Operations Manager

Cape Town, South Africa Posted on 04/16/2026

SustainableStays is committed to redefining hospitality through responsible tourism, operational excellence, and exceptional guest experiences. We manage premium short-term rental properties with a focus on efficiency, sustainability and service quality.

We are seeking a highly organized Operations Manager to oversee the operational performance of our short-term rental property portfolio. This role is responsible for ensuring that operational systems, teams and service providers function efficiently and consistently across all properties.

The Operations Manager will focus on systems, planning, coordination and operational performance, ensuring that properties are guest-ready, teams are aligned and operational processes support a seamless guest experience and optimal property performance.

You'll be the engine behind our operations, making sure every property is guest-ready, every stay is seamless and every interaction reflects our ethos of sustainability and quality. You'll oversee day to day operations, coordinate service providers and ensure exceptional guest experiences that inspire glowing reviews and repeat stays. Your work will be key in ensuring that SustainableStays isn't just a name, but a promise delivered every day.

The successful candidate will:

• Ensure smooth day-to-day operational management across the property portfolio.
• Maintain consistently high standards of property readiness, cleanliness and service delivery.
• Coordinate teams, suppliers and service providers to ensure efficient property turnover.
• Implement and refine operational systems and processes that support scalability.
• Monitor operational performance, costs and efficiency across the portfolio.
• Resolve operational challenges and guest escalations effectively.
• Support the onboarding of new properties into the portfolio with clear operational systems and processes.

• Manage daily operations for multiple short term rental properties, ensuring systems and processes support consistent, high quality delivery.
• Oversee property readiness, in collaboration with the Portfolio Manager.
• Ensure consistent service standards across all properties.
• Ensure systems and processes are in place to support smooth booking flow, arrivals and departures.
• Develop, implement and continuously refine Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for cleaning, maintenance, guest turnover and service standards.
• In collaboration with the Portfolio Manager, coordinate with building security/reception at apartment blocks to ensure smooth guest check in and experiences.
• Address and resolve operational issues and bottlenecks.
• Engage with guests (when Portfolio Manager escalates issues), suppliers, contractors and other personnel as a representative of the Company in a face to face capacity (where safe, reasonable and appropriate), telephonically, by email or by other means.

• Manage relationships with cleaning teams, logistics, Portfolio Manager, maintenance providers and other service vendors.
• Allocate and coordinate daily and weekly tasks across team members, ensuring clarity, accountability and efficiency.
• Monitor execution and quality of work delivered by the Portfolio Manager, housekeeping teams and service providers and ensure adherence to systems, standards and SOP's.
• Ensure timely turnover between stays with minimal downtime.
• Drive team engagement, accountability and performance through clear expectations and structured coordination.
• Support the Portfolio Manager with guest communication and reservations during off times.

• Coordinate maintenance and other service providers.
• Conduct regular inspections to ensure properties meet brand, safety and cleanliness requirements, ensuring timely remediation for dirty/damaged/worn items.
• Negotiate service agreements and monitor performance to ensure reliability, quality and cost effectiveness.

• Handle escalated guest issues professionally, resolving problems promptly to protect brand reputation.
• Implement strategies to enhance guest satisfaction and loyalty (as designed by General Manager: Portfolio Growth and Experience).
• Escalate VIP or sensitive matters to General Manager: Portfolio Growth and Experience.
• Ensure operational processes support a high quality guest experience.

• Design, implement and continuously improve operational systems and workflows to support scalability.
• Use data insights (from Sustainability and Business Analyst) to improve operational performance and efficiency.
• Oversee and optimise the use of property management systems (Guesty, Hostaway or Lodgify etc) and booking platforms (Airbnb, and VRBO etc) to ensure effective coordination, communication and reporting.
• Stay updated on industry trends, platform changes and best practices.
• Ensure clear visibility of tasks, schedules and responsibilities across the team.

• Ensure all properties comply with local short term rental regulations, where applicable.
• Maintain appropriate insurance coverage and safety protocols, including vetting guests prior to stays.
• Implement systems to safeguard against fraud, property damage and liability claims.
• Manage and process insurance claims for damages, excess soiling or breaches of rules.

• Monitor operational budgets and expenses, ensuring cost control without sacrificing quality, sustainability and other brand standards.
• Identify opportunities to optimise revenue and reduce operational inefficiencies.

• Assess operational feasibility of new properties in collaboration with the General Manager: Portfolio Growth and Experience.
• Setup systems, suppliers, processes and readiness plans for new listings.

• Diploma or degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration or similar (preferred).
• 3-5+ years' experience in hospitality, property management or short term rental operations.
• Proven ability to manage multiple properties and diverse teams with efficiency.
• Strong negotiation, organisational and problem solving skills.
• Tech savvy with Airbnb, Vrbo, and property management systems (e.g., Hostaway, Lodgify).
• Excellent communicator with a guest first mindset.
• Flexible and adaptable - able to respond to urgent issues outside office hours when needed.
• Strong systems thinking and process design capability.

• Operations run smoothly with minimal issues or bottlenecks.
• Properties are consistently guest ready and maintained to standard.
• Teams and suppliers are well coordinated and reliable.
• Clear systems and processes support daily operations.
• Reduced operational inefficiencies and improved cost control.
• Guest issues are minimized and escalations are handled effectively.
• The business is operationally stable and scalable.
• Opportunity to work with an innovative company focused on sustainable hospitality and responsible tourism.
• Exposure to a growing and dynamic property portfolio.
• Collaborative and entrepreneurial working environment.
• Opportunity to shape operational systems that support business growth and scalability.
• If you are passionate about operational excellence, hospitality and building scalable systems, we would love to hear from you.