Director of Food & Drink Venues and Partnerships

Job description

WELCOME TO A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES AT THE WORLD'S #1 BEST WORKPLACE, AWARDED BY GREAT PLACE TO WORK & FORTUNE. 

A new era begins at the London Hilton on Park Lane. 

Located in the heart of Mayfair, London Hilton on Park Lane was the first Hilton to open within the UK and is close to all that London has to offer. Soaring high above Park Lane, the hotel is famed for its unparalleled five-star luxury. With 453 spacious guest rooms, including 56 suites and a Presidential Suite, there is something for all.

2023 was the hotel’s 60^th anniversary, which has seen the refurbishment of Executive rooms and suites as well as a re-development of the lobby level, including a brand new restaurant and bar.

BENEFITS

·       Competitive salary and Benefits package

·       28 days paid holiday increasing with service

·       Exclusive high-street discounts through Perks at Work portal

·       Industry-leading Team Member discounts on hotel stays for you, your family and friends

·       Access to leadership and development programmes through Hilton University

·       Worldwide career opportunities and wellbeing programmes to help you thrive in the workplace

·       Reward programmes, incentives and team member recognition, as well as long service awards

·       50% off in Hilton restaurants and bars (subject to individual outlets)

·       Refer a Friend Scheme

·       Opportunities to be recognised for being awesome and doing a great job

·       Free meals on shift

JOB OVERVIEW

The Director of F&D Venues and Partnerships is responsible for the successful management and commercial performance of all F&D venue operations and F&D partnerships in the hotel.  This is a key role in the hotel leadership team.

•         Are you passionate about operating market-leading restaurants and bars?

•         Do you know what it takes to inspire your team to create exceptional customer experiences every time?

•         Are you a pioneer in F&D trends, social media and marketing?

•         As a leader, are you supportive and inclusive?

If so, the Director of F&D Venues and Partnerships role is tailor-made for you!

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

As Director of F&D Venues and Partnerships, your key responsibilities will be:

1.       Commercial Performance

•         Develop the F&D Operations business plan, considering market strategy, financial targets and business volumes, as well as customer and team member experience.

•         Partner with the Commercial team to develop and execute powerful F&D sales, marketing and social media plans.

•         Manage F&D key partnerships to develop and maintain successful stakeholder relations.

•         Manage the F&D venue operations and F&D marketing budget and forecast to support achievement of the hotel’s commercial goals.

•         Review departmental results - including sales, costs, profit margins, covers, guest satisfaction - and take action with the F&D management team to improve performance.

2.       Excellent Food & Drinks

•         Partner with the Culinary team to create attractive F&D concepts, menus, products and promotions that drive revenue and profit.

•         Deliver high-quality, well-presented food and beverage to meet guests’ needs - and social media feeds!

•         Champion Hilton’s sustainability goals through local sourcing, use of seasonal produce and minimizing food waste.

3.       Exceptional Guest Experiences

•         Deliver exceptional guest experiences by maintaining consistently high service standards and product knowledge throughout the F&D team. 

•         Make sure that food allergies and dietary requirements are treated with absolute seriousness.

•         Review and act on guest feedback, taking prompt action to resolve guest complaints and improve guest loyalty.

•         Enhance the hotel’s image through online reputation management for F&D, driving positive reviews on key platforms and websites.

4.       Great Working Environment

•         Lead, develop and inspire the F&D Operations team, creating an inclusive environment where all Team Members can thrive and achieve their professional goals. 

•         Practice great people management, from recruitment to training to succession planning and recognition.

•         Develop an efficient F&D Operations workforce plan to identify current and future needs based on forecast business volumes, budgets and HR guidelines.

•         Communicate well and often, building great relationships with key stakeholders.

5.       Day-To-Day Essentials

•         Make sure F&D operations strictly comply with all regulations (including health, safety and hygiene, food safety certification, licensing) and that potentially hazardous situations are identified, reported and corrected.  

•         Work with the Purchasing team to select suppliers and create efficient purchasing processes. 

•         Keep up to date with what’s happening in F&D – current and future trends, markets, ingredients, competitors and suppliers – to drive innovation.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We’re looking for an inspirational leader who is passionate about food and drinks, with at least 3 years’ experience in a similar role and an internationally recognized degree or diploma.  Experience of similar capacity in an international luxury hotel F&D operation or independent restaurant and bar group is a requirement. 

To be successful in this position you will have:

•         Commercial focus, with a demonstrated ability to deliver exceptional business performance and results.

•         Inspirational leadership and people management skills, experienced in leading, developing and motivating a large team and working effectively with other departments.

•         Excellent verbal and written communication deliver a compelling message for the right audience, from team briefings to commercial action skills to business presentations to representing the hotel publicly.

•         Guest focus, maintaining the highest standards of service and quality to create memorable guest experiences.

•         Effective relationship management skills to build good working relationships with key stakeholders, internally and externally, including suppliers, local media and influencers.

•         Creativity, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment while remaining calm and focused under pressure.

You will be also fluent in English, a social media expert, and comfortable using F&D systems and MS Office.