General Manager - 5 Star Luxury Property

**General Manager \| Landmark 5\-Star Ultra\-Luxury Property \| Zambia \| Q1 2027 Opening** We are conducting a retained search for an exceptional **General Manager** to lead the pre\-opening and launch of a **landmark ultra\-luxury hotel in Zambia** , developed in partnership with **Hilton** and scheduled to open in **Q1 2027** . This flagship destination will redefine luxury hospitality in the region, combining refined international standards with a bold leisure offering, including a **world\-class water theme park** . We are seeking a commercially astute, highly visible, and operationally elite hotel leader who can position this property among Africa’s most compelling luxury openings. **The opportunity** This is a rare chance to take full ownership of a high\-profile pre\-opening, shape the commercial and operational strategy from the ground up, build an exceptional executive team, and deliver a market\-leading guest experience across rooms, food and beverage, leisure, and resort\-style amenities. **Who we are looking for** We are specifically interested in candidates who are currently serving, or have recently served, as **General Manager** within **Hilton** or other internationally recognised **ultra\-luxury / luxury 5\-star properties** . **Essential profile** * Minimum **5 years’ experience as a General Manager** in **luxury or ultra\-luxury 5\-star hotels** * Strong preference for leaders from **Hilton** or comparable international luxury brands * Deep **Food \& Beverage background** with a proven ability to elevate dining concepts, quality standards, service culture, and profitability * Demonstrated success in **complex resort, leisure, or destination hospitality environments** * Strong commercial acumen across **RevPAR, GOP, F\&B revenue performance, guest experience, and owner relations** * Proven ability to lead **pre\-opening** , repositioning, or major launch projects * High level of executive presence, team leadership, and stakeholder management * Experience building performance cultures and leading multicultural teams in demanding environments **Highly desirable** * Exposure to **luxury properties** , integrated leisure destinations, or family\-led premium hospitality experiences * Prior experience in **Africa** , emerging markets, or remote / high\-growth destinations * Multilingual capabilities are advantageous, particularly **Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Greek, Swedish, Polish, Danish, Hungarian, Czech, Norwegian, or Romanian** * Strong understanding of international luxury traveller expectations and premium service delivery