Deputy General Manager / Assistant Hotel Manager – Award-Winning 5-Star Country House Estate
Location: The Gunroom Restaurant at 5* Plas Dinas Country House, Caernarfon, North West Wales
Hours: Structured to offer excellent work-life balance, benefiting from our compressed 5-day operational week.
Overview
Working at Plas Dinas Country House is less like a standard hotel role and more like becoming a custodian of a living history book. Nestled within fifteen acres of enchanting gardens with views toward the Menai Strait, the estate offers an atmosphere that is both grand and deeply intimate. There is a profound sense of pride that comes from operating within the former home of the Snowdon family; you aren't just selling rooms, you curate an experience that honours a royal heritage. Because the team is tight-knit and the service style is "relaxed luxury," you have the rare professional freedom to let your personality shine, building genuine rapport with guests rather than reciting a corporate script. It is a place where excellence is expected, but the environment remains supportive, picturesque, and authentically Welsh.
Plas Dinas Country House is a multi-award-winning property. We have been awarded Best Hotel in Wales at the Good Hotel Guide Awards 2026, Visit Wales Best Hotel in Wales and Best Place to Eat in Wales 2025, and the AA Restaurant with Rooms of the Year 2025. We are proudly featured in the MICHELIN Guide, our Head Chef Daniel Ap Geraint was a finalist on Great British Menu 2025, and we were awarded Condé Nast Johansens Best For Romance 2025.
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Deputy General Manager to oversee the daily operations of our hotel and restaurant, working alongside the owners, Daniel and Annie. They are exceptionally driven, but the team and the guests are at the heart of this business. Currently, Daniel and Annie have very little work-life balance; they are looking for a driven, wholehearted leader to work alongside them—someone they can trust implicitly, and to whom they can offer that same life balance in return.
The Opportunity
We have a fantastic team in place, but we are looking for the missing piece of our jigsaw. This role is certainly for someone who loves true, hands-on hospitality and thrives on the floor rather than being desk-bound. More than anything else, it is about giving our guests an exceptional experience, offering a warm welcome, and maintaining impeccable standards.
This role is highly adaptable: if you have extensive restaurant management experience but haven't yet managed a full hotel, this is the perfect place to transition. With just eleven luxury bedrooms, the scale is intimate, but the ambition is grand as we collectively strive toward our MICHELIN star goals.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Guest Experience First: Look after our guests foremost. This is a floor-based role encompassing reception, afternoon tea, and the fine dining experience of The Gunroom Restaurant.
- Team Leadership & Training: Elevate our Front of House and dining team training to meet a consistent MICHELIN standard of attentive, memory-making service.
- Storytelling on a Plate: Coordinate closely with our Head Chef to oversee food production, presentation, and quality control. Train the service team to confidently rehearse and describe the storytelling, flavor profile, and local sourcing behind each monthly changing menu.
- Operational Management: Oversee the smooth running of all daily hotel operations, from a beautiful breakfast service through to evening departures.
- Standards & Compliance: Work alongside our Housekeeping Manager to ensure property standards remain flawless. Implement health and safety policies across all departments, with a strict focus on food safety regulations and hygiene standards.
- Resource Management: Monitor inventory levels for food, beverages, and supplies, organizing procurement as necessary. Organise staff schedules to optimize coverage during peak periods while controlling labor costs and protecting staff rest days.
Skills & Experience Required:
- Proven Management Experience: Strong background within the hospitality, luxury hotel, or premium restaurant industry.
- Inbuilt Hospitality: Exceptional customer service skills with the ability to "read the guest," stay one step ahead, and welcome people like lifelong friends. We don't do robots; we do true, authentic hospitality.
- Leadership Qualities: Strong team management skills with the ability to motivate staff, conduct performance evaluations, and foster a positive, collaborative working environment.
- Culinary & Wine Interest: A genuine passion for fine dining, foraging, and seasonality. A good knowledge of wines or experience within MICHELIN-rated environments is a distinct advantage, though not essential.
- Operational Control: Good organizational skills, a sharp eye for detail, the ability to manage busy environments under pressure, and a strong understanding of food safety standards.
This position offers an exciting, high-profile opportunity for a dedicated hospitality professional eager to contribute to the legacy of one of Wales' finest estates while significantly developing their career.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £30,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Caernarfon LL54 7YF: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Hospitality management: 1 year (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
