Managing Director – Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat

Lake Pukaki, Mackenzie Region, New Zealand

There are few places like Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat. It sits above Lake Pukaki, in the Te Manahuna / Mackenzie high country, shaped by dark skies and a quiet you can feel: private villas, estate-to-plate dining, and the Pukaki Observatory, where guests dine under some of the clearest night skies on earth. Family-owned for 16 years, grounded in manaakitanga, and built on a belief that true luxury is calm and considered rather than showy.

After building all of this, owners Kaye and Luke Paardekooper are stepping back from the day-to-day. They’ve restructured the business and created a single senior role to lead it — a Managing Director they trust to carry the Retreat into its next chapter.

This is not another General Manager role. Day-to-day operations sit with a team of business-unit managers, with your oversight. This role sits above that — a strategic, commercial and visionary leadership position focused on growth, market presence and the long-term direction of the business. Kaye and Luke will stay close as Directors, shaping the vision and the brand. Your job is to lead the business that delivers it.

Why this role, why now

Two things make the timing unique. The Retreat has just joined Small Luxury Hotels of the World, alongside its Hilton Honors affiliation — a new partnership and a genuine platform to build from. And it’s entering a new phase of growth and development that will expand what the business offers. Whoever steps in gets to help shape both.

In this role you will:

• Lead the whole business — full P&L accountability, six business-unit managers, reporting to the two owners as Directors, with executive oversight of strategy, growth, performance and organisational development
• Own the commercial engine — the SLH and Hilton relationships, luxury trade partnerships, pricing, revenue and distribution — and be the face of the Retreat in the market, including at trade events in New Zealand and abroad
• Take over the sales and marketing leadership Kaye has built, growing the Retreat’s presence in the international luxury market
• Work alongside Luke as the Retreat moves into its next phase of growth and development
• Set the standard across guest experience and operations, coaching a capable, long-serving team to run their areas with confidence

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has led a luxury or high-end property and is ready to step up into a broader, more strategic role
• Knows the luxury market, lodges or high-end tourism
• Understands luxury trade and distribution, and ideally brings relationships to build on
• Thinks strategically and commercially — sees the whole business, owns the numbers, and leads through others
• Is confident and visible — comfortable representing a luxury brand to trade partners
• Is confident working closely with founders — offering a view, taking a steer, and getting things done
• Wants to commit for the long term and see the Retreat through this next chapter of growth

This is not simply an operational GM role — the day-to-day delivery sits with the business-unit managers with your oversight. You’ll thrive here if you’re drawn to autonomy and a remote high-country setting. You’ll have real independence, working directly with two founders who care deeply about the place.

The package includes a competitive salary + accommodation shaped to the person with flexibility for the right family situation.

For a full job description, click HERE

For more information about Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat, click HERE

To apply or find out more, contact Kelly Dodd, kelly.dodd@tourism-talent.com

Tourism Product Development and Contracting Executive

Japan (Work from home in Kansai area)

Fuji Travel is a rapidly growing destination management company and inbound tour operator specialising in customised, premium travel experiences for visitors to Japan. We showcase the very best of Japan’s culture, people, destinations, and unique experiences.

As Japan’s inbound tourism sector continues to experience record growth, we are seeking a Tourism Product Development and Contracting Executive to strengthen our relationships with local hotels and suppliers, regional tourism boards, local governments, DMOs, tourism associations, and media organisations throughout Japan.

This is role will represent Fuji Travel across the tourism industry, negotiate with suppliers, build local strategic partnerships, identify collaborative opportunities, manage media relations, and help position Fuji Travel as a leading voice within Japan’s inbound tourism sector.

About You

You are a well-connected tourism professional who understands how to navigate both the public and private sectors in Japan. You are equally comfortable meeting with sales representatives, government officials, tourism leaders, destination organisations, and media.

You will have:

• Native-level Japanese language skills
• Professional working proficiency in English
• Experience working  in DMC, tourism boards, DMOs, local governments, or tourism organisations
• Experience in negotiating with suppliers, communications, stakeholder engagement, destination marketing, or tourism development
• Strong relationships within the Japanese tourism industry
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• The ability to work independently in a remote environment

Why Join Fuji Travel?

• Work with an international and entrepreneurial team
• Flexible work-from-home environment with domestic travel
• Competitive salary with bi-annual bonus and 28 days paid leave
• Be part of a growing team passionate about creating exceptional travel experiences and promoting regional Japan to the world
• Domestic travel opportunities to attend industry events, tourism conferences, familiarisation trips, and stakeholder meetings

For more information on Fuji Travel click here and to download a job description click here.  To apply with your CV and application letter, email Jason Hill Jason.hill@tourism-talent.com  Applications close end of day, 17th July 2026.

If you have a passion for Japan, a strong international tourism network, and the drive to build something special, we’d love to hear from you.