We're hiring · Sri Lanka · Full-Time
Resort Operations
Manager
About the role
Run the whole show at one of Sri Lanka's most exciting surf destinations.
Elsewhere Surf Camps is a growing surf resort on the coast of Sri Lanka, combining surf culture with genuine hospitality. We're looking for a hands-on, experienced operations leader to take full ownership of the resort — from waves to waitstaff.
This isn't a desk job. You'll be on the ground, working alongside our local team every day, setting standards, solving problems, and creating an experience our guests rave about long after they've gone home.
If you've run a resort, managed a restaurant from scratch, or led a surf camp operation at a senior level — and you thrive in dynamic, multi-disciplinary environments — we want to hear from you.
What You'll Own
Restaurant Development
Take our food offering to the next level. We currently run breakfast à la carte and dinner buffets — you'll design and launch an all-day menu including snacks and daytime dining. Source a head chef, build the kitchen team, test and refine recipes, and oversee the design and printing of menus.
Surf Operations
Surfing is our bread and butter — and this is your number one priority. Maintain a close, daily working relationship with the Head Instructor to ensure lesson quality, instructor scheduling, and the overall guest surf experience are consistently excellent. Every guest should leave stoked. A genuine interest in surfing or the surf industry is required to credibly lead this department.
Reception & Guest Experience
The reception is the beating heart of the resort. You'll work closely with our core reception team — who act as a management layer — to refine customer service practices, establish clear processes, and elevate every guest touchpoint. Oversee guest feedback across the resort — track it, act on it, and close the loop. You catch patterns early and use them to drive real improvements. Also oversees accounting, salaries, and maintenance delegation.
Wellness Facilities
Liaise with our Gym Manager to ensure the gym, massage room, and ice bath are running to a consistently high standard. Your role is oversight and quality control — making sure scheduling, guest experience, and facility presentation are all where they need to be.
Rooftop Bar & Café
Manage the rooftop bar and café: oversee profitability, daily operations, expenses, and team performance. This is a key revenue-generating space and should feel like a destination within the resort.
Events & Social Programming
Work with our social hosts to deliver nightly guest events in a systematised, repeatable way. Build consistent programming that creates community, keeps guests engaged, and feels effortlessly run.
Local Team Leadership
Integrate deeply with our Sri Lankan team. Touch base with every department manager daily — brief, direct, consistent. Run a weekly all-hands meeting with all relevant department heads to review performance, surface issues, and align on the week ahead. Hire new team members where needed, run training, and organise team-building events that create real cohesion across a diverse crew. This role demands genuine respect for local knowledge and a real ability to lead across cultures.
Maintenance Coordination
Coordinate with the local maintenance team to ensure the property is always in excellent shape. Prioritise repairs, manage timelines, and hold the standard on presentation and functionality across the whole resort.
Cleaning & Housekeeping
Oversee the cleaning department to ensure rooms, common areas, and all resort facilities are maintained to the highest standard. Set the routine, hold the standard, and inspect the result — a spotless property is non-negotiable for the guest experience we deliver.
Who We're Looking For
Essential Experience
- Proven experience managing a resort, hotel, or high-level surf camp at operations or senior management level
- Restaurant management, head chef, or F&B development background — you know how to build and run a food operation
- Track record of hiring, training and leading diverse, multicultural teams
- Comfortable working in a cross-cultural environment; ideally with experience in Southeast Asia or South Asia
- A genuine interest in surfing or the surf industry is required — you need to be credible to the surf team and on top of what's happening in the water every day
Key Qualities
- Exceptionally organised — you can hold many moving parts at once without dropping any
- A natural leader who earns respect through presence, not hierarchy
- Guest-obsessed — you see every interaction as an opportunity to exceed expectations
- Solutions-oriented and calm under pressure; resort life is unpredictable
- Entrepreneurial mindset — you see the gaps and fix them without being told
- Excellent communicator across all levels — local staff, international guests, management
- Willing to live on-site in Sri Lanka (accommodation provided)
What We Offer
Competitive Package
Salary commensurate with experience, with performance incentives tied to resort growth and guest satisfaction.
Live-In Accommodation
On-site accommodation included. Wake up to ocean air, with surf on your doorstep — Sri Lanka at its finest.
Real Ownership
This is a leadership role with genuine scope. You'll shape the direction of the resort and see the results of your work every single day.
Ready to run the show?
Send us your CV along with a short cover note explaining why this role is the right fit for you. We're especially interested in hearing about specific operations challenges you've owned and solved.
Apply Now
jobs@elsewheresurfcamps.com www.elsewheresurfcamps.comPlease include "Operations Manager Application" in your subject line. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.