Campground Manager - Hot Springs National Park KOA, AR

About the role

The General Manager (GM) oversees all aspects of property operations, ensuring a high-quality guest experience, strong financial performance, and effective team leadership. This role requires balancing operational excellence with community engagement, revenue generation, financial stewardship, and being a leader for the onsite team.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of the campground, including housekeeping, grounds, and maintenance as well as guest services, which includes the Kampstore, food and beverage (if applicable), events and activities, etc.
• Oversee ongoing contracts/permits and filings for campground systems as necessary: water, septic, business licenses, etc.
• Ensure compliance with KOA brand standards, company policies, and local regulations.
• Maintain a safe environment for guests and onsite team, including adherence to safety procedures and emergency protocols.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for guests, handling escalated concerns with professionalism and unreasonable hospitality.
• Work with Regional Manager and Operations Lead on ongoing property repairs, maintenance and CAPEX projects.
• Develop and manage an annual events calendar for the property.
• Work with KCN Marketing to promote and drive awareness.

Community Involvement & Engagement

• Represent the campground at community events, local tourism boards, and chambers of commerce.
• Involvemembersthe team members if/when appropriate.
• Develop partnerships with local attractions, vendors, and businesses to enhance the guest experience for our guests.
• Plan and support campground events that engage both guests and the local community.
• Work with marketing to drive promotion and awareness.
• Do so using an annual calendar, allowing for ample time to plan and market these events.
• Encourage and track guest reviews to maintain strong online reputation via both Google Reviews and KOA NPS (Net Promoter Score).
• Address ongoing concerns or complaints made visible through ongoing review analysis.
• Support and drive contributions to Care Camps Foundation through onsite events like the pancake breakfast, treasure hunts, etc.

Financial Duties - Top Line Revenue

• Serve as an active member of the Revenue Management Team, collaborating with the Revenue Manager and Marketing Manager to analyze trends, adjust pricing, and optimize revenue strategies.
• Monitor occupancy trends and implement strategies to optimize guest experience and revenues.
• Promote premium cabins, deluxe patio sites, and store purchases to increase average daily revenue per guest.
• Oversee the onsite Kampstore, ensuring strong sales and alignment with revenue and margin goals.
• Train and coach onsite team to upsell and cross-sell store products, campground amenities, and premium site options at check-in and through guest communications.
• Execute local marketing campaigns in partnership with Marketing Manager.
• Track guest retention and repeat visitation, implementing programs to recognize and encourage loyalty.

Financial Duties - Expenses

• Develop and manage annual operating budgets in partnership with Regional Manager, Operations Lead and KCN Finance.
• Monitor daily, weekly, and monthly financial performance metrics.
• GM is responsible for reporting results to Regional Managers and KCN Finance.
• Ensure proper cash handling and banking procedures, including regular cash deposits and daily reconciliations, petty cash ledger, etc.
• Approve vendor invoices and monitor inventory for the Kampstore and campground supplies.
• Work with other members of the Operations team as needed for ordering and re-ordering.
• Control labor costs through effective review of actual hours to budget, proactive scheduling and oversight of your team.
• Identify and implement cost-saving measures without reducing guest experience quality.

Manager Duties

• Recruit, hire, train, and develop your onsite team across all departments.
• Identify high performers and utilize the Manager In Training program as appropriate.
• Conduct regular team meetings, reviews, and performance evaluations. This will require coaching and real-time feedback.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and guest-first service.
• Provide ongoing training to ensure compliance with operational and safety standards.
• Recognize and reward strong team performance to reduce turnover.
• Act as a mentor and coach for your entire team and, specifically, managers in training and department leads.

Variable Bonus Structure

• Annual bonus eligibility: up to 15% of base salary
• Weighted by category:
  • Top Line Revenue - 35% - actual vs budget, role on Revenue Management Team
  • Onsite Store Performance - 15% - actual vs budget for revenue and margin
  • Financial Stewardship - 20% - actual vs budget on expenses
  • Guest Experience - 20% - Google Review Star Average ≥ 4.5 stars; KOA NPS score ≥ 80, timely corrective action on review feedback
  • Community Engagement - 10% - Engagement with local organizations and events