Deputy General Manager

Chartwells Independent; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality organization is seeking a Deputy General Manager for the National Railway Museum in York. This role involves supporting catering and hospitality operations, ensuring exceptional service standards, and managing a multi-outlet catering operation. Candidates should have experience in hospitality management, strong leadership skills, and a passion for delivering memorable visitor experiences. Competitive salary of up to £42,500 per year offered, along with an excellent benefits package.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Free meals on duty

Free on-site parking

Exclusive travel discounts

Access to wellness classes

Digital GP services

Up to 44% off cinema tickets

Contributory pension scheme

Career development programmes

Qualifications

• Experience as an Assistant Manager or Deputy General Manager in hospitality.
• Proven ability to manage busy café and retail environments.
• Strong financial understanding of budgets and cost controls.

Responsibilities

• Support the General Manager in leading catering operations.
• Ensure high service standards through active floor leadership.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and ensure client satisfaction.
• Oversee budgets and stock controls to meet commercial targets.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety regulations.
• Lead and support teams across multiple outlets.

Skills

Leadership

Financial awareness

Customer service

Team management

Communication

Job description

Deputy General Manager

Location: National Railway Museum, York

Salary: Up to £42,500 per year

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent, 5 over 7 days

Are you ready to play a key leadership role at the world’s largest railway museum?

We’re seeking a proactive and people-focused Deputy General Manager to support the catering and hospitality operations at the National Railway Museum in York. This is an outstanding opportunity to help shape visitor experiences within a world-class institution that welcomes guests from across the globe. As Deputy General Manager, you will work closely with the General Manager to ensure the smooth running of our busy café and retail sites, delivering exceptional service standards and supporting continual improvement across the operation.

Why Join Us?

At Restaurant Associates, we believe in celebrating individuality and nurturing talent. As Deputy General Manager, you’ll benefit from the support of an experienced senior leadership team, and have the autonomy to influence daily operations and contribute to long-term success.

We offer a competitive benefits package, including:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Free meals on duty
• Free on-site parking
• Exclusive travel discounts
• Access to wellness, mindfulness, and fitness classes
• Digital GP services for you and your family
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• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Contributory pension scheme
• Career Pathways and MyLearning development programmes

In this role, you will help oversee a multi-outlet catering operation, including two grab-and-go cafés, an assisted-service café, and our destination afternoon tea restaurant, The Countess of York. Working closely with the General Manager, you will support the leadership of day-to-day operations, ensuring guests remain at the heart of every decision. With around 90% of F&B sales generated through retail food, this position requires a hands‑on, commercially aware leader who thrives in high-volume, visitor-led environments.

The National Railway Museum is undergoing significant development as part of its ambitious Vision programme and major expansion plans, including a comprehensive refurbishment of the conference centre. This role provides a fantastic opportunity to support these transformations, enhance our conference and events offering, and contribute to the continued growth of the venue. It’s ideally suited to an experienced hospitality professional who enjoys leading by example and supporting teams through change.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Support the General Manager in leading all catering and hospitality operations across café, retail, conference, and event spaces.
• Ensure consistent delivery of high service standards through active floor leadership and team engagement.
• Build strong working relationships with museum stakeholders, assisting in responding to feedback and ensuring client satisfaction.
• Help oversee budgets, stock controls, and staffing levels to meet commercial targets and drive operational efficiency.
• Ensure full compliance with Health & Safety and Food Safety regulations, supporting training and policy implementation.
• Lead, motivate, and support teams across multiple outlets, assisting with training, scheduling, and performance management.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives and operational improvements, aligning day-to-day delivery with organisational goals.

Who We’re Looking For

• Experience as an Assistant Manager, Operations Manager, or Deputy General Manager within hospitality, ideally in visitor attractions or multi-outlet venues.
• Proven ability to support the running of busy café and retail environments with high footfall and varied service styles.
• Strong financial awareness and understanding of budgets, cost control, and labour management.
• Excellent leadership skills, with experience motivating teams and supporting training and development.
• Confident communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• A passion for food, service, and delivering memorable visitor experiences.
• Ability to adapt in a fast-paced environment, supporting both daily operations and longer-term development projects.

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together. Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplace as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.

Job Reference: com/2711/60031001/52778121/SU #RA Venues

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive – because diversity is our strength!