Deputy General Manager - Haydock Park Racecourse in St Helens

Full-Time / Permanent £44000 + excellent benefits including healthcare, wellbeing support, 23 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, life assurance, meals on duty, and more.

Overview: Jockey Club Catering was formed in 2009 to provide outstanding catering, hospitality and customer service at all The Jockey Club's racecourses nationwide and has a portfolio of 15 racecourses delivering catering to over 333 race days a year. Jockey Club Catering delivers exceptional race day experiences through great people and amazing customer service, providing 'Legendary Experiences' to all our customers at our event days. Levy is the vibrant and exciting sector of Compass Group, the world's largest catering company. We work at some of the greatest venues in the world, delivering legendary experiences in food, drink, and hospitality. In the UK, we are proud to have a wealth of long-standing partnerships with venues across sport, entertainment, and events. Our partnerships include venues such as Wimbledon, Twickenham, Edgbaston, Tottenham Hotspur, Scottish Event Campus (SEC) and ExCel London. We are culinary champions; it's what we do and it’s what we are passionate about. At the core of our work is the belief that sustainably sourced great food and drink, coupled with exceptional service, is key to creating legendary experiences. Focused on doing the right thing for our people and the planet, sustainability, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of what we do.

ROLE PURPOSE: It is all about taking full accountability for a great food and beverage experience, to match the client's ambition, brand specifications and standards. A high-profile opportunity for a dynamic senior and inspirational hospitality professional, experienced in food and beverage delivery. We seek a real 'people person' and 'foodie', with rounded leadership skills and a focus on delivering consistency of quality and innovation to keep evolving the offering. Responsible for developing and delivering an exceptional food and guest experience. Critical to the success and reputation of the food and beverage operation is the leadership, selection, development, and retention of a well-trained team, of both fixed and variable team members. The Deputy General Manager will work closely with our client to qualify requirements and align closely with the venue's brand vision, values, culture, and processes to enable the development and delivery of the food and drink strategy, driving changes to continually evolve and improve guest experience. Making Jockey Club Catering across the venue renowned for food and hospitality excellence, as befits its standing in the UK market. This is not a role for someone who wants to preserve the status quo, but if you have a passion for food and service, underpinned by evidence of the delivery of fresh ideas and operational excellence, then you and the venue will shine.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The Deputy General Manager will be responsible for assisting the General Manager with overseeing all aspects of our catering services, ensuring the highest standards of food quality, service, and client satisfaction.
• The role will be instrumental in driving business growth, managing financial performance, and fostering a positive working environment for the catering food and beverage teams.
• Strategic Planning: Frequent liaison with our client and General Manager to agree strategy and direction of travel, developing and monitoring tactical plans to deliver.
• Structured Approach: Ensure that all activities have a clear purpose and measurable outcomes, with a disciplined and pacey approach to completion, including the review and application of lessons learnt.
• External Landscape: Keep abreast of competitor activity and market trends which may impact your operation and make suggestions to evolve to ensure you keep ahead of the curve and at the forefront of the industry.
• Projects: Strong focus on collaboration with Client, Levy stakeholders and contractors to plan and deliver various capex and innovation projects.
• Operational Leadership: Ownership of the day-to-day delivery of consistent and exceptional product quality and service standards to achieve and ideally exceed department targets and grow our reputation for delivering legendary experiences.
• Hospitality: Drive our guest focus culture through consistently demonstrating an in-depth knowledge and appreciation of hospitality standards and client needs, that is infectious throughout your team.
• Consistency: Regular monitoring and development of each department to ensure that food quality, presentation, staffing reviews and consistent standards are maintained according to our Levy signature culture.
• Monitor and maintain the Health and Safety policy, process, and culture across the venue.
• Brand: Operate and further develop consistently high brand standards within each area.
• Communications: Directly liaise with client representatives and your Team Managers to ensure that communication and expectations are clear.
• Guest Focus: Champion the guest focused culture, continually sharing and acting on client and customer feedback.
• Health & Safety: Lead the H&S culture and compliance across the venue.
• Client Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with clients to understand their catering needs and preferences.
• Collaborate with clients to plan and execute successful events, meetings, and functions.
• Address client concerns promptly and work towards continuous improvement of services.
• People: Work with the General Manager and People Operations Manager to agree and sign off appropriate organisational structures to flex resourcing between fixed and variable workers across all departments.
• Culture: Work closely with the management team to develop and sustain a high level of team energy and engagement, focused on great food and hospitality.
• Review and Develop: Conduct regular performance reviews and talent management/succession planning activity, based on agreed and measurable GPI's as part of the Growth Performance Strategy (GPS).
• Financial Management: Financially accountable for all costs and profitability of the venue, actively working with the Location Accountant to deliver accurate and timely forecasts, budgets, and P&L's.
• Cost Management: Be in control of all operating costs, constantly looking for more efficient ways to operate.
• Sales and Business Development: Drive business growth by identifying and pursuing new catering opportunities.
• Menu Planning and Development: Liaising with culinary and marketing specialist colleagues to implement continuous product development and drive increased spend per transaction.
• Quality Assurance: Establish and enforce quality control measures for food preparation and presentation.
• HSE: Maintain a safe and compliant working environment by enforcing health and safety regulations and best practices.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

• A naturally confident leader, with management experience to inspire large operational teams to deliver results - min 3 years' experience at F & B management level.
• Confidently able to manage a mixed portfolio of outlets and business functions.
• Senior management presence to engage with Client, peers, and functional specialists.
• Passionate about people - building and developing teams.
• Positive and passionate focus on food - a natural flare for hospitality.
• Experienced in leading the implementation of projects and change programs.
• Excellent communication skills - able to influence all stakeholder levels.
• Previous P&L accountability and evidence of commercial nous.
• Exudes confidence, energy, and charisma.
• Can effectively switch between being the leader and a team player according to the situation at hand.
• Structured approach but also demonstrates flexibility and agility.
• Calm and resilient. Not deterred by an unforeseen challenge.
• Problem solving skills. Willing to work evenings and weekends as required.