Assistant Food & Beverage Manager

Royal Agricultural University; Cirencester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Learning & development

Career progression

Campus location

Job summary

The Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester is seeking an Assistant Food & Beverage Manager to lead our food, bar, hospitality and events operations on a hands-on basis. You will drive service excellence, supervise teams, and support growth across campus catering and special events.

Working with the Food & Beverage Operations Manager, you will focus on exceptional customer experiences, operational efficiency, and strong commercial performance while maintaining high safety and quality

Qualifications

• Experience in a supervisory or management role within hospitality, catering, events or food & beverage operations.
• Experience leading shifts and delivering high-quality customer service in a busy environment.
• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to motivate and support teams.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and remain calm under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage daily Food & Beverage operations across catering, bar and events.
• Drive commercial performance through service excellence and sales initiatives.
• Plan and deliver hospitality functions, conferences and events across campus.
• Supervise and develop team members across multiple service areas.
• Assist recruitment, induction, training and ongoing staff development.
• Monitor stock levels and support stock management processes.
• Contribute to cost control, labour management and meeting financial targets.
• Incorporate customer feedback to improve service delivery.
• Collaborate with Campus Experience and university colleagues.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, health & safety, licensing and service.

Skills

Hospitality management

People leadership

Customer service

Communication

IT skills

Flexibility

Tools

Rota planning software

Stock control systems

Job description

A variety of soft skills and experience may be required for the following role Please ensure you check the overview below carefully.

Location: Cirencester, GL7 6JS

Salary: Starting at £30,378 progressing to £35,608 per annum

Contract: Permanent, full time (35 hours per week, including evenings and weekends)

Be part of something special.

The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) is one of the UK's leading specialist universities, set within a beautiful Cotswold campus and renowned for its strong connection to food, farming, sustainability and rural enterprise.

As we continue to develop our Campus Experience and commercial services, we are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious Assistant Food & Beverage Manager to help lead our food, bar, hospitality and events operations.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing and evolving team at the heart of student life, visitor experience and commercial activity, delivering memorable experiences across our catering outlets, bars, conferences, hospitality functions and special events.

About The Role

This is a hands-on leadership role within the Campus Experience team, supporting the delivery of a unified Food & Beverage operation across catering, bar and events.

Working closely with the Food & Beverage Operations Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring exceptional customer experiences, operational excellence and strong commercial performance across a diverse range of services.

You will lead from the front, motivating teams, coordinating day-to-day operations and ensuring that every service, event and customer interaction reflects the high standards of the University.

You Will

• Lead and support day-to-day Food & Beverage operations across catering, bar and event services.
• Help drive commercial performance through excellent service, sales initiatives and operational efficiency.
• Plan, coordinate and deliver hospitality functions, conferences and special events across campus.
• Supervise, motivate and develop team members across multiple service areas.
• Support recruitment, induction, training and ongoing development of staff.
• Monitor stock levels, place orders and support effective stock management processes.
• Contribute to cost control, labour management and achievement of financial targets.
• Use customer feedback and operational insight to enhance service delivery.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Campus Experience and the wider University.
• Maintain the highest standards of food safety, health and safety, licensing compliance and customer service.
• Deputise for the Food & Beverage Operations Manager when required.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys a varied role and wants to develop their management career within a dynamic hospitality environment.

About You

• Experience in a supervisory or management role within hospitality, catering, events or food and beverage operations.
• Experience leading shifts and delivering high-quality customer service in a busy environment.
• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to motivate and support teams.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and remain calm under pressure.
• A passion for delivering outstanding customer experiences.
• Good IT skills and confidence using operational systems.
• A flexible approach to working hours, including evenings and weekends.

You may also have experience of rota planning, stock control, supplier management or managing operational budgets, although these are not essential.

Most importantly, you will be someone who enjoys leading from the front, takes pride in delivering excellent service and is passionate about creating memorable food and beverage experiences.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to make a real impact in a University that is ambitious about its future and committed to delivering a class-leading experience for students, staff and visitors.

You'll Benefit From

• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• A beautiful campus location in the heart of the Cotswolds.
• Generous holiday entitlement and pension scheme.
• Opportunities for learning, development and career progression.
• The opportunity to work across a diverse range of hospitality, catering and event operations.
• The chance to contribute to an exciting and evolving Campus Experience strategy.

If you are looking for a role where you can develop your leadership skills, work with a passionate team and help shape exceptional hospitality experiences, we would love to hear from you.

Closing date: Sunday 4 October 2026

Interview date: Friday 16 October 2026