Chief Executive Officer

Our client is venturing into a Hospitality (Accommodation and Food Services) Start Up and is looking for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), (MSME Sector) with Reporting to an SPV with select Board of Directors / Owners. The venture is being self funded

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Accommodation & Food Services (MSME Sector), Reports to:Board of Directors / Owners

Role Overview
The CEO is accountable for the overall leadership, strategy, and performance of the MSMEs accommodation and/or food service business. This includes ensuring operational excellence, sustained profitability, customer satisfaction, team development, and compliance with industry regulations in a dynamic hospitality landscape.

Key Responsibilities

**Strategic Leadership**
- Develop and articulate a growth strategy for the accommodation and/or food service operation, aligned with board objectives.- Identify and exploit new business opportunities, including expansion, digital transformation, partnership development, and diversification.- Monitor hospitality and food industry trends to adapt service offerings and remain competitive.

**Operations Management**
- Oversee daily operations of accommodation, restaurant, or food service units to deliver an exceptional guest experience.- Implement and monitor standards for hygiene, food safety, service quality, and property maintenance.- Optimize operational workflows and resource utilization to ensure efficiency and guest satisfaction.- Supervise procurement processes for supplies, equipment, and inventory control.

**Financial Stewardship**
- Manage budget planning, financial forecasting, and P&L responsibility.- Drive revenue growth while controlling costs and maximizing operational margins.- Report regularly on financial performance to the board and act swiftly on variances.- Oversee compliance with taxation, financial, and government regulations.

**Business Development & Marketing**
- Champion marketing, customer engagement, and sales initiativesincluding digital marketing, events, promotions, and loyalty programs.- Strengthen relationships with booking platforms, vendors, local tourism boards, and community organizations.- Monitor online reputation and implement action plans to improve guest feedback and ratings.

**People Leadership & Organizational Culture**
- Recruit, develop, and retain talented hospitality or food service staff; ensure effective onboarding and training.- Foster a culture of service excellence, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.- Lead by example in guest relations, problem-solving, and ethical standards.

**Innovation & Technology**
- Integrate technology solutions such as modern Property Management Systems (PMS), booking engines, POS, or inventory systems to streamline operations.- Stay abreast of digital trends (contactless service, mobile ordering, guest apps) to enhance the customer experience and operational efficiency.

**Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility**
- Promote environmentally friendly practices: waste reduction, local sourcing, energy efficiency, and community engagement initiatives.- Support responsible and ethical business conduct to strengthen the organizations reputation.

Qualifications & Requirements

- Bachelors or Masters Degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Hotel & Restaurant Management, or a related field.
- 7+ years of progressive management experience in hospitality or food service, with at least 2 years in senior leadership roles.- Proven success managing multi-disciplinary teams in accommodation, hotels, restaurants, or catering enterprises.- Strong commercial and financial acumen with hands-on P&L responsibility.- Demonstrated expertise in customer service delivery, operations, and team leadership.- Knowledge of hospitality safety standards, food regulations, digital tools, and reservation systems.- Outstanding interpersonal, problem-solving, and communication skills.- Ability to thrive and adapt in a dynamic, competitive service environment.

Desired Attributes

- Visionary leadership and growth mindset.
- Customer-centricity and passion for service excellence.- Resilience, integrity, and results orientation.- Innovation and digital transformation focus.

Compensation & Benefits

- Market-aligned fixed salary with performance-based incentives.
- Health and retirement benefits.- Professional development opportunities.

Please submit your resume and a cover letter describing your hospitality and leadership experience, as well as your vision for elevating this MSME in the accommodation and food services sector.