Director of Food & Beverage

Vacancy: Director of Food & Beverage
Location: Diani, Kenya
Our client, a prestigious five-star luxury hotel, is seeking to appoint an accomplished and visionary Director of Food & Beverage to provide strategic leadership across its Food & Beverage division.
This executive position calls for a commercially astute hospitality leader with an exceptional track record in driving operational excellence, enhancing guest satisfaction, maximizing profitability, and leading high-performing teams within a luxury hospitality environment.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be responsible for:

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• Providing strategic direction and overall leadership for all Food & Beverage operations, including restaurants, bars, lounges, banqueting, events, room service, beach operations, and any future outlets.
  
• Developing and executing innovative Food & Beverage strategies that strengthen the hotel's market position while delivering exceptional guest experiences.
  
• Driving revenue growth, profitability, and operational efficiency through effective planning, cost optimization, menu engineering, pricing strategies, and service innovation.
  
• Establishing and maintaining world-class service standards consistent with five-star luxury hospitality expectations.
  
• Leading, mentoring, and developing departmental managers, supervisors, and operational teams while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence.
  
• Preparing and managing departmental budgets, forecasts, financial reports, and performance metrics to achieve agreed business objectives.
  
• Working closely with the Executive Chef to deliver innovative culinary concepts that align with evolving market trends and guest preferences.
  
• Overseeing quality assurance, food safety, hygiene, health and safety compliance, and adherence to all statutory and regulatory requirements.
  
• Monitoring guest feedback, market intelligence, and industry trends to continuously improve service delivery and competitive positioning.
  
• Managing supplier relationships, procurement strategies, inventory controls, and cost management initiatives.
  
• Collaborating with other departmental heads to ensure seamless guest experiences across all areas of the hotel.
  
• Championing continuous improvement initiatives that enhance operational performance, employee engagement, and guest satisfaction.
  

Qualifications & Experience
Applicants must possess:

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• A Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
  
• A Master's Degree will be an added advantage.
  
• A minimum of 10 years' progressive experience in Food & Beverage operations within reputable four- or five-star hotels or luxury resorts.
  
• At least five (5) years' experience in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple Food & Beverage outlets.
  
• Demonstrated success in driving revenue growth, profitability, guest satisfaction, and operational excellence.
  
• Strong financial management skills with proven experience in budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and revenue optimization.
  
• Excellent understanding of luxury hospitality standards, food safety systems, HACCP, and quality management.
  
• Experience managing large multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
  
• Strong commercial acumen, strategic planning capability, and business development skills.
  
• Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, decision-making, and stakeholder management abilities.
  

Key Competencies

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• Executive Leadership
  
• Strategic Planning & Execution
  
• Commercial & Financial Acumen
  
• Luxury Guest Experience Management
  
• Revenue Optimization
  
• Operational Excellence
  
• Team Leadership & Talent Development
  
• Change Management
  
• Quality Assurance
  
• High Emotional Intelligence
  
• Results Orientation
  
• Integrity & Professionalism
  

Application Process
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit their CV and a cover letter indicating "Director of Food & Beverage – Diani" in the subject line of their email.
Applications should be sent to hrm@swahilibeach.com.
Application Deadline: 10th August 2026
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.