Hospitality Manager

Who we are
St Martin-in-the-Fields (St Martin’s) is an incredible place to work. Located in the heart of London on Trafalgar Square, we are a place for everyone, everywhere, every day – to worship, reflect, relax, meet, eat and drink, enjoy music and the arts and much more. The church is a 300-year-old architectural jewel.
Hospitality sits at the very heart of our welcome to the many hundreds of thousands of visitors we welcome to the site each year. We offer unique spaces and venues for people from all walks of life to come and pray, socialise, reflect, party, be entertained, meet or celebrate. Our iconic Crypt is our flagship space and is well known across London for its daytime café which welcomes many thousands of visitors each week. But the space also transforms into a nighttime venue with live music and cabaret shows, silent discos, immersive theatre, comedy and more. It also is a sought-after space for commercial hires and hosts West End opening night parties, gala dinners, drinks receptions, product launches and more.
In addition to the Crypt, we have a summer outdoor courtyard café and other internal spaces in which hospitality forms a critical part of our visitors’ experience. From standing drinks receptions to business lunches, pre and interval concert drinks to seated gala dinners – no two days are the same here and the hospitality team need to be agile and flexible in delivering sometimes multiple complex events at the same time.
We have exciting plans for our site and are currently working on scoping out ways to improve and upgrade the buildings and spaces. Part of this includes planning for a major refit and upgrade to the Crypt café and the Hospitality Manager will play an integral role in helping to manage our hospitality function through this process and then shaping and leading a new approach to customer service as we emerge from it.
About the role
We are seeking a Hospitality Manager to lead our large food and beverage team. Reporting to the General Manager, the role will be the day-to-day lead for our hospitality operation and will guide the team to deliver across a multitude of events and functions. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that our front of house operation and customer service is exemplary and for developing service standards across the hospitality team that reflect our brand and values and help to deliver a new differentiated experience for visitors to our Crypt.
The Hospitality Manager will be responsible for health and safety, staff training, managing rotas, conducting employee appraisals, ordering stock and leading our hospitality team. You will ensure that our food is well presented, and that the dining environment is well managed, professional and that all staff are trained in and understand what levels of service we aspire to achieve for our customers. You will also work closely with the Events team, and this role will be central to the day-to-day running of our commercial business and overseeing the smooth operation of our food and beverage offering.
The ideal candidate will bring a flair for customer experience, leadership and an eye for detail, along with a desire to make the role their own and release the potential of our unique spaces, especially as we refurbish them and develop a new brand and positioning for the Crypt.
Responsibilities
Be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Crypt Café, and our hospitality operations across the site;
To ensure the smooth operation of the catering function, including for Café, events and internal stakeholders;
Maintain a high standard of customer experience, including problem solving when there are issues and speaking to customers when they raise complaints;
Review suppliers annually to ensure the best quality products are served to customers, at the most competitive prices;
Work closely with the Head Chef to plan for the appropriate delivery of food including that relevant food safety protocols are adhered to and encapsulate efficient service models;
Continuously measure sales and performance and explore ways to improve profitability, reduce wastage and increase turnover and average spend;
Support and manage the performance of the team through ongoing evaluations, listening, training and mentoring;
With the General Manager, work on the F&B budget to ensure staffing costs are maintained in line with forecasts, limit overspend and explore ways to reduce overheads;
Ensure high levels of food and health and safety are maintained, including following up with the team on training and conducting spot inspections;
Operationally lead onsite events and functions, have general oversight of the operations of events and act as the “Duty Manager” when on shift for evening events such as live music shows;
Manage catering logistics including administration, documentation and planning, work with the events team to agree event function sheets and service plans;
Seek to help deliver against our aspirations towards a sustainable and eco-friendly business;
Support and create initiatives to provide training and development opportunities for those who St Martin’s actively seeks to support and work with internal partners to deliver these; and
Ensure the promotion of a positive company image and presentation by acting as an example to the team and living out the values and ethos of St Martin’s in all you do, presenting a positive experience to all stakeholders who use the site.
Person Specification
We are seeking someone to lead our diverse and growing team and to provide the inspiration, flair and innovation to help reimagine how we run our Hospitality operation. The ideal candidate will have:
Proven comprehensive experience in a Hospitality Manager or similar role;
A passion for food, beverage, and a desire to help develop menus and provide interesting new choices;
Experience of event production involving hospitality and of live music events or entertainment driven more by bar/wet led hospitality;
Excellent people management and interpersonal skills, with proven experience of having successfully managed a large team;
Initiative, energy, enthusiasm and excellent customer service skills;
Experience working with a wide range of internal stakeholders and external suppliers with the ability to oversee, devise and manage operational procedures;
High standards of personal presentation;
A good working understanding of catering teams and food preparation/cooking methods;
Computer literacy including rota software, Microsoft Office suite and a good understanding of databases;
A positive attitude, demonstrating they are a team player who is willing to roll up their sleeves and support on all aspects of life in the Crypt; and
An ability to work calmly under pressure and have a flexible approach to working in a busy environment.
We are only able to accept applications from those who have the right to live and work in the United Kingdom.
Working at St Martin’s
Based at - St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London
Working pattern – 40 hours Monday-Sunday on a rota basis (usually 5 days per week). Some evening working will be required,
Salary - £40,000 per year dependent on experience
Holiday Entitlement – 28 days including bank holidays (based on accrual)
Perks - Free filter coffee and tea throughout your working day, 20% discount in the Café in the Crypt/Courtyard, Shop (excluding books), limited concert concessions and Employee Assistant Programme (EAP)
Who we are looking for
St Martin’s welcomes applications from all sections of the community and is committed to maintaining an inclusive working environment, with a diverse workforce. We value individuality, equality and representation and appoint on merit.
Why should you apply?
You want to progress your career and increase your own knowledge and skills in a supportive and compassionate environment; and
You want to work in a progressive and inclusive environment that celebrates individuality and self-expression every day.
How to apply
To apply for this post, please email the following to ##### by Friday 17th May.
A supporting statement, explaining why you believe you will excel in this role;
An up-to-date CV detailing your relevant achievements.
Interviews will be held as suitable applications are received. St Martin’s reserves the right to close and appoint to this role within the stated advertising period, and so advises early applications are submitted.
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