General Manager | Wycombe Swan | Full Time
The Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe is one of Buckinghamshire’s leading live entertainment venues with a wide array of top-quality musical, drama, comedy, dance, family shows, one-night events and pantomime. The Old Town Hall in Wycombe is a smart, distinctive multi-use space with staging and seating and its own fully licensed bar. Perfect for conferences or parties.
About this role
The General Manager is responsible for delivering exceptional guest experience and service excellence. They will lead, motivate and develop the Guest Experience team, ensuring clear direction and delivery of business priorities through the hospitality strategy, in collaboration with the Theatre Director and Senior Management Team. The role will drive revenue through effective upselling, the development of events and private functions, and maximising pre-ordering and in-venue spend, enhancing both commercial performance and the overall guest experience. They are also responsible for upholding the highest standards of health and safety across the Front of House and Hospitality operations, maintaining full compliance and embedding a proactive safety-first culture within the team, with a strong focus on maintaining high standards and accountability across the operation.
This job description is not an exhaustive description of your duties. The postholder will be required to adopt a flexible approach to their role and responsibilities. From time to time, they may be required to undertake such alternative or additional duties as may be commensurate with their skills, experience and capabilities.
About you
A self-motivated individual with a genuine passion for delivering an exceptional hospitality offer and first-class experience. To achieve this, you will inspire and lead a team to meet and exceed budgeted targets, with customer care at the heart of your department’s work.
The candidate must be adaptable and forward‑thinking, with creative flair and meticulous attention to detail with experience in a senior level manager position.
A proven and robust hospitality knowledge, including strategic planning, food and beverage management, event delivery, the development of quality customer care strategies and pricing strategies are imperative to the role.
Experience
- Significant senior management experience within a theatre, live entertainment, hospitality or visitor attraction environment
- Proven track record of leading, motivating and developing large customer-facing teams, including casual and contracted staff
- Strong commercial and financial management experience, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control and delivering against KPIs
- Proven ability to monitor and challenge food quality, service standards, menu execution, pricing and presentation
- Experience of driving secondary spend, sales growth and spend-per-head
- Experience reviewing stock control, wastage, portion control and cost management
- Excellent people management skills, including recruitment, training, performance management and succession planning
- Strong operational leadership with the ability to manage busy, high-pressure live environments
- Thorough knowledge of Health & Safety, food hygiene, licensing and compliance requirements
- Highly organised, resilient and adaptable, with excellent attention to detail
Desirable
- Proven experience managing third‑party or contract catering/kitchen partners within a theatre, hospitality or live events environment
- Familiarity with zonal till systems, stock management software and hospitality reporting tools
- Experience of developing and delivering hospitality and events marketing plans in collaboration with marketing teams
- Understanding of sustainability initiatives within venue operations and hospitality settings
- Experience supporting accessibility, inclusion and equality initiatives in customer-facing environments
- Knowledge of safeguarding principles and experience acting as or supporting a Safeguarding Officer
Benefits
- Discounted theatre tickets
- Training and development plans
- Hundreds of savings across retailers with TE & ME
- Access to mental health resources
- And much more
Key Information
Role Title
General Manager
Reports to
Theatre Director
Responsible for
Customer Experience Team
Hours
40
Contract
Permanent – Full Time
Annual Leave
33 days per annum inclusive of bank holidays
Salary
£50,000.00
Job Description
Location: High Wycombe, HP11 2XE, GB
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