Vacant Jobs at Sun International

Job Purpose

• The Revenue Manager has responsibility and accountability for the optimization of hotel accommodation revenues, ancillary revenues and inventory management for hotel through the initiation, implementation and management of revenue plans, systems and resources for all market and customer segments, in line with Company procedures.

Key Performance Areas

Delivered Hotel Accommodation and Inventory Revenue Plans & Results

• Facilitate the management and achievement of revenue targets and deliverables with regards hotel accommodation and groups and events
• Understand the Business unit strategy and align the revenue objectives and targets
• Monitor, report and make recommendations ito optimal business mix via market segmentation analyses (actual forecast; revenue contribution by market segment ito occupancy volume and value (ADR).
• Build a sustainable RevPAR culture where decisions are driven by forecast demand and revenue management restrictions achieve optimal revenue mix vs budget
• Conduct risk analyses i.t.o impact on short term profit margins vs. long term sustainability
• Provide clear delegation of authority and accountability for deliverables at all levels
• Compile, review and report on internal benchmarks and statistics, ensuring metrics are up to date and accurate

Investigate external benchmarks and conduct competitor analyses including

• Time to market against competitors
• Competitors within the market segment (market fair share)
• Competitive positioning (MPI + ARI = RGI)
• Risk Management (contractual obligations) benchmarked to competitors in terms of cost benefit
• Identify and investigate new opportunities to streamline and optimise processes and boost revenues against forecasted targets
• Identify, develop and obtain buy-in on business development promotions and packaging concepts to meet business objectives, including Group inventory business

Hotel Revenue Optimisation 

• Complete reports and statistics with regards demand forecasting and yield management including short (1-3 months); medium (3-6 months) and long term (6 -12 month) initiatives to achieve targets.
• Monitor and make recommendations to adjust plans in line with statistics and current and forecasted bookings including overbooking statistics, hurdle values; length of stay values, etc.
• Monitor and review reservations bookings, analysing the data in terms of market segments and channels
• Check the room nights and revenue picked up or dropped off; as well as actuals against budget and forecasts
• Check for advance days, weeks and months and resolve any inventory imbalance issues, overselling of room types and sold out dates.
• Make value add recommendations and cost effective competitive solutions that address inefficiencies, opportunities or risks in order to achieve targets
• Oversee and provide support for the planning and events management of Group and conferencing business to the business unit to ensure enquiries are converted into events
• Drive the customer value proposition

Accommodation Data Quality Standards & Governance

• Oversee the development, updating and communication of standards and processes within the department
• Conduct quality assurance to ensure procedural compliance and data integrity for tracking and analysis purposes to enable accurate demand forecasting and reporting
• Implement and monitor the optimal use and application of the hospitality management system e.g. Opera suite within operations
• Develop and monitor that there are sufficient control measures (including systems and processes) & checks within each department to mitigate any risk to the business.
• Identify any training needs / gaps with regards implementation and ensure coaching / training happens to mitigate risks.
• Make recommendations to improve any system inefficiencies and improve performance
• Work with internal stakeholders and business partners (reservations, F&B, and G&E) to identify risk areas and address these making recommendations; changes and enhancements

Pricing Structure

• Conduct a pricing analysis and benchmark exercise against competitor performance
• For each market segment, create a "value proposition" and product-price positioning plan based on that segment's unique customer needs and characteristics
• Structure pricing and align to 
• demand for qualified & unqualified customers, vs. many different rates used for tracking
• existing BAR rate levels
• dynamic pricing for FIT (BAR): optimise use for quality of revenue
• dynamic pricing  for GRPS (GRP BAR): optimise use for quality of revenue & conversion tracking
• reputational pricing
• Communicate any new pricing decisions to relevant stakeholders both internally and externally within 24 hours

Distribution Management 

• Conduct an analysis of distribution channels with regards business and activations
• Analyse and understand market preferences and activity within business operations using Business Intelligence tools
• Implement a distribution plan to leverage new business
• Update and review distribution channels to ensure that hotel inventory is available across all channels and that there is consistency and parity of inventory and rates
• Identify and leverage any opportunities for affiliation and referrals (e.g. local government / tourism bodies)

Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Liaise with PCO’s, Travel Agents, Guests, Tour Operators, Online Travel Agents to understand business requirements
• Communicate with competitors to understand Revenue Gains Index (RGI), competitive pricing, etc.
• Unit objectives, standards and operating procedures are communicated to internal and external service providers as per SLA
• Maintain regular communication with regards non-conformance; planned changes in pricing, procedures, standards; performance; etc.
• Manage interventions to optimise synergy, motivation and engagement of all parties to achieve revenue targets
• Present results, current revenue status and statistics, and influence the business with new innovative package ideas at an executive level

Budget management 

• Collaborate with Financial Manager to consolidate and report on the financials of the revenue department within the business units including:
• Set and review budgets
• Cost control
• Capex
• PIP and forecasting
• Collaborate with Rooms Division Managers / Hotel managers/Food & Beverage Operations Manager to compile revenue budgets / occupancy forecasts / etc. for various hotels
• Financial reporting on Revenue analysis, variances, revenue plans and forecasts.

People management 

• Provides direction and support to all functional management and employees with regard to operationalizing strategic deliverables
• Provides motivation and leadership to promote positive working relationships
• Track, measure and enhance employee engagement
• Drives a performance management culture
• Identify and manage training, coaching and development requirements in line with strategic plans, e.g. skills shortages, succession plans, talent management to build a solid talent pipeline
• Manage change processes and communication to ensure all employees and business partners are aligned on changes taking place across the business unit
• Manage internal communication and development interventions to ensure competence levels of staff meet operational level requirements (right fit for the job)
• Source and Select talent as per EE plan
• Drive the employee value proposition
• Performance Manage and coaching of reporting managers to ensure KPA’s are achieved
• Embed Values adopted by the Unit and Organization.   

