General Manager
THE PROJECT
KAI – 3 hotels under development is an ultra-luxury wellness retreat under development on a 345-hectare estate in Jaén, Andalusia, Spain. The brand is built around stillness, reconnection, and the notion of “inner nature as luxury.”
Positioning sits alongside Aman, Six Senses, Rosewood and Belmond, with a distinctive focus on transformational experiences and an authentic Iberian rural setting.
THE ROLE
General Manager of KAI. Working in the development pipe. Full ownership of the property’s opening and ongoing operation: pre-opening, hiring and training of the hospitality team, guest experience, P&L responsibility, ultra-luxury service standards, and brand representation.
Reports directly to Ownership. Works as a peer with the Director of Organisation and alongside the estate, development, marketing, sales and wellness teams.
IDEAL PROFILE
- 5–10 years as General Manager (or Hotel Manager with full P&L responsibility) in ultra-luxury properties.
- Some experience in development of hotels.
- Demonstrable experience in at least one reference brand: Aman, Six Senses, Rosewood, Belmond, Four Seasons (selected properties), Bulgari Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, One&Only, Cheval Blanc, Soneva or similar segment resort or hotels.
- Pre-opening experience is critical: at least one property opened from scratch (hiring, SOPs, soft opening, ramp-up).
- Languages: native/bilingual Spanish and English. A third language (French, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic) is a must.
- Track record in small-to-mid-size properties (30–80 keys);
not large-resort profiles.
- Strong experiential orientation: signature F&B, wellness, cultural programming — beyond classic hotel operations.
- Cultural sensitivity for rural, sustainable, single-property brands.
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NICE TO HAVE
* Prior experience in Europe
- Background in wellness retreats and health (SHA, Vana, Euphoria, Palace Merano, Lanserhof, Chiva-Som).
- Experience serving HNW/UHNW clientele and private estates or similar.
- Elite hospitality education: Lausanne, Glion, Les Roches, Cornell or similar.
- Established network with luxury travel advisors and specialist press (Condé Nast Traveler, Robb Report, Mr & Mrs Smith).
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
* Hand on not desk bound. The states requires physical presence (Marbella & Jaen)
* Ownership mindset.
* Strong aesthetic sensibility for design, nature and detail. xhfqzwm
* Able to work with a demanding in a firm ownership and with a Director of Organisation as an operational peer.
For this profile in Spain, pre-opening ultra-luxury:
Base salary: €120k–€180k per year
Bonus: 25–40% (on gross salary) on objectives (pre-opening milestones, NPS, P&L)
Benefits: on-site or nearby accommodation, company vehicle, premium private health insurance, training budget
Equity / phantom shares: to be considered subject to candidate seniority and long-term commitment