banqueting. Ensure exceptional guest experiences aligned with upscale hospitality standards. Lead and develop outlet managers and department heads to achieve operational excellence. Drive innovation and market-relevant trends across food, beverage, entertainment, and guest engagement initiatives. Ensure all health, hygiene, food safety, and HACCP standards are consistently maintained. Maintain strong visibility within operations and guest interaction areas. Commercial & Financial Management Accountable for the overall profitability and financial performance of the F&B division. Manage budgets, forecasts, payroll, cost controls, and inventory management. Drive revenue generation strategies across all outlets and MICE operations. Analyze financial reports and implement corrective actions where required. Identify opportunities to maximize covers, average spend, beverage revenue, and banquet profitability. MICE & Events Leadership Oversee all banquet and conference food & beverage operations. Work closely with Sales, Events, and Culinary teams to deliver seamless conference and event experiences. Ensure operational excellence for high-volume corporate, social, and VIP events. Develop creative and profitable banquet offerings aligned with market demand. People & Culture Inspire; mentor, and lead a multicultural team environment. Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement, and service excellence. Implement succession planning and talent development initiatives. Ensure strong employee relations and compliance with company standards and local labour legislation. Minimum Requirements Minimum 810 years senior Food & Beverage leadership experience within luxury or upscale hotels and resorts. Previous experience as Director of Food & Beverage or Executive Assistant Manager F&B preferred. Strong experience managing multiple restaurants, bars, and large-scale banqueting/MICE operations. Pre-opening experience within an international hotel environment advantageous. Hospitality experience within Africa highly advantageous. Fluent in both French and English (written and spoken) essential. Strong commercial, financial, and operational acumen. Proven leadership and people development capabilities. Excellent communication, organisational, and stakeholder management skills. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multicultural environment. Key Competencies Strategic Leadership Luxury & Lifestyle Guest Experience Focus Commercial Acumen Operational Excellence Team Development Innovation & Trend Awareness Financial Management Problem Solving & Decision Making Strong Interpersonal Skills Adaptability & Resilience Preferred Profile The ideal candidate is an energetic and visible leader with a passion for hospitality, strong cultural adaptability, and the ability to create memorable food and beverage experiences while driving profitability and operational excellence in a high-profile pre-opening hotel environment.