Head of Hospitality & Catering

Blue Arrow is proud to be working exclusively in partnership with an excellent client who specialise within the Higher Education Sector - Nottingham Trent University.

About the Head of Hospitality and Catering Role
They are seeking a talented and experienced individual in the position of a Head of Catering & Hospitality that will be accountable for operational management of both a cost effective and customer focussed Catering offer for over 41,000 students, staff, and event guests.You will be the direct point of contact for over 6 large volume sites (5 based in Nottingham), so it is imperative you have experience either from a HE/Contract Caterer background or in a similar role.

You will be supporting a Top 10 UK University which sees an average of a £3-£4 million annual turnover and has catered for over 4,500 events last year alone!

Hours: 37 hours per week (Mon-Fri) - some weekend and evenings will be included from time to time depending on business needs/events.

This is a full-time permanent position, based on site 5 days a week between the Nottingham Campuses.

What duties will be included in the Head of Hospitality and Catering role?

Operational Management

• Lead and manage the range of catering outlets across all four campuses: delivering an attractive, high-quality offer, excellence and consistency in service delivery and achievement of commercial targets, associated KPIs and implementing improvements as necessary.
• Have oversight for the Catering and Hospitality offer at our Confetti Nottingham and London campuses.
• Identify opportunities for new and extended business income generation supported by appropriate business cases.
• Present and implement an annual business plan, scoping and specifying what and how the business objectives will be delivered and report upon the outcomes.
• Exercise strong budgetary and forecasting management, with dual responsibility for revenue growth and effective cost control.
• Operate, develop, and identify scope for effective use of IT systems including tills, cashless payment, stock control, Kinetics and Hospitality booking systems.
• Lead the thinking on new offers, opportunities, and trends to ensure the department continues to evolve.
• Effective oversight of Catering fixtures and equipment, ensuring investment requirements are planned accordingly.
• Develop and review departmental Standard Operating Procedures on a regular basis striving for operational excellence.

Customer Service

• Set, communicate and manage standards of performance for all aspects of activity conducted within areas of accountability fostered within a challenging and supportive environment.
• Develop and maintain strongly motivated and effective teams with a structure that is flexible and designed to accommodate the nature of fluctuating demand profile.
• Manage complex human resource issues including sickness absence, conduct and performance management.
• Oversee the effective implementation of the Staff appraisal process and ensure compliance throughout the
• Ensure complaints and negative feedback to the service are dealt with in a satisfactory and timely manner and make recommendations for improvement as required.
• Accountable for the effective recruitment for the department, identifying gaps in resource and creating new positions where necessary.

Stakeholders and Policy

• Work closely with other departmental stakeholders in the delivery of internal and external events including but not limited to delegate conferences and day meetings, dinners, and reputational events such as Open Days, Graduation Ceremonies and various University Executive Team led events.
• Be responsible for compliance with all relevant legislation and University policy and procedures, and to specifically manage health and safety matters relating to catering and hospitality activities including public entertainment and liquor licence for the University.
• Ensure the effective engagement with the University's sustainability policy and carbon emissions reduction agenda is established, enhanced, and maintained.
• Hold full accountability for the alcohol provision, including being a designated Premises Supervisor for the University.

Communications

• Analyse data provided by customers, other departments, stakeholders, and colleagues, and provide detailed reports and action plans to senior colleagues; shaping these plans by benchmarking against Public and Private sector organisations to ensure that the best practice is applied, where appropriate, and that prices are market competitive.
• Liaise with marketing colleagues to deliver a marketing strategy that increases loyalty, spend and advocacy.

What will you bring to the Head of Catering and Hospitality role?

• You will be an excellent communicator and hold exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• You will be commercially focussed with the ability to be creative in delivering a service that is fit for purpose.
• You will hold financial management skills, which includes budget setting and accurate analysis of sales and forecasts.
• You will be a natural leader, that can motivate, influence, and develop a large team and confident in successfully managing complex HR issues, including sickness, absence, conduct and performance.
• You will be competent in your abilities to manage projects to a successful conclusion and be confident in drafting proposals policies and reports.

Essential experience

• Knowledge of Health and Safety & food standards legislation including COSHH
• Knowledge of public entertainment and alcohol licences
• Significant experience of managing a complex catering function including conference, hospitality, and retail at a senior level.
• Experience of providing catering services for a host of events.
• Experience of managing multi-site operations.
• Experience of budgetary planning and financialmanagement to maximise profits and minimise costs.
• Experience of leading and managing change within a large organisation.
• Educated to A level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Full valid driving license.
• Eligible to apply for a Personal Alcohol License.
• Level 4 in Food Safety Management.
• Experience of managing a service within the Higher Education sector.
• Experience of leading an award-winning service.
• Previous designated Premises Supervisor (Alcohol).
• Educated to degree level. Membership of industry relevant professional body. Professional qualification in a relevant field. Relevant qualification in Catering and Hospitality Management.

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