Vacancies at Ol Pejeta Conservancy (OPC)

Role Summary:

To introduce visitors to Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s unique attractions, and to guide them in a safe and knowledgeable manor, providing them with information focusing on conservation messaging creating a world-class integrated Ol Pejeta visitor experience and year-round local and international tourism destination.

Responsibilities:

•  Safely drive guests in the tourism allocated vehicles around the conservancy as part of the conservation experience offering.
• Practice active driving and be alert and cautious at all times, maintaining the correct speed limit all times.
• Exercise appropriate decision making whilst in the field, especially with regards to the visitor expectations, experience and needs.
• Manage and resolve unexpected situations that may cause inconvenience or irritation to clients during an activity, escalating the situation to management if need be.
• Ensure all equipment needed for conservation activities are provided (i.e. Blankets, spotlights, water etc.) and report any breakages, repairs or need for restocking as and when necessary.
• Monitor the condition of the vehicle at all times, checking on water/ oil levels and reporting any malfunction or breakages immediately. Correctly fill in the log book after each journey.
• In addition to driver guiding duties, ensure that you avail yourself for all other tourism guiding services as and when required and follow procedures to welcome, handle and escort clients in an enthusiastic, confident, helpful and compassionate manner around all tourism areas including Morani Information Center, Hippo Hide and the Chimpanzee Sanctuary as and when needed ensuring correct service delivery of the activity.
• Provide visitors with any additional information with regards other available activities on Ol Pejeta Conservancy and offer any useful local information that may add value to their visit.
• Ensure that your attitude and behavior towards visitors positively contributes to OPC’s work to generate income through wildlife tourism. Prepare to be flexible and pro-active depending on visitor requirements and ensure that their needs on the ground are met.
• Assist with driver duties as and when needed by the tourism office team, using the vehicle allocated to the tourism office, including but not limited to the collection of rubbish and emptying  of dustbins regularly, assisting with the movement of tourism staff between stations and the general servicing of campsite and vehicle fueling and servicing.
• Maintaining high degree of discipline and organization, including being properly dressed in appropriate uniform and having a name tag at all times.
• Ensure proper procedures are followed with regards Health and Safety reporting to the Tourism Office any issues that require attention so as to ensure a safe environment for clients. In the event of any emergency, aid visitors and evacuate the area following proper procedures.
• Ensure that you avail yourself for all guiding services at Morani Information Center as and when required and follow procedures to welcome, handle and escort clients including school groups in an enthusiastic, confident, helpful and compassionate manner.
• Any other duties as reasonably requested by the Tourism Field Officer

Qualifications and Skills:

Qualification.

• Minimum Diploma in Tourism or Environmental or Natural Resource related fields
• KPSGA certificate
• TSV driving License

Experience.

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience working as a tourism guide

Skills

• A Good communicator
• Confident
• Presentable
• A good team player
• Good knowledge in written and spoken English and Kiswahili

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Role Summary:

• The main purpose of this position is to supervise the generation of tickets, information capture on OBTS and ensuring 100% payment of all OPC experiences as well as gate entries. To implement an efficient and secure ticketing solution and manage revenues. Ensure filling of the disclaimer and issuance of code of conduct to everyone who comes through the gates.

Responsibilities:

Administration

• Update information on the booking systems, process all bookings, manage inventory in the booking system and recommend ways to maximize revenue.
• Work with the accounts team to ensure correct capture of daily revenue especially with regard to online payments, allocation of funds with regards packaged entry rates and reconcile 3rd party operator and partner accounts. Where necessary provide reports as required.
• Manage booking charts and inventory management by reviewing content and maintaining rates and inventor on the booking engine and any other online booking listings.
• Champion and strengthen the use of current and new systems in tourism operations including the booking and ticketing system, Salesforce, Procurement, HRM among others as well as train and offer support to the tourism team.
• Champion and strengthen the use of current and new systems in tourism operations including the booking and ticketing system, Salesforce, Procurement, HRM among others as well as train and offer support to the tourism team.
• Assist Head of Tourism, with distribution, promotion and filing of special packages and ensure that travel agents & operators, tourism partners and MKWE homeowners as well as key potential-selling-point-staff are aware and educated on each with an aim to maximizing revenues using upselling opportunities.
• Submit monthly comparable reports highlighting a breakdown in source of business, monthly grid, revenue report, Ol Pejeta Escapes’ bookings report among others Ensure that all billing and credit agreements are managed and controlled and that correct procedures for processing payments and refunds are followed. Work with the accounts team to ensure correct capture of daily revenue, funds allocations and reconciliation where necessary.
• Manage, administer and coordinate the Ol Pejeta MKWE Membership Scheme with regards to registration, renewals, issuance of cards and record keeping.

