Assistant General Manager

Bamford Collection; Chipping Norton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discounts

Gym discounts

Padel discount

Electric car scheme

Volunteering day

Private medical

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Mental health support

Job summary

The Wild Rabbit, part of The Bamford Collection in the Cotswolds, seeks an Assistant General Manager to support the General Manager in delivering an exceptional guest experience across The Wild Rabbit and Daylesford Stay Cottages. You will be highly visible on the floor, leading by example in food, wine and service.

Open to backgrounds from General Manager of smaller operations to Head Sommelier, you will lead teams through busy services and help drive broader business development and leadership

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams in a high-quality restaurant or luxury hospitality setting.
• Excellent guest service and operational understanding of restaurant operations.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and communication skills.
• Good wine knowledge; WSET Level 2 preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on leadership across Food & Beverage, maintaining exceptional standards of food, wine, service and presentation.
• Lead and develop the team through coaching, training and support, creating a confident and engaging service culture.
• Build strong guest relationships, anticipating needs and managing feedback and service recovery professionally.
• Work closely with the Restaurant Manager, Executive Chef, Sommelier and wider leadership team to ensure a smooth and consistent operation.
• Use your wine knowledge to support service and deputise for the Sommelier when required.
• Gain operational experience across luxury accommodation and the wider guest journey.
• Develop commercial awareness across budgeting, forecasting, payroll, revenue and cost control.
• Contribute to operational projects, business improvement and senior leadership discussions.
• Identify opportunities to enhance guest experience, operational standards and business performance.

Skills

Restaurant leadership

Guest service

People management

Communication

Wine knowledge

Organisational skills

Ambition to senior leadership

Job description

THE BAMFORD COLLECTION IS A GROUP OF CONSCIOUSLY MINDED LIFESTYLE BRANDS COMMITTED TO NOURISHING AND NURTURING PEOPLE AND PLANET.

The Wild Rabbit in Kingham, Oxfordshire is a fine dining restaurant and boutique hotel in the heart of the Cotswolds. Recognised in the Top 50 Gastropubs, the Top 50 Boutique Hotels, and awarded 3 AA Rosettes, The Wild Rabbit blends culinary excellence with warm, authentic hospitality.

Working in close connection with Daylesford Farm, our menus showcase the best seasonal, organic produce, crafted with skill and creativity. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Callum Graham, our team combines classical technique with modern inspiration, making The Wild Rabbit one of the most exciting fine dining destinations in the Cotswolds.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for an Assistant General Manager to play a key role in supporting the General Manager in delivering an exceptional guest experience across The Wild Rabbit and our Daylesford Stay Cottages a collection of beautifully considered luxury countryside retreats with a primary operational focus on Food & Beverage.

This is a hands‑on leadership role for an experienced hospitality professional to work closely with the Restaurant Manager, Executive Chef and Sommelier, you will be highly visible on the floor, leading by example and ensuring consistently high standards of food, wine and service.

We are open-minded about the background of the person joining us. You may be a General Manager of a smaller hospitality operation, an experienced Restaurant Manager ready to take on broader operational responsibility, a Head Waiter or senior restaurant professional looking for a significant career step, or a Head Sommelier or experienced wine professional with strong restaurant leadership skills.

Whatever your current role, you will be a strong restaurant operator who is passionate about food, wine and hospitality, confident leading teams through busy services, and curious about the wider business. Alongside your core F&B responsibilities, you will have the opportunity to develop experience across luxury accommodation, commercial performance, cross‑departmental leadership and business development, with the potential to progress towards a broader senior leadership or General Management position.

HOURS: 48 hours including weekends.

SALARY £46,500 per annum, plus tronc.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide hands‑on leadership across Food & Beverage, maintaining exceptional standards of food, wine, service and presentation
• Lead and develop the team through coaching, training and support, creating a confident and engaging service culture
• Build strong guest relationships, anticipating needs and managing feedback and service recovery professionally
• Work closely with the Restaurant Manager, Executive Chef, Sommelier and wider leadership team to ensure a smooth and consistent operation
• Use your wine knowledge to support service and deputise for the Sommelier when required
• Gain operational experience across luxury accommodation and the wider guest journey
• Develop commercial awareness across budgeting, forecasting, payroll, revenue and cost control
• Contribute to operational projects, business improvement and senior leadership discussions
• Identify opportunities to enhance guest experience, operational standards and business performance

SKILLS YOU WILL BRING

• Strong experience in a high-quality restaurant or luxury hospitality environment, including team leadership
• Excellent understanding of restaurant operations and exceptional guest service
• Strong leadership, coaching, communication and organisational skills
• Good practical wine knowledge; preferably WSET Level 2.
• Confident handling guest feedback and resolving service issues
• Calm, hands‑on and professional approach, with strong attention to detail
• Commercially aware with an interest in developing broader business knowledge
• Genuine passion for food, wine and luxury hospitality
• Collaborative, curious and proactive, with a willingness to learn and develop
• Ambitious to progress as a senior hospitality leader, with a long‑term interest in General Management

PERKS & BENEFITS

• Discounts: We offer a range of discounts on our products, treatments, and dining experiences from day one.
• Local gym discounts
• Padel Discount
• Electric Car Scheme (subject to criteria)
• Volunteering Days: Employees are offered one paid day per year to volunteer with a charity of their choice.
• Private Medical: We offer subsidised private medical insurance through Bupa.
• Pension Scheme: Pay up to 9% of your salary into your pension each month; we contribute up to 4.5%.
• Life Assurance: We offer life assurance cover, equivalent of up to a year of your annualsalary.
• Mental Health Support: Our Employee Assistance Programme provides 24-hour support,seven days a week.