At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a luxury estate, ensuring exceptional guest experiences and a supportive team culture.
- Company: Dunskey Estate, a stunning family-run luxury destination in rural Scotland.
- Benefits: Generous salary, performance bonuses, accommodation, and a balanced working environment.
- Why this job: Join a people-first culture and make a real impact in luxury hospitality.
- Qualifications: 5-10 years of management experience in luxury hospitality and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Enjoy a beautiful location with opportunities for career progression and community involvement.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 ÂŁ per year.
Lead a peopleâfirst luxury estate known for exceptional guest experiences and an outstanding team culture.
ABOUT DUNSKEY ESTATE
Dunskey Estate is a 2,000âacre, familyârun luxury destination on Scotland's southwest coast. With an Edwardian castle, 13 highâend lodges, awardâwinning gardens, private beaches, and miles of woodland trails, it has become one of Scotland's most distinctive venues for weddings, retreats, and luxury selfâcatering stays. Dunskey is widely recognised not only for exceptional guest experiences, but for something far less common in hospitality: a supportive, respectful, longâstanding team culture. Staff stay because they are valued, well led, and given positive opportunities to grow. Compensation is above industry standards, workloads are organised sensibly, and the resulting environment is known as a place where people enjoy coming to work.
THE ROLE
Dunskey Estate is hiring a General Manager to oversee the estate's two core businesses:
- Events: Up to 25 bespoke weddings, retreats, and celebrations each year (MayâOctober), primarily for international clients.
- Luxury SelfâCatering Lodges: Thirteen beautifully designed properties operating yearâround, offering privacy, independence, and a high level of comfort.
The GM will have full operational authority for dayâtoâday decisions, budgets within agreed parameters, and team leadership, working in close partnership with the owners on strategic direction. This is an onâsite role in rural southwest Scotland.
AIMS OF THE ROLE
Internal Aims: Leading a Motivated, Supported Team
- Creating a fair, respectful, and collaborative working environment
- Maintaining reasonable workloads and clear communication across departments
- Leading with calm authority and setting high, consistent standards
- Developing staff through training, encouragement, and structured progression
- Promoting teamwork between events, kitchens, housekeeping, and maintenance
- Ensuring stable staffing levels and reliable scheduling
- Using clear procedures and modern systems to reduce stress and confusion
- Maintaining strong financial control and transparency
- Ensuring all health & safety, food hygiene and compliance standards are met
The GM ensures Dunskey continues to deliver reliable and memorable stays by:
- Upholding luxury standards across events and lodges
- Being a composed, capable point of contact for couples, families, and retreat hosts
- Anticipating needs and resolving issues quickly and professionally
- Ensuring guest journeys are smooth, thoughtful, and consistent
- Building trust that leads to repeat bookings and referrals
- Maintaining the estate's reputation for warm and attentive service
WHY THIS ROLE IS UNIQUE
- A Sustainable Approach to Hospitality
- Maximum 25 events per year ensuring quality over volume
- Predictable annual calendar
- No Christmas trading
- Genuine offâseason for planning, improvements, and rest
- Typical 45â50 hours per week across the year
EmployeeâFocused Culture
- A loyal, longâstanding team who stay because they are treated well and with respect
- Staff wellbeing, retention and pride in their work are treated as operational priorities, not secondary concerns
- Owners who lead by example and work collaboratively
- A kitchen run on professionalism, accuracy, and calm rather than pressure
Modern Operations
- A custom Monday.com system integrating CRM, operations, finance, and scheduling
- Clear workflows and realâtime information
- Reduced duplication, clearer communication, and fewer points of failure
Growth and Innovation
- New lodges, wellness features and upgraded infrastructure planned
- Opportunity to shape new guest experiences and strengthen operational foundations
- Room to introduce new ideas and refine current processes
- New ideas and thoughtful challenge are actively encouraged
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Team & Culture
- Lead, support and develop staff across all departments
- Promote a positive, respectful, and reliable team ethos
- Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training and performance reviews
- Maintain strong internal communication and departmental alignment
- Operations
- Oversee daily delivery of events and lodge operations
- Ensure consistent presentation, cleanliness, and maintenance standards
- Coordinate scheduling, rotas and logistical planning
- Manage suppliers, procurement and inventory
- Guest Experience
- Ensure every event and stay meets Dunskey's standards
- Build strong rapport with clients and host families
- Respond to concerns promptly and with professionalism
- Conduct regular inspections and quality audits
- Finance & Planning
- Monitor budgets, costs and P&L
- Analyse occupancy, bookings and revenue trends
- Provide monthly and quarterly performance updates
- Support pricing and commercial decisionâmaking
- Compliance & Risk
- Oversee health & safety, food hygiene and licensing
- Maintain upâtoâdate records and risk assessments
- Ensure emergency and incident procedures are understood and followed
- Contribute to longâterm planning and new project development
- Improve workflows, systems and processes across the estate
- Support sustainability efforts and community relationships
- Champion responsible land use and sustainability in line with the longâterm stewardship of the estate
WHAT YOU WILL BRING
- A high level of discretion and professionalism when working with private clients and highâprofile events
- 5â10 years' management experience in luxury hospitality
- A proven ability to lead, mentor and retain teams
- Calm, confident, wellâstructured leadership
- Strong understanding of the highest guest expectations in a luxury setting
- Competence with systems, CRM tools and dataâinformed decision making
- Solid financial capability (budgeting, reporting, forecasting)
- Strong judgement and communication skills
Highly Valued
- Experience with both events and accommodation
- Familiarity with Monday.com or similar platforms
- Background in destination weddings, retreats, or private estates
- Understanding of rural hospitality and remoteâteam management
- Ability to create a stable, engaged and longâterm workforce
PACKAGE AND BENEFITS
This role is based on site in rural southwest Scotland and best suits someone, or a couple/family, comfortable with remote living and close involvement in the local community.