Operations

• Oversee gate operations with regards managing set procedures to support the execution of the OPC cashless plan and effectively monitor correct capture of online bookings and data collection.
• Supervise the management of tourism gates by effectively following up on laid down quality and customer service standards, adhering to internal guidelines on revenue collection and accountability procedures, correct use of systems and provision of reports.
• Strengthen and support the use of current systems used in tourism operations especially in guest or service-related transactions. Train and support the tourism team to ensure correct use of these systems and take the lead in supporting tour operator relationships especially with regards Cashless requirements: compliance and agent log-ins displaying appropriate decision making when necessary.
• Manage the unit’s operations including decision making with regards to problem solving day to day planning and customer service within set parameters given by the Head of Tourism while ensuring effective daily communication among all teams and players.
• Manage and ensure resolution of all guest issues or complaints and provide training to all new employees for all policies and procedures and to escalate where necessary.
• Manage current business accounts by servicing them, gathering feedback, maintaining their relationships while gathering new ones.
• Implement departmental sales plans by ensuring correct follow through of all requirements, timelines and deliverables in the sales plan.

Training

• Train and mentor, manage and support unit teams and their responsibilities while ensuring product knowledge and client service is maintained, deliverables achieved and also manage the leave and off days together with weekly and weekend work rotations and relief movements.
• Review current and develop new processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) where necessary and distribute while remaining the contact person for the unit in departmental interactions.
• Undertake any reasonable requests made by the Conservancy including flexibility in hours and location and to accept responsibility for the Conservancy when scheduled to do.

Qualifications and Skills:

Qualifications

• Diploma in Tourism, Administration, Information Technology or related field.

 Experience

• Minimum 7 years relevant job experience.

 Skills

• Detail oriented with excellent organizational, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to thrive in a high paced, fast turnaround business
• Be positive, motivated, ambitious, and proactive, with a “can-do” attitude.
• Adaptable – ability to respond quickly to a shifting reality and adjust initiatives and priorities accordingly
• Great interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills
• Good spoken and written English is a must for this position

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Role Summary:

• The incumbent will work directly with the Head of Tourism to enhance the overall Visitor experience of OPC guests which will include direct supervision of Driver guides, Armed guides, all other Tourism guides and shop attendants to ensure correct service delivery of Ol Pejeta’s products and services ensuring accurate information, revenue and data collection.

Responsibilities:

Operations

• Oversee the effective execution of the tourism field operations, including spot checks, correct distribution and accountability of resources allocated to the teams, whilst ensuring field teams are at their station according to the duty rota.
• Responsible for the management of campsite bookings to include allocations, and the correct planning for timely provisions of water, wood and toilets.
• Monitor general cleanliness of campsites, and correct distribution and signing of indemnities.
• Provide lead support with regards guiding and service delivery of Conservation Activities and ensure that all ground arrangements for such activities are in order.
• Coordinate campsite attendants, tourism guides and armed guides as required.

 Administration

• Work closely with the Head of Tourism to increase the profile of OPC by actively seeking and maximizing revenues using upselling and cross selling opportunities when handling internal and external enquiries, ensure knowledge of product, client relationships and services is maintained and communicated to all relevant personnel.
• Manage activity bookings to include allocations, payments and correct service delivery.
• Produce monthly reports for third party vehicles and reconcile sales so as to enable correct end month invoicing from accounts.
• Responsible for managing the staff muster roll.
• Ensure proper procedures are followed with regards health and safety.
• Monitor infrastructure conditions reporting any issues that require attention in order to ensure a safe environment for clients. Coordinate with PR and Marketing with regards new signage, logistics and implementation.
• Maintain good relations with all customers, Tourism Partners and suppliers.
• Be available to host travel agent FAM trips and special interest groups, as well as assist with sales calls in the Nanyuki vicinity.
• Ensure that all public areas are kept clean, hygienic and presentable at all times, and that the responsible staff member has the equipment and supplies needed.

Training

• Provide support for any guide mentor activities and professional development initiatives and inhouse training especially with regards safety briefing and activity experience development.
• Review current and develop new processes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) where necessary and distribute while remaining the contact person for the unit in departmental interactions
• Undertake any reasonable requests made of you by the company including flexibility in hours and location and to accept responsibility for OPC when scheduled to do so as a tourism Duty Manager.

Qualifications and Skills:

Qualification.

• Diploma in tourism, administration, information technology or related field
• KPSGA Certificate
• TSV License.

Experience.

• Minimum 7 years relevant job experience in Tourism

Skills

• Detail oriented with excellent organizational, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to thrive in a high paced, fast turnaround business
• Be positive, motivated, ambitious, and proactive, with a “can-do” attitude.
• Adaptable – ability to respond quickly to a shifting reality and adjust initiatives and priorities accordingly
• Great interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills
• Good spoken and written English is a must for this position