Country House Manager

HF Holidays Limited; Goosewell Farm; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

HF Holidays Limited is seeking a Country House Manager for Derwent Bank, a 44-bedroom property serving up to 66 guests on guided or self-guided holidays. You will oversee guest service, kitchen and front-of-house operations, and collaborate with maintenance and central teams to sustain premium standards.

We value a commercial background in tourism or hospitality and adaptability to varied evening and weekend hours.

Qualifications

• Experience leading hospitality operations in hotels, country houses or similar venues.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and food quality within set costs.
• Strong team leadership and guest service focus.

Responsibilities

• Guest Service Excellence: Elevate guest experiences by overseeing every aspect of guest service.
• Kitchen Management: Lead chefs to deliver high food quality within budget.
• Front of House Management: Direct the front of house team and maintain clean, welcoming spaces.
• Property Maintenance and Appearance: Monitor and report repairs and defects.
• Team Development & Culture: Foster teamwork and harmonious operations.
• Centralised Support: Collaborate with HR, Health & Safety, Finance and Sales.

Skills

Hospitality ops management

Budget management

Staff leadership

Guest service excellence

Job description

Our Derwent Bank country house has 44 bedrooms, providing a serene retreat for up to 66 guests embarking on guided or self-guided tour holidays. As the Country House Manager, your role revolves around delivering an exceptional standard of guest service. Your responsibilities span various domains:

Responsibilities

• Guest Service Excellence: Elevate guest experiences by overseeing every aspect of guest service.
• Kitchen Management: Take charge of the culinary experience, managing chefs to consistently deliver exceptional food quality within the established budgetary framework
• Front of House Management: Lead the front of house team, ensuring pristine conditions in all bedrooms and public areas
• Property Maintenance and Appearance: Collaborate with Maintenance and properties team to monitor, report, and address internal and external repairs and property defects.
• Team Development & Culture: Foster a culture of teamwork and harmony, recognising the crucial role it plays in the overall success of our house
• Centralised Support: Work with our central support teams including HR, Health & Safety, Finance and Sales.

As an experienced Operations Manager your role encapsulates not just management but a commitment to creating an environment where every detail reflects the values of our Society and as a co-operative, where members are genuinely looked after. What are we looking for? We would love to hear from you if you have these essential skills:

Requirements

• A commercial background in the Tourism or Hospitality industry. We are keen to hear from Hotel Managers, Country House Managers, Hotel General Managers or Hospitality Managers, who can showcase a track record of successful operational management within a hotel, country house, or similar establishment.
• Given the nature of our industry, flexibility is key. The role necessitates adaptability to varied working hours, particularly during evenings and weekends

About HF Holidays

As Britain's only walking holiday co-operative, we are committed to creating meaningful connections through shared experiences in the great outdoors. With 112 years of history, we bring like‑minded people together through more than 260 carefully crafted walking and activity holidays in the UK, Europe, and beyond. We also own and manage16 characterful country houses in the heart of the UK's best-loved national parks landscapes. Supported by our 500 strong team who are based both remotely and at our Head Office in Hertfordshire as well as our Houses.