General Manager

Heartwood Collection; Highcliffe-on-Sea; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

KPI-based bonus

TRONC

Private healthcare with Bupa

Stepping Stones training

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounts via Reward Gateway

EarlyPay access

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Referral bonus

Holiday purchase option

50% off food at Heartwood Inns and Br/

20% off for family and friends

Discounts on Inn bedrooms

Birthday gift

Long Service Recognition

Cycle to Work Scheme

Job summary

Heartwood Collection is seeking an exceptional General Manager to lead a premium pub/restaurant ahead of a major refurbishment. You will build a brilliant team, deliver outstanding guest experiences, and take ownership of standards, culture, sales, labour and profitability.

Experience in leading refurbishment, opening bedrooms or managing accommodation is highly valuable. You will inspire your teams, be guest-facing, and play a pivotal role in shaping the expanded Heartwood Inns and Brasserie

Qualifications

• 2–3+ years' experience as a General Manager in premium hospitality.
• Proven track record in high-volume fresh-food operation.
• Strong commercial understanding including P&L, labour, sales, KPIs and profitability.
• Ability to lead from the front and be highly visible with guests and staff.
• Passion for developing people and building strong management teams.
• High standards and attention to detail that create an exceptional guest experience.
• Confidence managing all aspects of a hospitality business, including rooms and reception where applicable.
• Desire to take ownership, drive performance and maximise site potential.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations across the pub, restaurant and forthcoming bedrooms to deliver outstanding guest experiences.
• Develop and mentor the team; build a strong management structure and guest-centric culture.
• Prepare for refurbishment, launch new bedrooms and unlock full business potential.
• Drive performance across standards, labour, sales, and profitability with a hands-on approach.

Skills

General Management

Hospitality Leadership

People Development

P&L Management

KPI Focus

Guest Experience

Job description

Exceptional General Managers. Exceptional Hospitality.

At Heartwood Collection, we’re not just looking for a General Manager; we are looking for an exceptional hospitality leader who can build a brilliant team, deliver outstanding guest experiences, and take a successful business to the next level.

The Oaks is an established and much-loved pub with an exciting future ahead. In early 2027, the site will undergo a major refurbishment and introduce 20 beautiful boutique bedrooms, transforming it into an even more impressive hospitality destination.

This is a rare opportunity to join the business ahead of that transformation: strengthening the existing operation, developing the team and building strong relationships with guests and the local community. You will then play a leading role in preparing for the refurbishment, launching the new bedrooms and unlocking the full potential of the expanded business.

Across Heartwood Inns and Brasserie Blanc, our General Managers are at the heart of their businesses. They lead from the floor, know their guests, develop their people and take genuine ownership of everything from standards and culture to sales, labour and profitability.

You’ll be an accomplished General Manager with a strong track record in premium pubs, restaurants or fresh-food hospitality. Experience of leading a refurbishment, opening bedrooms or managing a business with accommodation would be particularly valuable

We’re particularly interested in leaders who can demonstrate:

• 2–3+ years' experience as a General Manager, ideally within a quality branded or multi-site hospitality environment
• A proven track record of running a successful, high-volume fresh-food operation
• Strong commercial understanding, including P&L, labour, sales, KPIs and profitability
• The ability to lead from the front and be highly visible with both guests and your team
• A passion for developing people and building strong management teams
• High standards and an eye for the details that create an exceptional guest experience
• Confidence managing all aspects of a hospitality business, including rooms and reception where applicable
• A genuine desire to take ownership, drive performance and make your site the very best it can be

Above all, we're looking for people-first leaders with personality, energy and ambition — General Managers who inspire their teams and genuinely love hospitality.

General Manager- The Benefits

• Competitive salary package including TRONC and KPI-based bonus
• 48-hour contract
• Private healthcare with Bupa
• Bespoke training and career development through our Stepping Stones programme
• Employee Assistance Programme with Hospitality Action
• Hundreds of discounts through Reward Gateway
• Instant access to pay through EarlyPay
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Up to £1,500 referral bonus
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days' holiday
• 50% off food at Heartwood Inns and Brasserie Blanc, plus 20% for family and friends
• Discounts across our beautiful Inn bedrooms
• Birthday gift and Long Service Recognition
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Join an award-winning collection

Heartwood Collection is proud to have been recognised as:

• Sunday Times Best Places to Work – 2024
• Double winner – Publican Awards 2024
• Best Pub Brand/Concept – Publican Awards 2025

If you're an experienced General Manager who knows how to lead people, drive a business and create hospitality that guests want to return to, we'd love to hear from you.

Bring your personality. Bring your standards. Bring your ambition. We'll give you the opportunity to make your mark.

Compensation: To be discussed