Warwick Conferences are part of a diverse portfolio of commercial businesses at The University of Warwick. Award winning and market leading, Warwick Conferences boasts 4 diverse conference venues: Arden, Radcliffe, Scarman, and The Slate. With over 130 meeting spaces, 479 bedrooms and the ability to hold meetings for up to 400 people the Training and Conference Centres are a 7 day a week, 24 hour day operation that offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, bars, and delivered catering. Our service styles run from a sandwich lunch for 2 people to a gala banquet for 400 and everything in between… we even have a food truck that travels the country showcasing our food offering to prospective clients.
We are looking for a fresh-thinking and pro-active Food and Beverage Service Manager, who puts customer service at the forefront, to lead the Restaurant and Bars team across three of the venues: Radcliffe, Scarman, and the Slate. The department operates as a single team that can have over 80 members including agency staff so you will need extensive experience of managing a large and diverse team across multiple sites. You will have a proven record of product development and ensuring high standards of service, whilst still controlling costs, in a hospitality environment.
Job Purpose:
Working across Radcliffe, Scarman, and the Slate the role holder will be expected to:
- Control and manage all aspects of Food & Beverage Service departments
- Set and maintain Food & Beverage Service standards with the Heads of Departments
- Achieve high level customer satisfaction within all Food & Beverage Service departments
- Set and control all Food & Beverage Service budgets.
- Manage refurbishment projects in Food & Beverage Service areas
- Develop Food & Beverage offer across Radcliffe, Scarman, and the Slate
Operational
- To lead and manage the day to day operations of the Food & Beverage Service departments and achieve high levels of customer satisfaction at all times; motivating direct reports to ensure that a high level of customer service is achieved.
- To work in partnership with kitchen teams across the 2 centres to ensure the highest quality food is served at all times; including menu design, food presentation and service specification.
- Actively seek customer feedback, monitor and evaluate data, remedy service issues where possible.
- To ensure that regular Food & Beverage Service meetings take place to review operational requirements in each centre; taking responsibility for ensuring that all action points are articulated and carried out by other managers or employees
- To Deputise for the Operations Manager when away from the business; focus on Food & Beverage Service operations; however, where necessary to deputise for the Front of House Manager’s operation as well.
- To support the Operations Manager, with maintenance and refurbishment projects on smaller projects taking the lead and assuming responsibility for completion in a timely manner, as appropriate.
Areas of Responsibility:
Scarman:
Restaurants – 1 x main (220) 3 x private (75, 30, 24)
Bar – Bar menu available 07:00-22:00, 24hr room service menu
Coffee Lounge – 1 main lounge, inclusive tea and coffee available to guests 24hr, inclusive snacks available 08:00-18:00
Bedrooms – 204
Meetings Space – 12 large, 40 small, 1 tiered lecture theatre for 120
Radcliffe:
Restaurants – 1 main (210), 2 x private (65, 20)
Bar – Bar menu available 07:00-22:00, 24hr room service menu
Coffee Lounge – 1 main lounge, 2 smaller, inclusive tea and coffee available to guests 24hr, inclusive snacks available 08:00-18:00
Bedrooms – 154
Meeting Space – 11 large, 32 small
The Slate:
Available for exclusive use only
Meeting capacity up to 350, dining capacity up to 400
Food Truck:
Capable of providing external catering on campus or across the country
Duty Management
- As Duty Manager, take full responsibility for a centre and its guests, dealing speedily and efficiently with any situation that may arise. For example, problems with service delivery, staff issues, equipment problems, guests’ welfare, fire evacuations, flood; these issues can take place at any time of day.
- Anticipating guests’ needs and deploying appropriate resource to ensure service excellence is a key aspect of Duty Management.
- As and where necessary flex the workforce to meet the changing needs of the centres for that period of cover; liaising with other Duty Managers at that time ,and if necessary, utilising employees from other centres if necessary.
Human Resources
To be responsible for the Management and overseeing of the Food & Beverage Service staffing levels, rotas and costs; this includes:
- Taking the lead on the recruitment of junior management staff and ensuring that other recruitment across the centres is carried out in line with University policies and procedures,
- Ensuring that induction and appropriate department training is carried out across the three centres,
- Responsible for ensuring that appraisals are carried out for all staff across the three centres
- Where appropriate act as an Investigating Officer in absence management, disciplinary and other cases for staff up to level 6 and above as they arise; interviewing employees and collating a report for consideration by senior managers
- Following investigations undertaken by other managers, assume the responsibility of Head of Department and Chair hearings; making a decision on the outcome following consideration of supporting documentation and any mitigating evidence provided on the day
- To be accountable for compliance with University and Training & Conference Centres policies/ procedures; ensuring compliance with HR procedures, employment law, food safety and health and safety legislation.
Standards
To have responsibility for the continuous improvements to services and facilities.
- Prepare and present proposals to the Operations Manager and deliver changes in an appropriate manner when approved.
- Set all standards, policies and procedures for Food & Beverage Service areas; ensuring that they are communicated.
- Ensure continuous review and recording of standards and Standard Operating Procedures.
- Control the set standards and check they are maintained and updated.
- Ensure all procedures comply with health and safety and University policies
Finance
To be responsible for preparing and forecasting Food & Beverage Service costs to feed into the 5 year plan for the three centres.
- Operationally, to have responsibility for overseeing and effectively managing budgeted expenses and projects spend with the Food & Beverage Service areas.
Health and Safety
To have responsibility for Health and Safety for all staff and guests in the three centres whilst acting as Duty Manager and on-going health and safety in all Food and Beverage areas.
- Working in partnership with Head Chefs and Health and Safety Officer, where appropriate, to ensure that SOPs and Food Safety Manual are reviewed, updated and all procedures followed.
- Keep accurate up to date health and safety records, including risk assessments, accidents, COSHH, Riddors and staff training.
For further details please contact Chris Boote on 02476575004 or send a CV and Covering Letter to c.boote@searchhigher.com. We can then arrange for a call about the role.