Food & Beverage Manager

Dallas Burston Polo Club is an exceptional destination set within 600 acres in the heart of Warwickshire. Combining luxury hospitality with world‑class equestrian facilities, the club offers a unique guest experience across dining, events, and accommodation. With a 41‑bedroom hotel (expanding to 129), a vibrant clubhouse, and a growing events calendar, we are building something truly special — and our Food & Beverage offering sits at the heart of that experience. We are guided by our core values: People First, Integrity, Expertise, and Partnership.

As Food and Beverage Manager, you will play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional guest experiences by leading the daily operations of our Hotel Restaurant, Bar outlets, and conference spaces. You will uphold our commitment to integrity by ensuring consistent, high‑quality service standards are met on every shift. Leveraging your expertise, you will effectively manage departmental costs, adhering to budgetary guidelines, and demonstrate a strong partnership with the wider hotel team. This role is crucial in encouraging a collaborative and successful environment for both our guests and team.

Key Accountabilities

• Ensure service standards are maintained within the team at all times, demonstrating our commitment to people first by creating a positive and exceptional guest experience.
• Host weekly staff briefings to promote a strong sense of partnership and open communication within the team.
• Implement and manage standard control checklists to uphold Integrity through consistent and accountable operational practices.
• Empower team members to handle both positive and negative guest feedback, recording it correctly, reflecting our people first approach and commitment to responsiveness.
• Actively consider prevention, recovery, and investigation of any complaints, ensuring Integrity by upholding fairness and transparency.
• Maintain full responsibility for the cleanliness and safety within the restaurant, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to Integrity and a safe environment.
• Anticipate guests’ needs wherever possible and promote hospitality within the hotel, enhancing guest satisfaction and embodying our people first ethos.
• Ensure the team are correctly uniformed, in line with company standards, and understand the importance of personal hygiene.
• Ensure team members are punctual, polite, courteous, and helpful to guests and colleagues at all times.
• Be fully conversant with the facilities, services and promotions offered by the hotel and, whenever appropriate, offer this information to the guest, acting as an ambassador.
• Ensure the safety of guests and team at all times, prioritising their well‑being.
• Identify market trends, needs, survey competition, participate in public relations, and other promotional activities designed to enhance the image and profitability of the Hotel facilities, demonstrating partnership through collaborative efforts.
• Implement control of wastage and breakages, documenting and reporting these to senior hotel management, maintaining accurate records and upholding integrity.
• Oversee cash up, reconcile takings and investigate any discrepancies, ensuring financial accuracy and demonstrating Integrity.
• Work alongside the senior Hotel Management team to review and redesign all menus, encouraging a collaborative approach and embodying partnership.
• Oversee the equipment within the Restaurant & bar, ensuring that any faults are reported and replaced in line with company procedure, demonstrating operational proficiency and expertise.
• Encourage a culture of sales within the team, taking every appropriate opportunity to cross‑sell.
• Adjust payroll cost in response to business levels, demonstrating expertise in flexible financial management.
• Control operating costs, demonstrating Integrity and fiscal responsibility.
• Review all expenditure against planned levels, ensuring Integrity and accountability.
• Recruit, train and develop your team in line with Focus Hotel Management and brand standards, investing in their growth.
• Have a complete understanding of hotel and Company procedure in event of fire and maintain statutory awareness and understanding of how this impacts the job role within hotel and business as a whole.
• Demonstrate expertise in drafting rosters using the online portal to ensure optimal staffing levels in line with business needs and budget, making necessary adjustments based on business fluctuations.
• Prioritise people first by providing mentoring, coaching, training, development and regular feedback to manage conflict and enhance team member performance.
• Manage recruitment activities with your team, including conducting interviews with prospective candidates.
• Ensure each new team member receives a thorough departmental induction and regular job chats, conducting weekly, three‑monthly team check‑ins to encourage open communication and support.
• Ensure the annual appraisal is completed with key targets for each team member.
• Perform other duties as assigned and carry out Duty Management functions as required, acting with integrity and upholding the hotel’s standards.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience as a Food & Beverage Manager or senior leadership role.
• Strong experience managing teams, rotas and service delivery in a busy environment.
• A passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Strong collaboration skills — able to work effectively with kitchen and operational teams.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to drive revenue and control costs.
• A visible, hands‑on leader who thrives on the floor.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Ongoing training and development
• 20 days annual leave – plus 8 days Bank Holidays
• Pension scheme
• Staff discounts
• Career progression within a growing luxury destination