Background

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.

Summit Recruitment and Search Africa is a leading Recruitment and Executive Search agency headquartered in Kenya providing outstanding talent to a wide range of companies and NGOs in various business sectors across Africa.

We endeavour to make contact with all of our applicants, but unfortunately, high volumes of applications make this unrealistic. If you do not hear from us within two weeks your application has not been successful on this occasion. This does not mean you will not be considered for future roles so please keep an eye on our job board and apply for positions that match your skills and experience.

Summit Recruitment and search Africa upholds a steadfast commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, and equality as integral pillars of our operations. Dedicated to driving positive change through the adoption of sustainable practices that minimize our ecological footprint. We firmly believe in fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce that embraces individuals from all races, genders, and backgrounds, ensuring equal opportunities for every candidate. Summit recruitment actively advocate for equality by cultivating an environment of respect, fairness, and non-discrimination. By prioritizing sustainability, inclusivity, and equality, we aim to set a high industry standard and contribute to the betterment of society as a whole.

Note

*** Summit Recruitment & Search, as a policy, does not charge any fee as a pre-employment or post-employment requirement***

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.