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Now Hiring: General Manager (Gili Trawangan, Indonesia)

JOB TITLE: General Manager
DEPARTMENT: Management
REPORTS TO: Regional General Manager
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Operational Hostels  
 
 

About Mad Monkey Hostels

Mad Monkey Hostels is the leading socially responsible hostel operator started in Cambodia with properties in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines.
With plans to further expand our operations in and beyond Southeast Asia over the next 3-5 years, we aim to be the leading socially responsible hostel company by number of beds worldwide by 2025.
Can you continue our quest to make our Mad Monkey brand a favourite city and island hotspot for accommodation, events, trips and parties with a difference?
We’re looking for someone with a shared passion and vision for developing us as a global leader in socially responsible travel and tourism, that positively leads our industry to a more sustainable and responsible future whilst creating stories, experiences, adventures and memories for our guests.
 
 

Main scope and purpose:

The General Manager will have a strategic and creative approach to ensuring the best possible guest experience. They will be an ambassador to the brand, exemplify the company’s core values, lead with passion and in a way that empowers employees to optimize performance across all departments.
They will oversee the management of the hostel’s facilities, being accountable for high standards of housekeeping and for project managing maintenance works. They will also be responsible for growing accommodation bookings, optimizing occupancy, including preparing financial projections, and monitoring and reporting on sales performance.
 
 

Main duties and responsibilities:

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Training and Management:

  • You will be responsible for all aspects of running the hostel.
  • This includes oversight of the food and beverage, customer experience, front of house, housekeeping, and maintenance of the hostel.
  • You will be responsible for a team of around 50 staff.
  • Leading from the front, and by example, you will be able to effectively motivate a team whilst creating a shared vision of success that can be delivered upon.
  • You will work effectively to identify and resolve the root causes of problems that are impacting the business and lead from the front to quickly resolve problems as they occur by bringing the level of gravitas and maturity to the role expected of a business leader.
  • You will be required to manage the team through empowerment and coaching to develop their personal skills and motivation so they are excited to come to work every day.  
  • This includes helping overcome personal challenges and helping team members effectively manage conflicts and complaints, whilst installing a passion for self development and improvement in line with Mad Monkey’s Core Values.

 

People and Human Resources:

  • Working with the Indonesia GM and with the support of the Indonesia HR function, you will be responsible for managing all aspects of your local team.
  • This includes scheduling training delivery, ensuring HRM systems are updated, following company HR procedures, disciplinary procedures, and maintaining accurate employment and performance records for each team member (including conducting weekly team meetings and regular performance reviews with your team).
  • You will be required to have excellent decision making skills in the selection of new staff and to stay informed about staff tenure and salary.  

 

Customer Service & Entertainment:

  • You will be responsible for communicating and justifying planned improvements for the hostel, including customer service improvements, process improvements, and maintenance work.  
  • You will be responsible for providing feedback and resolutions to the Global Communications team on customer service issues and providing a quarterly plan on your business to the Indonesia Regional Director.  
  • You will need to stay up to date with customer experience trends, take note of customer suggestions, maintain the “Mad Monkey” atmosphere, ensure the smooth running of events and entertainment, mingle and talk with customers to deliver excellent service whilst you solve complaints swiftly and in a fair manner, and ensure the highest possible level of customer service and care across the board.

 

Financial Oversight:

  • You will effectively control the accounting procedures, check for errors, uphold efficient purchasing and inventory levels, and manage budgeting plans.
  • You will have a working understanding of mathematics and basic accounting principles.

 

Maintenance & Quality Control:

  • You will be required to perform daily property checks that include staff, service, surroundings, and safety and monitor quality control of all departments whilst acting swiftly to correct any malfunctions by implementing lasting improvements to day-to-day processes and operations.

 
 

DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES

Staff Training and Management:

  • Keep abreast of staff training needs, and liaise with the Regional HR Manager to ensure those needs are being met
  • Create specific task lists for each position and manage delivery
  • Ensure team morale and motivation
  • Co-Chair and record weekly meetings with each functional team
  • Request feedback and ideas from each team member
  • Conduct performance evaluations

 

Sales and Marketing:

  • Create promotions and events alongside Mad Monkey’s Events department
  • Liaise with tour operators to establish tours both in-house and external
  • Resolve customer service feedback issues

 

Human Resources:

  • Staff selection
  • Salary negotiations
  • Oversee the keeping of accurate HR data records for all team members
  • Facilitate conflict resolution between staff members
  • Implement bonus plans for performance of staff and management
  • Keep up to date on employment laws

 

Reception and Customer Service:

  • Oversight of check-in and check-out procedures
  • Friendly interaction with Mad Monkey guests
  • Provide local and regional information
  • Respond to internal and external communications
  • Assist with transportation requests
  • Record and respond to guest concerns
  • Maintain accurate reservation information
  • Update bed allocation for online booking sites according to Mad Monkey policy

 

Housekeeping:

  • Ensure quality standards for cleanliness
  • Conduct spot evaluations for all departments
  • Ensure cleanliness, health and safety, and general property standards are maintained
  • Ensure that regulations for safety and sanitation are being exceeded
  • Organize and implement a rotating schedule for deep cleaning each area of the hostel

 

Maintenance:

  • Maintain the hostel facilities in proper working order
  • Respond to guest and staff feedback regarding broken or malfunctioning items
  • Arrange and implement a preventative maintenance schedule
  • Conduct routine site inspections to identify and resolve problems with the facilities

 

Purchasing and Inventory Control:

  • Maintain a business relationship with vendors and suppliers
  • Monitor inventory levels and place orders for products and supplies
  • Research suppliers for the best prices, deals, and availability of products

 

Accounting and Budgeting:

  • Follow an operational budget alongside CEO
  • Maintain accurate records of expenses and revenue
  • Pay bills and collect debts in a manner that maintains a positive cash flow
  • Organize and distribute payroll checks

Note: There is an Admin/ Accounting Assistant to support with much of this
 

Entertainment, Atmosphere, Activities:

  • Maintain the desired Mad Monkey atmosphere in the hostel: “No Stress No Worries” experience for all our Guests.
  • Deal professionally with problematic guests
  • Organize and execute activities and special events alongside Mad Monkey CERs
  • Record duties, expenses, challenges, successes, and areas for improvement for each event for replication

 

Quality Control:

  • Conduct regular audits to ensure quality

 

Compliance:

  • Monitoring the company compliance with any existing debt covenants and warning management of covenant breaches
  • Compliance with any filing requirements imposed by local, state or regional governing authorities
  • Compliance with tax reporting and payment requirements

 
 

Confidentiality

Whist working for the Company there will be access to a wide variety of confidential information concerning the Company, Guests and Team members. It is vital that all such information remains confidential and must not be disclosed to anyone outside the Company, unless otherwise stated.  Please refer to the Team Handbook for full policy details.
 
 

Requirements and other information

Applicant must speak English and have prior experience in this field.
This job description is intended to illustrate the main duties and responsibilities of the job. It is not to be regarded as exhaustive. Other tasks and responsibilities of a broadly comparable nature may be added on a temporary or permanent basis, as appropriate.
 
 

How to Apply

This role will be based in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia. If you think you’re a good fit for this role, we can’t wait to hear from you! Please email the following to [email protected] with [General Manager] in the subject line:

  • A cover letter explaining why you are the best candidate for this job
  • A resume outlining your relevant experience

 
 

About the Author

Mad Monkey is Southeast Asia’s leading hostel operator — born in Cambodia with more properties in Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Laos, and the Philippines. We pride ourselves in creating meaningful and sustainable travel experiences for our guests, whilst promoting socially responsible tourism.