Head of Operations – Lakeside Coastal Village

Join our team at Lakeside, part of the Warner Hotels Group. This hotel on Hayling Island has spa facilities, a cabaret restaurant, and overlooks a lake near the Hampshire coast. We are looking for a Head of Operations to lead all front and back‑of‑house functions at Lakeside Coastal Village. The Head of Operations is responsible for leading teams to deliver seamless guest experiences across the Reception, Leisure, Spa, Housekeeping, Entertainment and Nights teams. Distinctive in scope, the role combines daily operational delivery with strategic improvement to secure both immediate service excellence and long‑term growth. As Head of Operations, you’ll play a crucial role in bringing that magic to life.

What will I be doing as Head of Operations?

• Operational delivery: Oversee day‑to‑day operations across reception, leisure club, spa, housekeeping, entertainment, and nights team; ensure seamless guest arrival, check‑in, and service delivery across all touch‑points.
• Sales and commercial execution: Drive on‑site sales performance across leisure, spa, and entertainment; implement hotel‑specific propositions and external marketing initiatives in partnership with HUB teams to maximise revenue.
• Entertainment and leisure leadership: Provide oversight of entertainment delivery and calendar development; ensure leisure club and spa operations (including memberships and day spa services) are executed to brand standards and guest expectations.
• Housekeeping and nights management: Lead and quality‑assure housekeeping operations and nights team delivery; maintain service standards, guest satisfaction, and operational efficiency across both functions.
• Labour and rota management: Forecast and produce efficient rotas across reception, leisure, spa, housekeeping, entertainment, and nights; control labour spend while maintaining required cover to deliver service excellence.
• Guest experience and complaint resolution: Monitor and enhance arrival, check‑in, and post‑stay guest experiences; lead complaint handling and feedback resolution to protect reputation and drive loyalty.
• Compliance and safety: Ensure 100% adherence to health and safety requirements across all operational departments; oversee leisure audits including lifeguard compliance, paperwork, and administration.
• People management and retention: Recruit, train, develop, and performance‑manage team members across all operational departments; foster teamwork, morale, and succession planning to maintain engagement and retention.
• Continuous improvement and strategy: Identify operational efficiencies and service improvements across leisure, spa, reception, and housekeeping; pilot commercial and guest experience initiatives to scale successful practices within Head Office parameters.

You’ll need to have:

• Significant managerial experience in reception or front desk in a high occupancy hotel environment.
• Proven track record of managing large bedroom operations and supporting full‑site operational delivery.
• Experience managing OTA relationships and distribution performance.
• PPO experience desirable.

Location: Lakeside Coastal Village, Lakeside, PO11 9NR

Inclusion Statement: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of who we are and what we do. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries and we are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments or flexibility that you may require, including whether a role can be part‑time or a job‑share.