Hospitality Operations Manager in Midlothian

Eden Scott is delighted to be working with Penicuik Estate, a stunning 7,000-acre estate in Midlothian, cared for by the same family since 1654 and home to one of Scotland’s most original designed landscapes. With a recent move into luxury hospitality, they are welcoming guests to Penicuik House, its cottages and houses, and its event spaces with the ambition to become one of Scotland’s most remarkable estate destinations.

They have now created a new role, that of Hospitality Operations Manager. This role will run the entire hospitality operation day to day: a boots-on-the-ground leader accountable for the whole guest, property and event experience across the estate, holding presentation and service to luxury exclusive use standards while protecting margin and the quality of the offer.

Key responsibilities of the role include:

• Own the end-to-end operational delivery of every booking, from pre-arrival readiness through in-stay service to departure and post-event review.
• Own the operational delivery of events, ensuring accountability for staffing, on-the-day execution and the post-event review.
• Manage the portfolio of guest activities and experiences, delivering it well with the team and the estate's partners.
• Line manage the House Managers directly: recruit, induct and develop them, hold regular one-to-ones and reviews, and manage performance.
• Manage external delivery partners to the estate's service standard, holding them to agreed quality, presentation and turnaround expectations.
• Own the catering and food and beverage function day to day, working with the catering partner on service quality.
• Hold accountability for the standard to which every property interior and exterior, the grounds and the event spaces are presented before each arrival and event.
• Lead the guest-facing presentation and service delivered by the Estate Assistants.
• Coordinate housekeeping, the Estate Assistants and facilities effort so that turnarounds, event set-ups and arrivals run seamlessly.
• Deliver the operation within agreed budgets, driving performance across revenue, cost and margin.
• Control operational labour, including event and casual staff, capturing actual cost against each event.
• Make confident use of the estate's operational systems for bookings, property readiness and guest communication.

Key skills and experience required:

• Senior operational hospitality experience at the luxury end, ideally in exclusive-use, private estate, boutique hotel, or high-end event environments, with a minimum of three years’ experience at a senior level.
• A genuine eye for presentation and service detail, with the standards to match a high-end private-hire offer.
• Proven team leadership: someone who builds, develops and brings the best out of a team.
• Strong commercial and financial literacy: comfortable working to budget and margin.
• Experience managing external suppliers to a quality standard.
• Hands-on and visible: willing to be on the floor, lead from the front and do whatever the guest experience requires.
• Full UK driving licence.

This role offers an excellent salary within the range of £55,000 - £65,000 – this is negotiable depending on experience. On-site accommodation may be available for the right candidate.

Eden Scott is dealing exclusively with Penicuik Estate on this vacancy so to be considered for this exciting opportunity at a truly beautiful location, please submit your CV online or to sally.rae@edenscott.com.