General Manager

Ampleforth Abbey is home to England’s largest Benedictine monastic community who live a life according to the Rule of St Benedict.  Ampleforth Abbey is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (the Howardian Hills) on the edge of the North York Moors.  It is also home to significant built, natural and cultural heritage which it invites visitors to “Come and See”. 

Role Purpose

We have just entered an exciting period of change following the opening of our new Visitor Centre and Tearoom in March 2024, which complements our existing offer. We want everyone who comes to visit Ampleforth Abbey to have a meaningful and joyful experience. We are seeking someone to lead the day-to-day guest operations across the entire Abbey site (Tearoom; Visitor Centre; Retreat Centre; Conference Facilities; other accommodation) ensuring that our people and our operational processes support a unique and memorable experience for every person that visits Ampleforth Abbey. The role includes the management of the hospitality, catering, retail, events, visitor experience, marketing and housekeeping teams. It is very important that all functions, that contribute to the overall visitor/hospitality experience, work together collaboratively in harmony.

Context

Reporting to the Managing Director, the post holder will develop and lead the Abbey’s hospitality offering in its broadest sense. The role will suit someone who can get to grips with the challenges and opportunities presented with developing existing teams and structures into a new cohesive structure. Given this is an important time of transition, you will need to be an articulate communicator, both verbal and written, with strong interpersonal skills, capable of building the confidence in colleagues and partners at all levels internally and externally.

We are looking for a leader who is strategic and hands-on, who can think and adapt to different situations quickly, and who is able to communicate calmly in frequently changing situations. The responsibilities of the role are broad and involve moving rapidly between planning for the future and managing in the everyday.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead and ensure the smooth and efficient running of all visitor operations.
  • Help develop new activities that complement our existing offer.
  • Monitor and evaluate operational standards and identify ways in which we can improve the visitor experience.
  • Monitor and evaluate key commercial metrics to ensure all activities are contributing to the overall mission.
  • Act upon visitor feedback to improve the overall visitor experience.
  • Monitor and appraise marketing initiatives to ensure we are targeting the correct audiences and maximising our impact.
  • Ensure all health & safety and safeguarding compliance requirements and documentation are fulfilled across the visitor experience.
  • Ensue we are collecting, using and reporting on the right data.
  • Ensure that staff and volunteers are kept up to date with appropriate and timely communication.
  • Oversee the catering and housekeeping departments to provide best of class facilities and service.

 

What we are looking for:

  • Proven successful operational leadership of a similar visitor destination or in hotel management/operations.
  • A commitment to the highest standards of food production and customer service
  • Outstanding people leadership and management skills, with the ability to organise, inspire and motivate a large front of house team.
  • Excellent customer awareness.
  • Demonstrable success developing, implementing and evaluating strategic plans which improve the visitor offer.
  • Proven experience in a line management role, including experience of recruiting, managing performance, coaching and developing a team.
  • Proven budget management experience and a commercial approach,
  • Good knowledge of drawing on audience research, data and trends to inform visitor programming, experiences and operations.
  • Experience of directing, and contributing to, the marketing function.
  • Excellent IT skills and a working knowledge of Guestline would be desirable.

 

Ampleforth Abbey Trust is committed to upholding the highest standards of safeguarding for children and adults. All offers of employment will be subject to checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) along with other relevant employment checks and receiving adequate employment references.

 

Job Type:             Full time (5 out of 7 on-site)

Closing Date:    Friday 9 August 2024

Apply via email with CV and letter to recruitment@ampleforthabbey.org.uk