Requirements

Education

• 3-Year Hotel School Diploma 
• Grade 12

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years front office, reservations or rooms and inventory management experience at a middle management level
• Strong understanding and experience in hospitality reservations, property management, revenue management, database and online distribution management systems
• Knowledge of food & beverage services and standards

Work conditions and special requirements

• Ability to work shifts that meet operational requirements
• Local Travel

Skills and Knowledge

• Industry knowledge
• Statistics
• Rooms Product knowledge
• Distribution channels
• Reservations
• Marketing segmentation
• Accommodation pricing structures
• Inventory Management (Rooms, conferencing & events)
• Business Acumen
• Proficient MS Office skills
• Working knowledge of Opera suite; Ideas (advantage); Qlikview or similar BI tool
• Presentation skills
• Financial Acumen
• Coaching

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Job Purpose

• The Reservations Manager has responsibility and accountability for the management of the reservations team and hotel accommodation reservations process for both Groups and Individuals, in line with Company procedures and professional service standards, with the aim of maximising room revenue.

Key Performance Areas

Hotel Accommodation Reservations Management

• Ensure all reservations are handled accurately, professionally and in alignment with IHG brand standard
• Monitor and manage inventory across all distribution channels (e.g. Direct, OTA, GDS etc.)
• Coordinate with Revenue Management to implement pricing strategies
• Ensure data accuracy across PMS (Opera or similar), CRS (IHG Concerto) and third party systems
• Review reservations booked daily for quality assurance and data hygiene e.g. market segments, country of origin, agent profiles, rate codes, customer profile
• Review arrival report daily
• Maintain the in-house reservations system
• Monitor system and keep guest profile duplications to a minimum.
• Prepare occupancy forecast of current and future business
• Monitor and co-ordinate group reservations activity with events team
• Review payment received against bookings prior to arrival
• Follow-up on tentative bookings and update reservation status in the system
• Review no-shows, cancelled reservations and process charges according to hotel policy
• Work with team to convert calls and queries into bookings / reservations
• Upsell bookings to achieve best available rates on all booking requests
• Oversee the communication and confirmation of letters to clients, as per their booking requirements
• Maintain relationships with all departments within the hotel, and attend relevant meetings to ensure important reservations information is shared with the team

Rooms Merchandising

• Complete rooms merchandising reports and statistics with regards short-term forecasting and yield management initiatives to achieve rooms merchandising targets.
• Monitor and make recommendations to adjust plans in line with results and current /forecasted bookings including overbooking statistics, to optimize rooms merchandising
• Monitor and review reservations bookings, analysing the data in terms of market segments and channels for rooms merchandising 
• Track and analyse merchandised activity
• Facilitate the revenue planning process around merchandising dates, segments, etc. in collaboration with hotel manager

Accommodation Data Standards & Compliance Management

• Monitor Reservations standards, systems and processes and align practices with new legislative compliance and company policy (such as PCR compliance, POPI)
• Develop templates, checklists and tools in line with operational requirements
• Align practices with legislative compliance around health, hygiene, safety and the environment (ensuring relevant inspections are completed)
• Implement sufficient control measures (including systems and processes) & checks within the department to mitigate any risk to the business and ensure data hygiene.
• Conduct internal compliance audits to monitor compliance
• Encourage a customer service culture and ensure all staff are trained to deliver the departmental objectives in line with standards.
• Work with internal stakeholders to identify risk areas and address these including checking of payment method compliance.

Customer Experience Management

• Monitor team’s interaction with guests, ensuring they are treated with courtesy and respect at all times
• Interact with guests and provide professional service standards and solutions
• Handle any escalated complaints, disputes and suggestions as required
• Engage with customers and provide a customer experience during the reservations process that will support brand loyalty and ensure SI as the brand of choice
• Keep up to date on Group and unit promotions  and conduct staff training on product knowledge / promotions (including promotion information, functions, facilities, etc)
• Provide post-mortem feedback with regards promotions to ensure these are always relevant and effective
• Shift handover ensures that staff have sufficient insights and information with regards customers visiting the property
• Interact with various departments across the hotel to ensure all traces, special requests and comments are communicated to relevant departments
• Analyse and understand customer preferences, and ensure their booking profile is updated accordingly
• Continuously engage with customer to receive their feedback and enhance the customer experience within the area of responsibility
• Monitor and manage the hotel’s online reputation with the executive office
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with guests to maximise sales opportunities and generate new business

People management 

• Manage staff conditions of employment, e.g. attendance, absenteeism, leave, adherence to policies and procedures
• Manage productivities, time & attendance, and payroll costs for the department
• Identification of employee training needs
• Perform on the job training on SOPs and coaching to close developmental gaps and build succession for a talent pipeline within the function
• Manage employee relations within the department
• Staff communication and motivation
• Conduct performance contracting, reviews and development
• Provides resources and removes obstacles  to performance
• Recruit and resource for talent for positions within the department
• Onboarding of new staff members

Requirements

Education

• 3-Year Hotel School Diploma 
• Grade 12

Experience

• 5 years front office, reservations or rooms and inventory management experience 
• Experience at a supervisory level

Skills and Knowledge

• Accommodation pricing structures
• Inventory Management (Rooms, conferencing & events)
• Rooms Product knowledge
• Reservations
• Business Acumen]
• Proficient MS Office skills
• Working knowledge of Opera suite; Ideas (advantage); Qlikview or similar BI tool
• Coaching
• Selling skills
• Industry knowledge