As Silverstone brings its hospitality department in-house, we are thrilled to offer an exciting opportunity for a passionate and dynamic leader to join our prestigious sporting venue. As the Head of Hospitality, you will have overall responsibility for leading and managing the day-to-day operations of our event hospitality experiences. This role demands a proven track record in the hospitality industry, with experience in event and hospitality operations from point of sale through to the fulfilment of the hospitality delivery. You will be tasked with pursuing strategic partnership opportunities, cultivating strong relationships with clients and partners, conducting market research and analysis, managing budgets, delivery of all event hospitality environments both temporary and permanent across all events at the venue, identifying new commercial opportunities and ensuring the highest standards of customer experience. You will thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and aspire to be part of a driven, winning team.
*This is an 18-month fixed-term contract role with an immediate start date.*
Silverstone is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk and expects all team members and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and DBS checks at the appropriate level will be obtained prior to employment commencing.
Event Hospitality: Lead and deliver on all aspects of hospitality operations for all event hospitality packages ensuring exceptional and robust operational planning, coordination, and logistical plans are established and followed to deliver high standards of execution, service and experience.
Partnerships and Sponsorships: Work in collaboration with the Head of Partnerships to identify and pursue strategic partnership opportunities with brands, organisations, and sponsors to enhance the visibility and profitability of Silverstone.
Client Relationship Management: Cultivate strong relationships with new and existing clients and partners, ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Market Research and Analysis: Conduct market research and analysis to identify opportunities, trends, and competitive dynamics to assist in informing strategic decision-making.
Budget Management: Optimise resource allocation to achieve revenue targets effectively. Reporting of all event financials to the required internal stakeholders and analysis of performance metrics.
Identify new commercial opportunities and work streams that will lead to an increase in revenue and gross profit.
Operations Management: Oversee the daily operation of facilities; ensure high standards and quality are maintained for all F&B services to guests; manage supplies, budgets, and expenses.
People Management: Hire and evaluate staff, ensure training for all staff is in line with the Hospitality service level requirements and maintain quality standards. Create a positive, proactive culture and environment within the department.
Customer Experience: Ensure customer complaints are handled appropriately and strive for exceptional customer experiences. Conduct post event reconciliation, data collection and review and ensure all feedback is acted upon to affect positive change with agreed action plans.
Product Development: In collaboration with the commercial teams, propose new ideas and propositions for the hospitality experiences.
SPECIFIC DUTIES
Event Hospitality Operation
- To ensure the full circle of hospitality is delivered correctly and to a high standard, working closely with both the marketing and sales departments to ensure all elements are aligned.
- Support the development of the event strategy, using data and research to enhance event experience and deliver innovation across events.
- Work with the key internal and external stakeholders to take responsibility for the collection and curation of key event milestone documents and the management of progress tracking software or solutions.
- Oversee the management of client, rightsholder, stakeholder and internal team calls, meetings and workshops.
- Manage supplier briefs, contracts and scopes of service ensuring all contracts are commercially and legally viable as well as being robust for the future strategy plan.
- Oversee the account management and operation delivery of all activations outside of the SCL hospitality product portfolio to include but not limited to – Hotel/ Quint F1 Experiences/ Red Bull and any new accounts that contract in the future.
- To undertake and deliver all operational requirements of our premium experience products including Grand Prix Enclosures.
- To oversee, with the support of the SCL Health and Safety department, the Health and Safety hospitality management plan of all sites including CDM and principal contractor operation, ensuring it is correctly activated and operated and all processes are followed and signed off to the correct timeline required.
- To ensure the hospitality operation upholds robust operational and health and safety plans for all areas and activations.
- Ensure contractors work within guidelines as set down in the appropriate certificates and permits to work (including scanning and identifying underground services where relevant).
- Work closely with internal sustainability teams, capitalising on opportunities to deliver environmental, economic, and social impact initiatives.
- Facilitate all pre, during and post event and experience debriefs, taking the learnings and actions forward to drive and support strategic department initiatives for alignment and progression of the hospitality operation.
Sales and Marketing
- Work with the marketing team to procure and deliver insights and data-led post-event reports and recommendations for enhancing the proposition at events.
- Create alongside the sales and marketing teams a clear product strategy to ensure hospitality offerings have a clear identity and sales target audience.
- Develop strong relationships with clients and leads and ensure all accounts are being correctly managed from an operational and sales perspective in conjunction with the hospitality sales team.
- Ensure client rights and benefits are met and encourage future opportunities to maximise revenue generating opportunities.
- Identify and implement opportunities for collaboration, growth and improvement.
- Work alongside the marketing and communications teams to ensure integration of a clear campaign plan into overall event strategy and delivery.
- Collaborate with commercial and partnership teams to ensure alignment with invested partners and sponsors.
- Support wider team with client activation proposals by managing event delivery, timelines and status onsite.
People Management
- Develop and procure a seasonal support structure ensuring correct training is implemented.
- Adopt a hands-on approach to the career development and coaching of both direct and indirect reports. Coach others to coach and develop their reports.
- Focus on the team dynamic and encourage collaboration.
- Manage your team within existing systems, technology, processes and strategies while working collaboratively with department leaders to influence positive change.
- Be an excellent communicator and team player.
- Liaise regularly with other departments to ensure alignment.
- Encourage and develop best practice across the business.
Financial
- Accountable for the operational budget of assigned events, equally holding the team accountable for budget management.
- Effectively oversee and manage the event budget by aligning it with sales projections or anticipated sales derived from historical data and run rates.
- Collaborate with applicable overall budget owners to ensure team spending is appropriate to event margin targets.
- Collaborate across teams and departments to ensure financial reporting (forecasts, settlements, etc.) can be completed in a timely manner.
- Support and collaborate across teams and departments to create event budgets for future events leveraging insights from prior event settlements.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
- Executive Leadership Team
- Heads of Departments and Managers
- Agencies
- Corporate Sales Team
- Catering Team
- Public Events Team
- Corporate Events Team
- Hospitality Partners
- Finance Department
- IT Department
- Venue Team
- External suppliers
-
Proven track record of success in a hospitality leadership role, preferably within the sports, hospitality or leisure industry.
- Strong understanding of sales principles and practices, with experience in selling hospitality packages, partnerships and event sponsorships.
- Excellent negotiation, communication and presentation skills.
- Strategic thinker with a results-oriented mindset and a passion for delivering outstanding guest experiences.
- Ability to communicate, present and influence at all levels of the organisation.
- Experience of positioning products against competitors.
- Excellent listening, negotiation and presentation skills.
- Experience of budgeting and forecasting.
- Demonstrable experience of managing a team.
- Ability to resolve conflicting issues and priorities.
- Flexible approach to working hours, including some weekend work.
- Self-motivated and passionate about customer care.
- Excellent eye for detail, with strong organisational, time management & interpersonal skills.
We’re Silverstone, the UK’s leading motorsport venue for over 60 years. You probably know us as the hosts of world-class events, such as the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, MotoGP™ and Silverstone Festival.
As a true, one-of-a-kind destination, we make people feel the thrill on and beyond the track. From unforgettable business experiences at our International Conference & Exhibition Centre, to unique getaways and iconic trackside views at Escapade - we work hard to ensure each and every one of our visitors can see our personality, touch our legacy and hear our heartbeat around every single corner. And we want you to be a part of it.