- Generous salary dependent on experience
- 10â20% of basic annual salary performance bonus
- Pension contribution (3â5%)
- Accommodation (two or three bed flat/house on site) or housing allowance available
- Supportive, balanced working environment
- Christmas period off
- Stunning place to live and work with significant career progression
FURTHER INFORMATION AND APPLICATION
Please send your CV and covering letter to Katharine Landale, Bold New Recruitment katharine@boldnewrecruitment.co.uk stating why you feel you should be considered for this role. In this answer we would like you to outline the following:
- Why Dunskey appeals to you and your interest in rural Scotland
- Your relevant operational and team leadership experience
- An example of how you have built or enhanced a positive team culture
- How you have used data or processes to improve performance
- One new idea you would bring to the role
Dunskey Estate is committed to inclusive, respectful employment and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
General Manager in London employer: Dunskey Estate
Contact Detail:
Dunskey Estate Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land General Manager in London
â¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the hospitality industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even reach out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
â¨Tip Number 2
Show up prepared! If you land an interview, do your homework on Dunskey Estate. Understand their values, culture, and what makes them unique. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
â¨Tip Number 3
Be ready to showcase your leadership skills! As a General Manager, you'll need to demonstrate how you've successfully led teams in the past. Prepare examples that highlight your ability to create a positive work environment and drive results.
â¨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who take the initiative to apply directly. It shows you're serious about joining our team at Dunskey Estate. Plus, it gives you a chance to stand out from the crowd!
We think you need these skills to ace General Manager in London
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Show Your Passion for Dunskey: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for Dunskey Estate shine through! Share why this unique luxury destination appeals to you and how it aligns with your values. We want to see that you genuinely care about creating exceptional guest experiences.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills: As a General Manager, you'll be leading a team, so make sure to showcase your management experience. Give us examples of how you've built or enhanced a positive team culture in the past. We love hearing about your approach to supporting and developing staff!
Be Data-Driven: We appreciate candidates who can use data to inform their decisions. In your application, mention any specific processes or systems you've implemented to improve performance. This shows us that you're not just a people person, but also someone who can drive results.
Bring Your Ideas to the Table: We're all about innovation at Dunskey! In your cover letter, share one new idea you would bring to the role. Whether it's a fresh approach to guest experiences or a new operational process, we want to know how you can contribute to our ongoing success. Don't forget to apply through our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dunskey Estate
â¨Know the Estate Inside Out
Before your interview, take some time to research Dunskey Estate thoroughly. Familiarise yourself with its history, values, and unique offerings. Understanding the estate's commitment to exceptional guest experiences and team culture will help you align your answers with their ethos.
â¨Showcase Your Leadership Style
As a General Manager, your leadership style is crucial. Be prepared to discuss specific examples of how you've led teams in the past, particularly in luxury hospitality settings. Highlight your ability to create a positive, respectful work environment and how you've developed staff through training and support.
â¨Demonstrate Financial Acumen
Since the role involves overseeing budgets and financial performance, brush up on your financial skills. Be ready to discuss your experience with budgeting, forecasting, and analysing revenue trends. Providing concrete examples of how you've managed finances effectively will show you're equipped for the role.
â¨Bring Ideas to the Table
Dunskey Estate values innovation and new ideas. Think about one or two fresh concepts you could introduce to enhance guest experiences or improve operational efficiency. Presenting these during your interview will demonstrate your proactive approach and commitment to the estate's growth.