Overview
a caring and supportive environment where students are encouraged to achieve their best and try something new. We are looking for a Commercial Hospitality & Events Manager to lead and grow our hospitality and events operation across Abingdon School. This is a senior, client-facing leadership role with responsibility for developing a commercially focused hospitality offer, delivering exceptional guest experiences and supporting the School’s ambitious plans for growth. You’ll lead a talented hospitality team, including two Hospitality Supervisors and a flexible bank of casual team members, while working closely with the Commercial Director, Events & Courses Manager, Executive Chef and wider Sodexo leadership team. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced hospitality or events leader who can combine premium service standards with strong commercial acumen, operational excellence and a passion for creating memorable experiences.
Why You’ll Love It Here
- Free on-site parking
- Quality meals provided whilst on duty
- Beautiful campus location just outside Oxford
- Exciting developments including co-education from 2026 and summer camps launching in 2027
- Opportunity to shape and grow a developing commercial hospitality operation
- Senior, visible role within a supportive and ambitious team
- Be part of a thriving Foundation during a period of growth and investment
What You’ll Be Doing
- Lead the commercial hospitality and events operation across a 52-week trading environment
- Develop and deliver a hospitality strategy that supports revenue growth, guest experience and long-term commercial success
- Drive new business opportunities, repeat bookings and strong external partnerships
- Oversee internal and external events, including school functions, fine dining, casual dining, sports hospitality, conferences, commercial events and future summer programmes
- Manage hospitality budgets, pricing, forecasting, revenue performance and margin delivery
- Work closely with the Executive Chef on menus, product development, cost control and service innovation
- Lead, coaching and developing the hospitality team, including supervisors and casual colleagues
- Ensure every event is delivered to a consistently high standard, from enquiry through to post-event review
- Build strong relationships with senior school stakeholders, governors, commercial partners and external clients
- Ensure full compliance with food safety, allergen management, licensing, health and safety, safeguarding and Sodexo standards
- Manage wine and beverage stock, supplier relationships, tastings and product development to support a premium guest offer
- Use systems, data and reporting to improve planning, performance and the overall customer journey
What You’ll Bring
- Significant experience in hospitality, events, catering, commercial venues or premium service environments
- A strong track record of leading teams and delivering high-quality events or hospitality services
- Commercial experience, including revenue growth, pricing, forecasting, cost control and margin management
- Confidence managing client relationships and engaging with senior stakeholders
- Excellent organisation, communication and problem-solving skills
- A proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to work in a busy and varied environment
- Experience managing teams across permanent, supervisory and casual staffing structures
- A strong understanding of food safety, allergens, health and safety and service compliance
- Experience in licensed hospitality environments, including responsible alcohol service and stock control
- A Personal Licence Holder qualification, or willingness to obtain one
- A full UK driving licence and access to a car, as the role will support activity across more than one Abingdon School site
Safeguarding
This role is based within an educational environment and is subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check and any additional pre-employment screening required for the role.
Joining
Join Sodexo at Abingdon School Foundation and play a key role in shaping a premium hospitality and events operation during an exciting period of growth, investment and transformation.
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