Head of Food and Beverage for a Luxury Country Hotel and Wellness Retreat in West Dorset

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• Start Date: Interviewing now for immediate start
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• Location: West Dorset, UK
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• Salary: Up to £65,000 gross p.a. (dependent on experience) + package
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• Contract: Permanent | Full-Time
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• Working Pattern: 5 days per week, including early mornings, evenings and weekends as required (hospitality rota)
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JOB OVERVIEW

Oplu is partnering with an exceptional farm-to-fork luxury country hotel and wellness retreat to appoint a Head of Food & Beverage (F&B).

This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role overseeing daily service delivery across breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as bespoke events for private groups, family stays and corporate retreats.

The business has a strong concept and offering already in place. The key requirement now is to bring in a confident Food & Beverage leader who will lead from the front, create structure, raise standards, and implement robust SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) to drive consistent service excellence and smooth team performance.

This is a senior appointment. The property is hiring for confirmed Head of F&B experience (or equivalent senior F&B leadership) — not a step-up from an Assistant F&B Manager or Restaurant Manager role.

The Head of F&B reports directly to the General Manager, working closely with the Head Chef and Hotel Manager in weekly operational meetings.

MUST-HAVE REQUIREMENTS

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• Proven experience already as a Head of Food & Beverage, F&B Manager, or equivalent senior F&B leadership role within luxury hotels, retreats, private members' clubs, or premium restaurants — this is not a step-up role
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• A hands-on floor leadership style (this is not an office-based management role)
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• Strong ability to implement and enforce SOPs, service standards, and operational governance
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• Confident people leader, able to coach and develop supervisors while also managing underperformance fairly and decisively
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• Excellent planning capability (rotas, prep, service flow, guest volumes, team efficiency)
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• Strong communication skills and calm presence under pressure
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• Flexibility on working hours, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends as required
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• Right to work in the UK
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NICE TO HAVE

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• Background in event service, special occasion dining, or retreat programming
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• Confident working with VIP or UHNW-level guest expectations
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• WSET Level 2 or similar wine knowledge
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• Experience improving service standards in an operation that needs tighter structure and leadership
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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Service Leadership & Standards (Hands-On Delivery)

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• Lead service from the floor across breakfast, lunch and dinner, ensuring consistent guest experience and presentation standards
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• Work alongside the service team, setting pace, tone, and expectations through hands-on leadership
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• Create a culture of warm, confident and discreet hospitality aligned with a luxury retreat environment
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SOPs, Governance & Operational Excellence

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• Build and implement robust SOPs across service delivery, set-ups, timing, closing procedures and compliance
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• Introduce stronger planning and mise-en-place processes to improve efficiency and reduce reactive service issues
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• Set and monitor service performance benchmarks (quality, consistency, cleanliness, guest feedback, operational rhythm)
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Team Management & Development

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• Lead, nurture and upskill a small service team including multiple supervisors
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• Establish clear responsibilities, daily standards and team accountability
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• Produce rotas in advance with contingency planning and cost awareness
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• Maintain professional communication standards across the team (briefings, handovers, feedback)
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Guest Journey, Events & Bespoke Service

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• Manage and coordinate F&B for retreat groups, special occasions and corporate stays
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• Bring creativity and flair to events and service moments, without compromising operational discipline
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• Liaise closely with the Head Chef on menus, dietary requirements, allergens, and special requests
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Commercial & Stock Responsibility

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• Support the General Manager and Head Chef on revenue optimisation and profitability in F&B
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• Maintain strong control of stock, procurement, supplier relationships and audit process (food, beverage, OS&E)
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• Support upselling of food, beverage, and experiences as appropriate
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Compliance, Health & Safety

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• Maintain the highest standards of compliance across service areas in line with FSA / HACCP standards
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• Ensure cleanliness, hygiene, food safety, and best practice procedures are consistently upheld
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WORKING STYLE & SUCCESS PROFILE

This role will suit a candidate who is:

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• Driven, energetic and naturally enjoys being front-facing
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• A real "lead from the front" operator who thrives in service and enjoys setting standards
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• trong enough to implement structure quickly, but emotionally intelligent enough to bring the team with them
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• Comfortable in a demanding hospitality environment where flexibility is expected
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• Highly organised and capable of running weekly 1:1 check-ins with the GM, with clear agendas and follow-ups
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RELOCATION SUPPORT

Relocation assistance is available where required (staff accommodation or rental support).

Please note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us within 14 days, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.