Manager, Food Services

About the roleJoin our team and make every dining experience exceptional!

As Food & Beverage Manager at The Odney Club, you'll inspire your team to create unforgettable moments for our guests and members. You'll be part of a duo that leads the Catering Front of House Team in delivering outstanding food and beverage service that exceeds expectations.

Partnering with the Head Chef and your brigades, you'll drive results, achieve sales targets, and ensure exceptional customer service while upholding stringent food safety and alcohol regulations.

Take ownership of the food and beverage service for The Odney Club and the Sir Bernard Miller Conference Centre, orchestrating seamless delivery for all functions and events. Collaborate with the General Manager and the other hotel leadership team members to shape and deliver innovative initiatives that align with our business goals.

• Salary - £26,900 - £40,300 

• Contract type - This position is a Permanent contract.

• Working pattern - 37.5 hours per week. Earliest start time 7am - latest finish time 23:30pm (occasional later finishes for big events) Full flexibility is required to cover the operational needs, weekends on a rota basis, typically every weekend or every other as a minimum to cover the peak trading periods.

• Location - This role is based at our Odney Club, Cookham

Key responsibilities 

• Shared overall responsibility of the management of the FOH team 

• Planning, prioritisation, set up and delivery of the food service operation in all areas of the hotel, to include functions, outdoor catering events and seasonal operations.

• Designated Premises Licence holder and having overall responsibility for complying with legislation, employment law, regulations, food standards, drinks service behind the bar

• Risk assessments, weekly equipment checks, making sure the maintenance issues are reported. 

• Minimising hotel costs and waste 

• Maintaining and exceeding levels of customer service

• Achieve profit targets by controlling food costs, minimising wastage and exploiting all appropriate efficiencies

• Oversee and provide input on the daily hotel operations as a vital member of the hotel leadership team.

• Acting as Duty Manager where required.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need 

• People management experience

• Extensive food and beverage industry experience (at least five years).

• Proven ability to lead and motivate teams.

• Strong communication and organisational skills.

• Customer service expertise.

• In-depth knowledge of food and beverage menus, inventory management, and cost control.

• Proficient in problem-solving.

• Understanding of profit and loss accounts.

• Commercial awareness.

• Ability to work with various computer systems (finance, hotel booking, personnel, etc.).

• Ability to interpret and enforce food safety and health and safety regulations.

• Hospitality sector experience.

• Strong organisational and planning skills.

Desirable skills/experience you may have 

• Food Safety Level 3, Understanding of HACCP

• A Personal licence

About Odney:

If you are looking for a country club hotel with something different and some history to work in, then The Odney Hotel, our Place by the River, could be for you. This is a beautiful and unique John Lewis Partnership-owned hotel, set on 130 acres by the River Thames in Cookham, Berkshire. It offers both character and charm to our guests. 

The guests can stay in one of 5 beautiful houses on the site, or one of Airbnb’s each maintaining the period look of its time with access to the picturesque grounds including a private stretch of river, water gardens, a pool, and sports facilities. The main house, Lullebrook Manor and its grounds are thought to have been the inspiration for the classic novel The Wind in The Willows bringing history along with relaxation.

Relaxation can be further achieved with a visit to our Wellbeing suite, offering beauty treatments and massages or afternoon tea on the terrace, a drink in the bar or a meal overlooking the river. 

 #LI-JLPGR#LI- SD1 
About The Partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting. If required, you’ll find out more about vetting throughout the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.