General Manager FTC

Do you have a background within hospitality, and an experienced manager with strong commercial acumen, who is great at mentoring their staff to bring the best out of them? Perhaps, an experienced GM looking for a new challenge?

Our client, one of the worlds leading educational institutes, is looking for an interim General Manager (Known as a Domestic Bursar), for 6-8 months, however there is every possibility this could lead to a permanent position.

Responsibilities

Team leadership

• Be an excellent and consistent role model in the basics of good management
• Work closely and seamlessly with the Bursar to lead the wider non-academic management team
• Build a strong team ethic across all domestic departments and motivate colleagues to work together to provide excellent customer service
• Lead outstanding communication across the team. Listen to the challenges, concerns and ideas from across the team and provide a comprehensive range of oral and written communications for both individuals and groups
• Engage with the College Students and Fellows to understand requirements and concerns. Manage expectations appropriately
• Manage performance across the team. Set objectives and hold regular performance evaluation meetings
• Oversee staff recruitment, management and development across the team, working with the HR Manager to ensure best practice in HR matters at all levels

Deliver high quality domestic services to College members and guests

• Lead delivery of high quality, value for money services to a wide range of customers
• Encourage ideas and innovation from the team in how services are delivered
• Lead consultation with key stakeholders
• Implement standard operating procedures within teams and between teams
• Ensure full compliance to College SOP’s, policies, procedures and service standards

Effective management of resources

• Responsible for managing a number of major cost centres across the College including salary costs for 90 permanent colleagues, temporary staff costs, food and beverage, energy and utilities, certain contractors and all necessary equipment and materials for the teams to operate effectively
• Plan levels of staff and non-staff resources to meet anticipated needs
• Manage the Domestic Account, working with the Bursar and Financial Controller to deliver against annual budget and monitor financial performance across all cost centres and teams

Catering Services

• Ensure that food and service are provided to a high standard and delivers value for money
• Organise and personally oversee the provision of certain special events as required
• Serve as Designated Premises Supervisor, ensuring the College complies with the terms of its license

Accommodation

• Work with the relevant managers at both College sites to analyse and project accommodation requirements and develop appropriate plans for meeting demand
• Work with the Head of Maintenance and Accommodation Manager to maintain a rolling plan for accommodation repairs, renovations and refurbishments
• Keep abreast of legislation and regulatory developments to ensure that the College remains compliant

Conference and Commercial vacation business

• Oversee delivery of excellent client relationship management for repeat clients, new clients and all prospective clients
• Ensure the clients receive a high-quality, seamless experience from the conference team client management through to all aspects of service delivery delivered by the various domestic teams

You will also oversee Security and Health and Safety.

Who we are looking for:

Essential

• Proven ability to lead, manage and motivate a large multi-disciplinary team in the service sector
• Track record of delivering of excellent customer service for the client
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written. A very good listener with a consultative style
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and a strong record as a people manager including Coaching and support and Performance Management
• Strong empathy with the values, customs and aspirations of the College, where the core mission is education and learning
• A 'cando’ attitude and flexible approach to work, in terms both of responding to changing or unforeseen circumstances and being willing to work outside regular hours as the need arises
• A professional role model as a mature general manager
• Hold/willing to become a Personal Licence holder in order to be Premises Supervisor

Desirable

• Experience of running and developing a commercial business in challenging markets
• Strong marketing skills and evidence of delivering successful client retention and new customer acquisition strategies
• Higher level financial and commercial skills

Education & Qualifications:

• Hospitality related degree or qualification in hotel management/related field.
• Training or coaching experience in management turnaround

Experience:

• Demonstrable senior management experience in the hospitality industry or other service industry
• The successful candidate may have recent work experience at a senior level in any large organisation where they were responsible for delivering accommodation, catering and security services to staff or clients.
• The ideal candidate is a seasoned and highly intelligent service industry professional with outstanding, management skills and extensive hands-on experience

There is a level of flexibility with hours for this role, however it is expected that the successful candidate will work to accommodate events etc, with some evenings and weekends required on occasion.

There is also the possibility of hybrid working once a week if required.