Head of Hospitality in Cobham

Painshill, a masterpiece of landscape design and independent charity based in the beautiful Surrey town of Cobham, is excited to recruit to its new Head of Hospitality role. The Head of Hospitality will transform the current Painshill offering into a high quality, contemporary experience with local suppliers and produce from Painshill’s own kitchen garden at its heart.

The role:

• Transform the hospitality offer at Painshill into a high quality, contemporary experience with local suppliers and produce from Painshill’s own kitchen garden at its heart.
• Lead and develop a high-quality kitchen and front-of-house team that reflects the ambitions set out above.
• Set out a clear business model, including financial targets for the 2026 high and low seasons, and implement it with the support of the Painshill Senior Management team.
• Work closely with all Painshill colleagues, volunteers and external stakeholders to ensure the hospitality experience aligns with the wider ambitions of Painshill as a place of national and international cultural and heritage importance.

Main responsibilities of role:

• Use onsite homegrown produce and ethically sourced external produce to transform the hospitality offer at Painshill, reviewing uptake and engagement patterns to keep Painshill contemporary, sustainable, and attractive.
• Lead the insight, elevation and development of all food and beverage suppliers, ensuring goods align with Painshill vision: considering sustainability, audience demand, storytelling opportunities and pricing.
• Create a culture of leveraging natural assets and produce to generate interest, seasonal offerings and a collaborative approach to Painshill's overall objective.
• Develop a high-quality culture reflected in the product, team and feedback loop.
• Implement a high-quality approach across all kitchen and front-of-house teams and customer-facing spaces to maximise customer experiences, ensuring welcoming, professional, contemporary experiences across all areas of hospitality.
• Construct an engaging and appropriate suite of catering options to meet the needs of various events and activities, ensuring a high-quality approach from warm coffee and pastries to bespoke seated dining.
• Be responsive to opportunities and proactive in leading the hospitality income generation opportunities from room hires and bespoke events (both internally executed or organised by a third party).
• Educate and regularly inform duty management colleagues (and volunteers) on upsells and seasonal specials to ensure all guests receive appropriate messaging.
• Investigate the Food and Beverage prospects within the retail environment and cultivate a culture and confidence in increasing secondary expenditure through onsite produce and goods.
• Work closely with marketing and communications colleagues to tell a lively, consistent story about Painshill’s hospitality offer that attracts customers and positive feedback.
• Consider the story, messaging and feedback generation from Painshill's hospitality arm, ensuring that the cultural and heritage asset is seen and felt by all, and that the experience aligns with Painshill's larger ambition as a place of national and international cultural and heritage importance.

With Hamilton at heart, you will:

• Elevate the engagement and experience of Painshill in all that you do.
• Be committed to preserving, celebrating and restoring Painshill in all you do.
• Be a custodian of the landscape and its past—share the wonders of Painshill through hospitality with Hamilton at Heart.
• Be target-focused on all facets of hospitality by applying and sharing thoughtful, strategic thinking.
• Be open to opportunities that align with Painshill’s values and charitable purpose, demonstrating a flexible and agile working style, and act proactively when presented with opportunities.
• Achieve significant revenue growth while ensuring that every penny counts.
• Provide target-driven, well-considered, and captivating products designed to engage and interact with expanding audiences to increase revenue.
• Ensure trust and transparency through good working practices and strive for excellence.
• Demonstrate due diligence in all supplier development, creating working procedures where proper checks are carried out, ensuring that collaborations/partnerships and suppliers match our core values and do not conflict with our charitable purpose or harm the Painshill brand.
• Develop and implement frequent, accurate and timely reporting.
• Make informed and timely decisions.

Person specification:

• Essential qualifications and experience:
• Experience in transforming and re-thinking what hospitality can be and contribute.
• Develop and lived a contemporary approach to hospitality.
• Hospitality, Food and beverage relevant professional qualification.
• Professional experience in running both kitchen and front-of-house teams simultaneously.
• Strong understanding of, and commitment to best practice.
• A commitment to, and evidence of, continued professional development.
• Strong financial literacy and experience of managing budgets effectively.
• Positive, pro-active approach to work.
• Proven interest in heritage, culture and natural environment.
• Excellent written and oral English language communication skills.
• Experience and understanding of all relevant compliance and professional standards requirements for a Hospitality/Food and Beverage management.

• Skills and Personal Qualities:
• Strong understanding of and commitment to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in all you do.
• A clear communicator, able to engage with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Computer literate and able to use all the major software packages and platforms as required.
• Ability to be self-reflective, seek feedback and adapt and grow with the role.
• Awareness of impact on others and the ability to actively contribute to a positive workplace environment.
• Awareness of current heritage and hospitality sector challenges and willing to innovate and continuously improve.
• Agile approach to change and opportunity.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in a similar role in a heritage, culture or natural environment.
• Previous experience of working in or with a charity.

Closing date: Monday 16 February 2026

Start Date: ASAP