Closing date: 8 July 2026
Salary: Depending on Experience, Plus Desirable Benefits
This is a Permanent, Full-Time Position
Are you wild about creating memorable experiences?
Do you want to work in a place where you can hear calls from troops of Howler Monkeys, or the roar of a pride of Lions?
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve are recruiting a Reception Manager, who will be responsible for ensuring the efficient and smooth operation when guests check in and out of our Reception Areas at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve. This includes Pinewood, Bear Lodge, the Library, Mansion, and Guest Services.
This role is responsible for leading and developing the Reception team, ensuring consistently high service standards, smooth operational delivery, and a warm, professional experience at every guest touchpoint. You will oversee daily operations, manage staffing and training, resolve guest queries, and work collaboratively with departments across the reserve to maintain exceptional standards throughout the guest experience.
As a hands-on leader, you will play a key role in driving service excellence, supporting operational improvements, maximising guest satisfaction, and fostering a positive team culture focused on delivering memorable experiences.
Who are we looking for:
We are looking for an experienced and motivated hospitality professional with a minimum of two years’ management experience in a highly customer-focused service environment. The successful candidate will have proven experience leading, recruiting, training, and developing a diverse front-facing team of at least 15 employees, with the ability to drive high performance and continuously identify opportunities to improve service delivery.
You will be a confident and hands-on leader who leads by example, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences. Strong front-facing and telephone customer service skills are essential, alongside the ability to effectively manage guest concerns and provide timely resolutions. You will have excellent communication skills, strong attention to detail, the ability to manage change positively, and confidence using a range of IT systems, including Microsoft Office. A good understanding of GDPR, Health & Safety and Fire Safety regulations is required, alongside a full valid UK driving licence.
Contract details:
This is a permanent full-time position, working 40 hours per week, five days out of seven as per the rota. The role is based at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve near Folkestone and reports directly into the Front of House Manager. All applicants must have the right to work in the UK. A reliable mode of transport is recommended due to our remote location.
The location:
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve is a world-renowned wild animal park set within 600 acres of Kentish savannah. The Reserve is home to some of the world’s most rare and endangered animals and offers luxury short breaks accommodations, free roaming animal safaris, once-in-a-lifetime animal encounters and exquisite dining experiences. Most importantly, every one of our employees is part of real conservation in action and their efforts have contributed to animals such as black rhino and western lowland gorillas being returned to their natural habitats in collaboration with our partners at The Aspinall Foundation.
Why you should join us:
We’re on a mission to create memorable experiences that matter, and our Core Values ‘One Team’, Customer’ and ‘Pride’ are what drive us each day to become part of something extraordinary. As well as walking to work surrounded by the calls of Howler monkeys and the roars from our pride of Lions, you will join a supportive team who are passionate about their place of work.
Be part of the Port Lympne and Howletts family and join our pride.
You can also expect a host of other roarsome benefits including:
- 28 days annual leave inclusive of bank holidays, rising with length of service. (Pro-rata to start date and working hours)
- Comprehensive training and development opportunities, including workshops and e-learning.
- Enhanced Sickness, Maternity and Paternity Policies.
- Unlimited free entry for you and a person of your choice into both of our parks as well as friends and family tickets.
- Exceptional discounts on food, retail and accommodation at our parks.
- Numerous retail discounts and access to a 24-hour counselling line through our Healthy Extras Scheme.
- Company Pension
- And many more length or service-related rewards and Benefits.
Your adventure awaits
#joinourpride
To apply: If you want to work in an exciting and unique environment where no two days are the same, email your C.V. and covering letter to oliviah@portlympne.com
