Food and Beverage Manager

Dakota Newcastle; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discounts

Referral bonuses

Additional holiday

Meals on duty

Job summary

Dakota Newcastle is seeking a Food & Beverage Manager to lead our restaurant, bar and events teams. You will drive guest experiences, manage operations and develop staff in a fast-paced, hospitality-focused environment.

The role requires strong leadership, wine knowledge and a hands-on approach to delivering exceptional service across multiple venues within the property.

Qualifications

• At least 1 year as Bar/Restaurant Manager or above in a full-service setting.
• Minimum 4 years experience working in restaurants.
• Experience writing wine lists and developing team members.
• Knowledge of wines and high-end service standards; WSET level 2+ beneficial.
• Demonstrates confident, hands-on leadership.
• Outgoing with strong communication skills.
• Able to work at pace and be proactive.
• Enthusiastic, positive culture ambassador.
• Task-oriented with pride in work and attention to detail.
• Flexible with shifts to meet business needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire the F&B team to deliver high service standards.
• Oversee daily operations of Bar, Restaurant, Private Dining and Events.
• Recruit, coach and develop team; conduct regular one-to-one meetings.
• Maintain top standard of F&B quality across operations.
• Drive revenue with sales strategies and upselling.
• Manage payroll, labour costs, stock and financial targets.
• Build guest relationships by addressing feedback promptly.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to enhance guest experience.
• Oversee workforce planning, rotas and staffing levels.
• Ensure food safety, allergens, licensing and health & safety compliance.
• Undertake Duty Manager responsibilities when required.

Skills

Wine knowledge

People management

Communication

Leadership

Shift flexibility

Education

WSET Level 2

Job description

We are seeking a hospitality professional with a passion for great food and wine for the role of Food and Beverage Manager.

PRIMARY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

The Food & Beverage Manager is responsible for the commercial and operational success of Dakota Newcastle's Food & Beverage operation, including our 100-cover Grill, 60-cover Cocktail Bar, incorporating the Champagne Room and Cigar Terrace, 60-cover Tyne Suite events space, and 30-cover Library private events space.

The role is accountable for delivering exceptional guest experiences across our restaurant, bar, and events operations, including:

• Lead and inspire the Food & Beverage team to deliver exceptional guest experiences and consistently high service standards.
• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the Bar, Restaurant, Private Dining and Events spaces, ensuring smooth and efficient service.
• Recruit, coach and develop team members, driving performance through training, feedback and regular one-to-one meetings.
• Maintain the highest standards of food, beverage and service quality across all areas of the operation.
• Drive revenue growth through effective sales strategies, upselling and commercial decision-making.
• Manage departmental performance, including payroll, labour costs, stock control and financial targets.
• Build strong guest relationships by handling feedback and resolving concerns professionally and promptly.
• Work closely with senior leadership, sales and marketing teams to enhance the guest experience and support business growth.
• Oversee workforce planning, rotas and staffing levels to meet operational demands.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, allergen management, licensing, health & safety and data protection requirements.
• Undertake Duty Manager responsibilities when required, leading the hotel operation and responding effectively to guest, team and emergency situations.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

The successful applicant will have/be:

• At least one years’ experience as a Bar or Restaurant Manager or above in a similar calibre of full-service restaurant with experience in writing rotas, delivering training, and daily people management.
• A minimum of fouryears experienceworking inrestaurants.
• Demonstrable experience in writing wine lists, the development of team members, and F&B revenue maximisation.
• Comprehensive knowledge of wines and high-end service standards. Certification in WSET level 2 or above is beneficial.
• A confident leader with a hands-on approach to leading a team
• Be an outgoing personality with effective communication skills.
• Ability to work at pace and be proactive for the duration of your shift.
• An enthusiastic individual who will promote our culture of positivity.
• Be task oriented witha great pridefor the work they do and attention to detail.
• Flexible with shift patterns and available around the needs of our business.

WHAT WE OFFER

In addition to being part of a culture infused with positivity and opportunity for ongoing development, tangible benefits you could enjoy when you join our team include:

FINANCIAL

• Special discounts on stays and dining at any Dakota
• Bonuses to recommend a friend to join our team and every time you are mentioned on Trip Advisor
• Additional holiday day on the first anniversary of your employment
• Meals on duty and uniforming

WELLBEING

• Access to our Employee Assistance Program which includes free private mental health support and counselling sessions, video GP consultations and private prescription services, as well as access to daily rewards to be cashed out for shopping vouchers
• Support from our inhouse Mental Health Champions
• Family-friendly flexible working options
• Participation in meaningful initiatives such as Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning and the Walk for Wellbeing, Supporting causes that matter while connecting with colleagues

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Accredited, certified compliance training given on employment
• Access to a suite of external, certified resources via our Learning Management System
• Supportive continuous professional development culture with an annual appraisal and objectives, or a Personal Development Plan
• Opportunities to undertake both internal and external training courses, including potential for in-house Apprenticeships

Full terms on our benefits can be found in our Handbook.