Head of Food and Beverage Operations

Leisure Employment Services; Hemel Hempstead; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

25 days holiday + bank holidays

20% discount on Haven holidays

Wellbeing support

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Haven is seeking a senior Head of Food & Beverage Operations to act as Deputy to the F&B Director, shaping the future of F&B across 38 seaside parks, with field-based responsibilities and regular travel to our Hemel Hempstead HQ.

In this high-profile leadership role you will lead a team of F&B Operational Support Managers and Franchise & New Openings Managers, partnering with senior leaders to drive performance, margin and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in Food & Beverage across multi-site operations.
• Experience in QSR, Fast Casual and Casual Dining environments.
• Proven ability to present to Boards and executive audiences.
• Strong P&L, margin and performance management capabilities.
• Leads with strategic thinking and change management.

Responsibilities

• Deputise to the F&B Director at senior leadership and Board forums.
• Lead planning and execution of pre-park opening and in-season operations.
• Champion operational excellence and robust reporting against the Balanced Scorecard.
• Partner with Finance, Digital, EPOS, H&S and Capital Development to enable growth.
• Develop and coach the F&B teams and managers across parks.
• Represent F&B at Board and Executive forums with performance insights.
• Drive launches and integration of new F&B propositions and openings.

Skills

Executive leadership

Franchise operations

P&L management

Multi-site operations

Board presentation

Financial acumen

Job description

Head of Food & Beverage Operations Field Based (regular travel to our parks and Hemel Hempstead HQ)

Permanent | Full Time Annual salary + bonus and benefits

About the role

Are you a senior Food & Beverage operator ready to take the next step into a role with genuine board-level visibility? If so, we want to hear from you. Haven is looking for a Head of Food & Beverage Operations to act as Deputy to the F&B Director and shape the future of F&B across our 38 seaside parks. This is a high-profile leadership role, sitting at the centre of a multi-brand, multi-site F&B operation. You’ll lead a team of F&B Operational Support Managers and Franchise & New Openings Support Managers, ensuring park teams have the insight, tools and partnership they need to deliver against their Balanced Scorecard targets. You’ll also be a trusted voice in the room with our senior leadership and Board, presenting performance, shaping strategy and championing operational excellence across both Haven’s own brands and our franchise partnerships. We’re looking for a proven senior leader, someone who has held multiple senior operational roles within Food & Beverage and is confident operating at pace, at scale, and in front of a Board. If you thrive on turning strategy into commercial results and want your next role to matter, this one will.

Your Opportunity

• Act as Deputy to the F&B Director, deputising at senior leadership and Board-level forums with confidence and credibility
• Serve as the core operational and franchise specialist, building strong strategic relationships with park F&B leadership and franchise partners
• Lead the planning and execution of pre-park opening, in-season operational, and closure plans across Haven and Franchise operations, ensuring consistent SOPs and safe systems
• Champion operational excellence driving efficiency, margin performance, best-practice sharing and robust reporting against the Balanced Scorecard
• Partner with Finance, Digital, EPOS, H&S and Capital Development to embed operating models and enable franchise growth
• Lead, coach and develop the F&B Operational Support Managers and Franchise & New Openings Support Managers, raising the bar on business partnering across parks
• Represent F&B Operations at Board and Executive forums, presenting performance, risks, opportunities and strategic recommendations
• Drive the successful launch and integration of new F&B propositions, franchise concepts and openings

What we’d like you to bring

• A track record built across multiple senior leadership roles in Food & Beverage operations
• Deep experience across QSR, Fast Casual and Casual Dining models, including franchise operations and complex multi-site environments
• Confident, credible communicator with proven experience presenting to Boards and executive audiences
• Strategic and commercially sharp, with advanced P&L, margin and performance management capability
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to turn data and insight into clear operational action
• Demonstrable experience in leadership, coaching, change management and performance management
• Comfortable operating under pressure with excellent time and project management discipline
• A natural relationship builder, able to influence and align stakeholders at every level, from park teams to the Board

Why Haven?

You’ll be part of a forward-thinking, supportive community where ideas are valued, learning is encouraged, and the network you build will power memorable guest experiences for millions every year. At Haven, we’re one great team, united by our passion for creating amazing experiences for our guests and our people. You’ll have access to training, mentoring, and opportunities to grow your career in a supportive, forward-thinking environment.

What’s In It For You?

• 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays + Holiday Buy Scheme
• Annual bonus
• 20% discount on both Haven and Warner Hotels holiday for you, family and friends
• Comprehensive wellbeing support
• Exclusive discounts with corporate partners
• Exciting career pathways, including Learning and Development opportunities such as Apprenticeships and Degrees
• Enhanced family friendly policies and pay (eligibility criteria applied)

Who are we?

We’re part of an award-winning Bourne Leisure family, which includes Haven & Warner Hotels. We have 9,000 fantastic team members and 39 beautiful seaside locations and our HQ based in Hemel Hempstead.

What’s it like to work with us?

Working with us is ultimately defined by our exceptional people and teams. At Haven, we take pride in our Breath of Fresh Air culture, which focuses on valuing and supporting every team member. We prioritise openness and transparency in our interactions allowing our team members to be their authentic selves. This is a field-based role, with regular travel to our parks across the UK and to our Hemel Hempstead HQ, alongside occasional attendance at external events.

What can you expect during the recruitment process?

The interview process will be up to 3 stages and may contain a presentation or skills test, depending on the role. If you require any support or reasonable adjustments to help you perform at your best during this process, please let us know.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and they are central to our mission. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries and we are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments or flexibility that you may require, including whether a role can be part-time or a job-share. We genuinely care about every candidate’s experience during the recruitment process and are here to provide support where we can.

What We Offer

• Holiday allowance that rises with service, plus a ‘Holiday Buy Scheme’
• Annual bonus
• 20% discount on both Haven and Warner Hotels holiday for you, family and friends
• Comprehensive wellbeing support
• Access to the Bourne Leisure corporate box at the O2 Arena, London
• Exclusive discounts with corporate partners
• Exciting career pathways, including Learning and Development opportunities such as Apprenticeships and Degrees
• Enhanced family friendly policies and pay (eligibility criteria applied)

Welcome, and thank you for considering a future with our team. We’re glad you’re here! At Haven, we believe a career should be more than just a job — it should be something you love. As the UK’s leading holiday operator, we’re proud to offer exciting job opportunities. With over 9,000 amazing team members, 39 stunning seaside locations, and a vibrant support centre in Hemel Hempstead, we’re all about creating unforgettable experiences — not just for our guests and holiday homeowners, but for our team too. From the coasts of Scotland to the shores of Cornwall, Norfolk to Wales, our parks are set in some of the UK’s most breath‑taking spots, where memories are made every single day. We’re passionate about what we do and have a lot of fun doing it — all thanks to our welcoming Breath of Fresh Air culture. If you’re thinking about joining us, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome you. Here’s to the start of something special at Haven!