Job Description

General Manager

50,000 - 55,000 + Bonus

Venue Location: Buntingford, Hertfordshire

Start Date: ASAP

The Venue Group are looking for a passionate and experienced General Manager with a sharp mind and a cool head to manage our very popular country barn wedding venue in rural Hertfordshire.

Milling Barn comprises of a number of converted 18th Century oak barns with traditional wooden cladding, which creates the backdrop and space for amazing events. The venue currently hosts 150+ weddings and events per year with an admirable reputation for quality and service, and we are now looking for an ambitious individual, with a keen eye for planning and detail, who can nurture and mentor a young team to reach their full potential. This role will be ably supported by a professional, process driven head office team providing finance, HR, marketing, CRM, social media and administrative services, as well as conscientious company directors.

The Venue Group is a small, privately owned company, with a big heart and a passion for weddings and events. We offer unforgettable settings for our couple's wedding day, entertaining them with fabulous food and a touch of flair. We all work very hard to make certain they and their guests enjoy a simply magical experience. Our overriding goal is to ensure our couples have the very best day of their lives.

The General Manager role will be responsible for all the day-to-day activities relating to the overall management of the venue and personnel on site, as well as being focused on areas including: strategic thinking, recruitment, training, leadership, process management, staff rotas, event planning, financial management, client services, and when the time calls for it, rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty!

Responsibilities:

Staffing

Lead and inspire colleagues by setting the benchmark of achievement to meet the company's values and goals fostering a positive team culture. Recruiting, training and managing a venues' full and part time employees, carrying out reviews for salaried staff members on a biannual basis. Monitoring employee performance and offering regular evaluation meetings designed to improve performance and customer service. Responsible for the rotaring of full time and zero hours staff ensuring maximum efficiency of full time staff members. Managing staff through the seasonality of weddings whilst ensuring we provide the best possible customer service. Rotas for full time staff should always be completed 9 months in advance whereas for part time staff the rota should be completed 2/3 months in advance. Reviewing Zero hour staffing levels after scheduling salaried staff members in accordance with each weddings size and revenue. Responsible for ensuring staff training is all up to date and meets all health and safety and insurance requirements.

Sales

To manage and supervise the sales manager position to ensure leads are proactively followed and sales targets are met. Managing the staff rota around weddings to ensure there is adequate cover for when the sales manager is not at work and adequate viewing opportunities are available when events are not taking place. To supervise and assist in the planning of open day and tasting events. To assist in promoting last minute bookings where applicable and increasing non wedding event revenue during the wedding low season. Proactively seeking opportunities and ways to maximise revenue and develop service delivery. Monitoring feedback from events and sales meetings and taking a proactive approach to feedback as needed, collaborating with marketing where needed to boast sales and reviews.

Budgets and Financial Planning

Managing budgets and finances and controlling expenditure. To share relevant financial information from management meetings to the teams to help achieve the shared group goals. To communicate regularly with the head office finance team to ensure future costs and plans are included to produce an accurate forecast. Overseeing monthly operational tasks including but not limited to venue cleanliness, stock takes and ordering, health and safety requirements.

Venue Management

Provide monthly updates and reports to the directors covering key aspects of the business. Clearly demonstrate an understanding and the ability to implement the venues strategic market placement, core values and market ambitions. Ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation and licensing laws. Overseeing events, and ensuring that regardless of size or contract value, that the customers' expectations are exceeded. Carrying out regular inspections of the venues' property and amenities and organising necessary maintenance, communicating and agreeing the works from a financial perspective with head office ensuring works are in line with the annual maintenance budget Implementing and reviewing standard operating procedures to continuously improve the business.

Attributes:

Previous experience of managing a food & beverage operation, as well as managing events and weddings is essential. Self-motivated with ability to work on own initiative, and must be able to multitask and be adaptable. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. Excellent administrative and organisational skills, and have an eye for detail with an analytical mind. Must be a team player with a strong and friendly personality that everyone gets on with. Ability to stay calm under pressure. Own transport is essential due to the?location.

Benefits of Working with Us:

Healthcare package Pension scheme Company events Personal development plan 28 days holiday
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 50,000.00-55,000.00 per year

Additional pay:

Performance bonus
Benefits:

Company events Company pension Discounted or free food On-site parking Private medical insurance
Schedule:

10 hour shift 12 hour shift 8 hour shift Weekend availability
Experience:

Wedding Hospitality: 5 years (required) Management: 3 years (required)
Work Location: In person