Destination Manager – Africa (SA Based)

SHAPE THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL AT PELORUS

At Pelorus, we believe travel should go beyond luxury – it should inspire exploration, spark curiosity, and transform the way people engage with the world.

As we enter a new chapter of global expansion, we will start by expanding our presence in Africa and developing a more progressive, experience-led approach to travel across the continent. This role offers the opportunity to be part of something new, shaping a vision that moves beyond established formulas and brings forward a more dynamic, diverse and creative understanding of Africa.

If you’re driven by innovation, storytelling, and changing the way people experience the world, this is a rare and new opportunity to help shape something with long-term impact.

Your Mission

As a Destination Manager, you will be the key driver in creating and delivering an elevated, differentiated Africa portfolio. You’ll help define how Pelorus showcases the continent: its wild spaces, its people, its innovation, its conservation leadership, and the many extraordinary experiences that aren’t yet on the map for most travellers.

Based on the ground in South Africa, you will build meaningful supplier partnerships, source exceptional access, develop fresh product, support global teams with expertise, and lay the early groundwork for future operational growth as demand increases.

Your Responsibilities

• Supplier Relationships and Contracting

• Build, nurture, and maintain strong relationships with lodges, camps, guides, conservation organisations, and experience providers across Africa.

• Support supplier vetting, onboarding, and contracting through Pelorus’ Africa-based entity.

• Secure access and exclusive opportunities to ensure Pelorus offerings remain unique, high-impact, and commercially strong.

• Negotiate commissions, value-adds, and partnership benefits to enhance margins and elevate client experience.

Operational Support, Training & Booking Assistance

• Handle incoming Africa booking requests from the Pelorus Sales Team (direct consumer and trade), providing expert guidance on destinations, logistics, suppliers, access, and costing.

• Serve as the internal Africa specialist, supporting the Sales Team with itinerary ideation, supplier selection, and margin optimisation.

• Deliver ongoing training and updates for the Sales Team to ensure they have current knowledge on:

  • Destination developments

  • Supplier updates

  • Seasonality and logistics

  • Conservation initiatives

  • New experiences added to the product library

• Maintain up-to-date information flows to ensure confident selling and proposal development across the team.

• Establish early processes and best practices to support future scaling into Africa-based operations and reservations.

• Product Development & Experience Innovation

• Develop and maintain Pelorus’ Africa experience library, including both signature and highly creative, conservation-led concepts.

• Shape the Pelorus offering in Africa, ensuring all product reflects our experiential style, ambition, purpose, and quality standards.

• Research and identify new destinations, emerging trends, conservation initiatives, and seasonal opportunities across the region.

• Craft compelling product concepts and destination plans aligned with global strategy and annual priorities.

• Work closely with the Head of Product (UK) to align timelines, priorities, and rollout processes.

Marketing Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Marketing Team to prepare the Africa product ensuring strong alignment across product story, imagery, messaging, and commercial focus.

• Provide Marketing with compelling content, product details, PR angles, imagery, and destination insights.

• Support ongoing newsletters, social storytelling, campaign content, and website updates relating to Africa.

What You’ll Bring

• Extensive destination knowledge across Southern and/or East Africa, including luxury product, logistics, conservation, and local industry dynamics.

• Strong supplier network and proven experience collaborating with lodges, camps, operators, conservation bodies, and activity specialists.

• Experience in product development, destination management, safari operations, or luxury travel planning.

• Excellent negotiation and contracting skills with confidence managing commercial conversations.

• A track record of securing exclusive access, permits, or specialist experiences.

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to work independently across multiple workstreams.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially in product storytelling and strategic alignment.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary with a performance-based bonus structure.

• Holiday allowance that increases annually, plus your birthday off.

• Foundation Days – time off for conservation and environmental projects.

• Personal development days and opportunities.

• FAM trips and business travel.

• Relaxed, flexible working environment.

• Industry and team awards scheme.

This Is More Than a Role

At Pelorus, we don’t just create journeys, we deliver experiences that shift perspectives and last a lifetime. If you are ready to drive change and think creatively, we would love to hear from you.

Equal Opportunities

At Pelorus, we don’t just accept difference - we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our suppliers, and our global community. Pelorus is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees.