Minimum 30 hours per week | Permanent
Predominantly evening shifts, usually starting at 5pm, with earlier starts on Wednesday (11am) and Thursday (3pm) | Shifts scheduled two weeks in advance
We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Food and Beverage Manager to lead our food and beverage operation at the Durrant House Hotel in Bideford.
This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys being close to the operation, leading a team and creating a warm and welcoming experience for guests, while also keeping a close eye on costs, standards and the commercial performance of the department.
We're looking for someone who understands the realities of a busy hotel environment and is happy to lead from the front.
The role
As Food and Beverage Manager, you'll be responsible for the day-to-day management of our food and beverage operation, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, bar service and functions.
You'll lead our Food and Beverage Supervisor and wider food and beverage team of around 16 colleagues, making sure people know what's expected of them, services are properly planned and guests receive friendly, attentive and consistent service.
You'll work closely with the Head Chef, Hotel Manager, Reception team and General Manager to plan around hotel occupancy, coach groups, functions, events and changing levels of demand.
You'll also take responsibility for the commercial performance of the department, managing rotas, labour, stock and waste carefully and looking for practical ways to improve both the guest experience and financial performance.
This is very much a hands-on management role. You'll be visible during service and prepared to pitch in wherever you're needed, whether that's supporting the team, laying or clearing tables, waiting on guests, helping behind the bar or dealing with an unexpected problem.
What you'll be doing
- Managing the day-to-day food and beverage operation across the restaurant, bar and functions
- Leading, supporting and developing the Food and Beverage Supervisor and wider team
- Planning services around hotel occupancy, coach groups, functions, events and guest requirements
- Making sure the right people are in the right place at the right time and that rotas reflect business demand
- Maintaining a visible presence during key services and leading from the front
- Pitching in with practical service tasks whenever needed, including laying and clearing tables, waiting on guests and supporting bar and function service
- Working closely with the Head Chef, Reception and wider hotel team to make sure services run smoothly
- Setting and maintaining high standards of guest service and dealing confidently with complaints or more complex issues
- Managing labour, stock, purchasing and waste carefully and taking action where costs are higher than expected
- Monitoring food and beverage performance and identifying practical opportunities to increase revenue and improve profitability
- Supporting pricing, budgeting and forecasting alongside the General Manager
- Making sure food safety, allergen, alcohol licensing, health and safety and other compliance requirements are consistently met
- Recruiting, training, coaching and developing team members
- Addressing performance, attendance or conduct concerns promptly and fairly
- Making sure there are clear handovers and good communication between breakfast, lunch, dinner, bar and function services
What we're looking for
We're looking for someone with good food and beverage management experience who can combine strong operational leadership with a practical understanding of the commercial side of running a department.
You'll ideally have:
- Food and beverage management experience within a hotel, restaurant or similar hospitality environment
- Experience leading a team and getting the best from people
- Experience managing different food and beverage services across varied shifts
- A good understanding of rotas, labour costs, stock, waste and food and beverage performance
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to plan effectively around changing levels of demand
- Good knowledge of food safety, allergens, alcohol licensing and health and safety
- Confidence dealing with guests and resolving complaints or more complex service issues
- The ability to work effectively with Kitchen, Reception and other hotel departments
- A calm, practical approach when things get busy or don't go to plan
- A hands-on approach and willingness to lead from the front, pitching in with practical service tasks whenever needed
- Flexibility to adapt your working hours and provide operational cover when required
- The confidence to set clear expectations, give feedback and hold people accountable
- Commercial awareness and an understanding that everyday decisions about staffing, stock and waste have a direct impact on the hotel's performance
Experience working in a full-service hotel with bedrooms, restaurant, bar and function facilities would be an advantage.
Hours of work
This role offers a minimum of 30 hours per week. Shift patterns will vary depending on the needs of the hotel but will generally look like this:
- Monday: 5pm–9.30pm
- Tuesday: 5pm–9.30pm
- Wednesday: 11am–11pm, with a one-hour unpaid break
- Thursday: 3pm–11pm, with a one-hour unpaid break
- Friday: 5pm–9.30pm
- Saturday: 5pm–9.30pm
Your rota will be provided two weeks in advance, so you'll know your working pattern ahead of time.
Some flexibility is required to support the needs of the hotel. Occupancy, coach groups, weddings, functions and events mean there may be occasions when different or additional hours are needed. There will also be occasions when Sunday or bank holiday working is required.
Any changes to your usual working pattern will be included in your rota and you'll always receive two weeks' notice of your schedule.
Where a shift is long enough to require a break, this will include the appropriate unpaid break. Any hours worked above your minimum 30 hours will be paid at your normal hourly rate.
Working at the Durrant House Hotel
The Durrant House Hotel is a large hotel in Bideford, welcoming private guests alongside coach groups and hosting weddings, functions and events.
We're looking for someone who enjoys the variety that comes with hotel food and beverage – someone who can think commercially and manage a team, but who is equally comfortable rolling up their sleeves and helping wherever they're needed.
If you're an experienced hospitality professional looking for a hands-on management role with a predominantly evening working pattern and a rota you can plan around, we'd love to hear from you.
How to apply:
Please send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected].
Pay: From £14.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
