Justin Ollewagen
@justinollewagen
Customer support and guest relations professional with 15+ years in luxury hospitality and travel operations.
What I'm looking for
I’m a customer-focused professional with 15+ years of experience across luxury hospitality, retail, and field operations, built around strong guest relations and high-pressure service environments. I’m confident using both face-to-face and written communication with international clients.
In my guest services and lodge leadership roles, I handled enquiries, complaints, reservations, and guest check-in/check-out, while keeping service standards high and ensuring guest satisfaction. I’m used to resolving issues quickly and coordinating details so the guest experience stays seamless.
More recently, as a Horticulture Manager and operations lead, I coordinate daily operations and communication between teams and management, handle supplier and contractor communication, and identify and escalate operational issues to keep workflows smooth. This reinforced my ability to stay organized, accurate, and responsive under changing priorities.
I’m now seeking a remote role in customer support, travel consulting, or reservations where I can apply my hospitality experience in a digital environment. I’m ready to support guests through email and live chat and help coordinate travel planning and itineraries with careful attention to detail.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Horticulture Manager
Lalibella Wildlife Reserve
Dec 2024 - Present (1 year 7 months)
Coordinated daily operations and communication between teams and management. Managed supplier/contractor communication and escalated operational issues to support smooth workflow.
Lodge Manager
Lalibella Wildlife Reserve
Mar 2020 - May 2024 (4 years 2 months)
Managed guest services, enquiries, complaints, and reservations at a 4-star lodge. Handled guest check-in/check-out and account-related queries, coordinated staff scheduling, and maintained high service standards.
Field Guide & Lodge Manager
Inzolo Exclusive Game Lodge
Dec 2018 - Feb 2020 (1 year 2 months)
Managed guest services across a 25-room lodge with 70-guest capacity and coordinated check-ins, check-outs, and guest experiences. Led staff operations and supported daily lodge management.
Field Guide
Cheetah Ridge, Nambiti Game Reserve
Mar 2017 - Nov 2018 (1 year 8 months)
Delivered guided safari experiences for international guests and ensured high-quality guest experiences. Handled guest enquiries and supported guest service delivery.
Retail Sales & Customer Service
Drifters Adventure Centre
Jan 2012 - Jan 2017 (5 years)
Handled customer queries, orders, and returns in a retail environment while providing product guidance. Maintained accurate customer records and transaction information and resolved customer issues.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
CATHSSETA
NQF Level 4 Field Guide, Field Guiding (FGASA)
Completed an NQF Level 4 Field Guide (FGASA) program accredited by CATHSSETA.
Brainline College
Grade 10, General Education
Completed Grade 10 through Brainline College.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Job categories
Skills
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