ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER – FUTURE GM PROGRAMME
FOREST LODGE HOTEL | LYNDHURST | NEW FOREST
2 positions available | Full Time | Permanent | 40 hours per week
£30,000 per annum • Service Charge (Tronc) • Up to £500 bonus per month • 28 days’ holiday
Forget the usual hotel management job advert.
We’re looking for two hospitality stars.
Hungry. Energetic. Enthusiastic. Ambitious.
The kind of people who don’t want to spend the next five years waiting for somebody to give them a chance.
The kind of people who want to learn, grow, make mistakes, improve, take responsibility and absolutely skyrocket their hospitality career.
Sound like you? Keep reading.
Welcome to Forest Lodge Hotel
Nestled in the heart of the beautiful New Forest, Forest Lodge Hotel is part of the New Forest Collection – a group of unique hotels passionate about genuine hospitality and memorable guest experiences.
We’re a small, joyful and hardworking team. We take hospitality seriously.
Our General Manager is looking for two ambitious hospitality professionals to work directly alongside him and learn every aspect of running a hotel.
And when we say every aspect… we mean it.
This isn’t just a job. It’s your training ground to become a General Manager.
You won’t be hidden in one department. You won’t spend your entire week behind a reception desk. And you definitely won’t be given a fancy management title and then asked to do exactly the same thing every day.
You will be trained, coached, challenged and inspired across the entire hotel operation.
- Reception and the complete guest journey
- Food & Beverage operations
- Events, functions and private dining
- Recruitment, coaching and team development
- P&L and commercial performance
- Budgets, payroll and cost control
- Forecasting and operational planning
- Guest satisfaction and online reputation
- Fire Safety and Health & Safety
- Food Safety and compliance
- Leisure and swimming pool compliance
- Audits, procedures and operational standards
- Leadership, decision-making and running a hotel business
YOU WILL LEAD THE HOTEL IN THE GENERAL MANAGER’S ABSENCE.
The objective is simple: we want to train our future General Managers.
Whether your progression eventually sees you leading Forest Lodge or moving into a General Manager opportunity at one of our sister hotels within the New Forest Collection, our aim is to give you the knowledge, confidence, commercial awareness and real operational experience to get there.
Who are we looking for?
Previous hospitality experience is mandatory.
Previous supervisory or junior management experience is strongly preferred.
But we’re not necessarily looking for the perfect CV. We’re looking for attitude, energy, personality and ambition.
You might currently be a Duty Manager, Reception Supervisor, Assistant F&B Manager, Restaurant Supervisor, Front Office Supervisor, Events Supervisor or Team Leader.
“I’m capable of so much more. I just need someone to give me the opportunity.”
Well… this might be it.
You’ll probably love this role if…
✔ You’re naturally energetic and positive.
✔ You ask questions. Lots of them.
✔ You genuinely love hospitality.
✔ You want to understand why a business works, not simply complete a checklist.
✔ You’re happy to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.
✔ You actively want responsibility.
✔ You can lead people with personality, kindness and confidence.
✔ You’re commercially curious and want to understand the numbers.
✔ You want honest feedback, coaching and genuine development.
✔ The idea of becoming a Hotel General Manager genuinely excites you.
A small warning…
This role probably isn’t for you if you’re looking for a quiet office, a predictable Monday-to-Friday routine or a job where somebody tells you exactly what to do every hour of the day.
Hotels are unpredictable. Guests are unpredictable. Teams are unpredictable.
That’s why we love it.
Our measure of success?
In a few months, we want you to look at our General Manager, Fred, and confidently say:
“You can go now, Fred. We’ve got this. Don’t worry… you’re actually in our way.”
And Fred? He’ll probably be delighted. Because that’s exactly what we’re trying to achieve.
What you’ll get from us
✓ £30,000 per annum
✓ Tronc (service charge)
✓ Performance-related bonus of up to £500 per month
✓ 28 days’ holiday per annum
✓ Career development and progression opportunities within the New Forest Collection
✓ Direct coaching, mentoring and development from the General Manager
✓ Real exposure to P&L, budgets and commercial hotel management
✓ Staff discounts across our hotels, restaurants and accommodation
✓ Discounts with local partner attractions
✓ TiPJAR
✓ Hospitality Action Employee Assistance Programme
✓ Pension Scheme
✓ Free on-site parking
✓ Company events
✓ A supportive, friendly and professional working environment
✓ A genuine opportunity to become one of our future General Managers
Ready to skyrocket your hospitality career?
We have two opportunities available.
We’re not looking for perfect. We’re looking for hungry, energetic and ambitious hospitality people who are ready to learn and aren’t afraid of responsibility.
If you’ve been waiting for someone to give you the opportunity to show what you’re capable of… this is us giving you that opportunity.
APPLY TODAY.
