Group Reservations Manager

Group Reservations Manager

Summit Recruitment & Search Africa

A leading safari and adventure group specializing in providing unparalleled wildlife experiences in some of the most breathtaking locations across East Africa, is looking to recruit a Group Reservations Manager role for their office in Nairobi.

The successful candidate will lead the central reservation functions for their East African portfolio. He/She will be the strategic heartbeat of their booking operations, responsible for maximizing group revenue through meticulous inventory management, high-conversion inquiry handling, and the seamless integration of AI-driven booking tools. He/She will ensure that every guest’s journey begins with the world-class hospitality that East Africa is known for.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive yield optimization through static and dynamic pricing strategies in collaboration with Revenue Management, ensuring rate parity across all channels.

• Control and allocate inventory for groups, weddings, and corporate retreats to maximize occupancy and ADR.

• Monitor market and competitor performance using tools such as STR and Lighthouse to adjust positioning in real time.

• Lead, mentor, and upskill centralized and remote reservations teams, embedding a “sales-through-service” culture.

• Implement and optimize digital solutions including PMS platforms and AI chatbots to improve efficiency and guest response times.

• Define and track KPIs focused on conversion, upselling, and overall revenue contribution.

• Build and manage strategic relationships with key trade partners, while personally overseeing VIP and high-security bookings.

• Produce revenue forecasts and pickup reports, while developing and auditing SOPs to ensure operational consistency and compliance.

• Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Minimum of 5+ years in senior reservations roles, including at least 2 years at multi-property or group level.

• Strong regional expertise in the East African tourism circuit (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda), with Safari Lodge experience highly preferred.

• Advanced proficiency in PMS (Res Request or Opera), CRS, and Channel Managers (e.g. SiteMinder), with exposure to AI-driven booking tools.

• Highly analytical, with the ability to convert complex data into effective sales and revenue strategies.

• High cultural intelligence and proven experience managing diverse, multi-national teams.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with Swahili as a strong advantage.