Group Reservations Manager in Darlington

The Location: Evolv Collection Support Office, 16 Kirby Street, Farringdon, London, EC1N 8TS

The Salary: Competitive

Why Work for Us:

• Industry leading pay: We value your expertise and dedication.
• Dine with style: Enjoy a lavish 50% discount at all our restaurants, all day, every day.
• Exclusive perks: Our teams have access to some of the best discounts and cashback from a range of top retailers and cinema tickets at unbeatable prices through the Telus app.
• Financial freedom: Take control of your finances with Stream (Formally Wagestream) – track your earnings in real time, access up to 40% of your pay instantly and save directly from your salary.
• Wellness support: Your wellbeing matters to us. Benefit from a confidential Employee Assistance Program with a 24/7 helpline and 6 complimentary sessions with a trained counsellor.
• Total Wellbeing Package: Embrace a holistic approach to health with WeCare – offering UK based online GP appointments, mental health counselling, fitness programs, legal and financial guidance and more.
• Nourish your body: We offer healthy and nutritious meals whilst on shift.
• Recognition and Reward for a job well done: Shine bright with our Employee of the Month scheme, Long Service Awards and numerous group incentives. You may even earn a place at our yearly employee awards night.
• Grow with us: You will have access to some of the best training our industry has to offer. You will have access to our training platform, Evolv Edge which is packed with resources to nurture your skills and knowledge.
• Get some rest: Your holiday allowance increases with length of service.
• Make a difference: Give back to the community with an optional paid day each year for volunteering efforts.
• Spread the love: Benefit from our recommend a friend scheme and share the joy of joining our team.

Who we are:

The Evolv Collection is a pioneering, premium hospitality group, founded by Sir Terence Conran in 1991. Our portfolio includes some of the most iconic restaurants in modern history, located in London, Birmingham, Manchester, and New York. Each brand in our collection reflects a distinctive heritage, character, and ambience. By investing in our people and striving for excellence, we are passionate about delivering outstanding guest experiences.

A bit about what you will be doing:

To lead the group-wide reservations strategy across The Evolv Collection, overseeing a high-performing team and ensuring the seamless execution of the guest booking journey across all venues. This role is both strategic and operational, with a focus on driving performance through data-led decisions, optimising systems and processes, and fostering strong internal and external partnerships. To play a key role in revenue generation, capacity management, and guest satisfaction, reporting directly to the Director of Sales and working closely with senior leadership across the business. You will be the custodian of your restaurant's brand, heritage, and guest experience ensuring alignment with The Evolv Collection's 2028 Vision and Strategic Priorities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Reservations Operations: Oversee the daily operation of the group reservations team, ensuring all enquiries and bookings are handled accurately, promptly and professionally. Support venues with effective table management, guest flow and booking controls. Act as escalation point for complex bookings, VIP guests and sensitive guest issues. Ensure service standards are consistently applied across all reservation touchpoints.
• Team Management & Support: Manage, coach and support Reservations Agents and Supervisors, ensuring clear expectations and consistent performance. Deliver regular feedback, performance check-ins and support development plans. Ensure effective rota planning, absence management and team cover. Support recruitment and onboarding of new team members.
• Systems & Data Management: Maintain and manage reservation platforms (e.g. SevenRooms, OpenTable) across all venues. Ensure system settings, floor plans, tags and booking rules are accurate and kept up to date. Support venues with system training and troubleshooting. Produce regular reports on covers, no-shows, booking trends and guest feedback.
• Performance & Process Improvement: Monitor booking patterns, waitlists, cancellations and no-show rates, suggesting practical improvements to venues and Sales & Events. Support initiatives to improve conversion, guest satisfaction and capacity utilisation. Maintain and improve standard operating procedures for reservations processes. Support consistency of guest data capture and notes to improve personalisation.
• Cross-Functional Working: Work closely with Sales & Events to manage group bookings and handovers to venues. Liaise with GMs and FOH teams to align booking strategy with service capacity and event activity. Support Marketing with booking links, promotions and guest communications where required.
• New Openings & Projects (Support Role): Support reservations setup for new venue openings or re-launches, including system builds and team training. Contribute to system upgrades or process changes led by senior management or external suppliers. Provide operational input into guest journey improvements.
• Compliance & Guest Data: Ensure GDPR compliance in guest data handling and system usage. Maintain high standards of data accuracy and confidentiality. Ensure team understanding of data protection and privacy expectations.

If you're ready to bring your culinary expertise and dedication to our team, we warmly invite you to apply for the Group Reservations Manager role. At The Evolv Collection, we celebrate diversity in all its forms. We embrace and support individuals from every background, culture, and identity. Join our team where everyone is welcomed, valued, and empowered to thrive.