Area General Manager - Luxury Safari Lodges, Serengeti

About the role

Kempinski is looking for an Area General Manager for its three newly developed luxury safari lodges in Tanzania: Kempinski Longosa Lodge (Serengeti), Kempinski Msasa Lodge (Lake Manyara) and Kempinski Kitbong Hill (Tarangire). The role provides strategic, operational and commercial leadership across the three properties, covering pre-opening commissioning, guest experience, commercial multi-lodge circuit packaging, off-grid engineering resilience, wildlife authority governance and host-community empowerment.

Key responsibilities

• Lead pre-opening: operational roadmap, snagging, commissioning and readiness testing, and set up a unified Northern Circuit itinerary for guests
• Set up standard Operating Procedures adapted to wilderness environments while meeting Kempinski brand benchmarks
• Run daily operations of the 75-key Serengeti, 74-key Tarangire and 25-key Manyara lodges through on-site Hotel Managers
• Oversee decentralised engineering assets such as solar PV plants, battery storage, boreholes, water plants and wastewater treatment, plus fleet and vehicle maintenance
• Maintain crisis management, medevac, bushfire mitigation and perimeter safety plans
• Build a procurement and supply chain pipeline to remote airstrips, manage central inventory and audit aviation transfers and guest meet-and-greets
• Drive circuit revenue with Regional Sales & Marketing, deliver consolidated P&L results and manage park fees, concession fees, bed-night levies and VAT
• Liaise with TANAPA, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and local District Councils, and ensure compliance with concession leases, environmental impact audits and park permits
• Build relationships with local pastoralist and agricultural communities and run local purchasing programmes
• Drive regional talent acquisition, develop local managers, and oversee staff accommodation, welfare, training and the Kempinski hospitality curriculum

Required profile

• Minimum 8+ years of senior leadership experience as an Area General Manager, Cluster GM or General Manager of high-end luxury safari lodges, bush camps or remote off-grid resorts
• Demonstrated pre-opening or rebranding experience in remote African destinations
• Track record working within national park and wildlife conservancy regulatory frameworks
• Experience managing high-inventory bush operations alongside boutique operations
• Culturally sensitive approach to uplifting local communities