Head of Openings

Urban Pubs and Bars; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus

30% staff discount

Training & development

Senior leadership exposure

Opportunities to shape openings

Job summary

Urban Pubs & Bars in London is seeking a Head of Openings to lead new pub, bar and restaurant openings across the city. You will manage the openings team, coordinate operations, kitchen, people, marketing and development, and ensure each site is ready to welcome guests from day one.

The role requires hands-on leadership, strong recruitment and training skills, and a track record of delivering high-quality hospitality experiences.

Qualifications

• Experienced in opening new pubs, bars or restaurants.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Strong communicator who can bring different teams together.
• Confident recruiting and developing new teams.
• Hands-on and comfortable working on the floor when required.
• Commercially aware with a good understanding of costs and budgets.
• Passionate about fresh food, quality drinks and great hospitality.
• Calm under pressure and able to solve problems quickly.
• A natural leader who can inspire a team from the very beginning.
• Genuine care for creating great places for both teams and guests.

Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver new site openings across London.
• Coordinate recruitment, training, and standards for each opening.
• Lead on-site during openings, guiding teams and ensuring readiness from day one.
• Review openings to identify improvements for future sites.
• Collaborate with operations, kitchen, people, marketing and development teams.

Skills

Opening experience

Team leadership

Recruitment

Communication

Budget awareness

Job description

Head of Openings - Award Winning Pub, Bar & Restaurant Group - London

Urban Pubs, Bars & Restaurants are looking for a Head of Openings to lead the opening of our exciting new pubs, bars and restaurants across London.

We are an award-winning, growing business with a passion for creating brilliant pubs, bars and restaurants that are at the heart of their communities. Our sites are all individual, but they share the same values, great people, exceptional fresh food, brilliant drinks and outstanding hospitality.

As Head of Openings, you will play a key role in bringing our new sites to life and Managing the Openings Team (Openings Managers, Chefs and Front of House team).

Working closely with our Operations, Kitchen, People, Marketing and Development teams, you will take ownership of the opening process from the final stages of development through to launch and beyond.

This is a hands-on role for someone who loves the energy of an opening, thrives in a fast-paced environment and knows what it takes to build a great team and deliver an exceptional first impression.

The Role

You will be responsible for planning and delivering our new site openings, making sure every detail is ready before we open our doors.

From recruitment and training through to operational standards, suppliers, stock, systems and the guest experience, you will coordinate the different teams involved and make sure everyone is working towards the same goal.

You will be on the ground during openings, leading from the front, supporting the team and making sure the site is ready to deliver the standards we expect from day one.

You will also play an important role in reviewing each opening, identifying what worked well and what we can improve, helping us continually develop our opening process as we grow.

What We’re Looking For

• Experienced in opening new pubs, bars or restaurants
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail
• A strong communicator who can bring different teams together
• Confident recruiting, training and developing new teams
• Hands‑on and comfortable working on the floor when required
• Commercially aware with a good understanding of costs and budgets
• Passionate about fresh food, quality drinks and great hospitality
• Calm under pressure and able to solve problems quickly
• A natural leader who can inspire a team from the very beginning
• Someone who genuinely cares about creating great places for both our teams and guests

Most importantly, you will have energy, personality and a genuine passion for opening great pubs and restaurants.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary & bonus
• The opportunity to be part of an exciting and growing business
• 30% discount across all our pubs and restaurants
• Training and development opportunities
• The chance to work closely with our senior leadership team
• A varied role with the opportunity to influence how we open future sites
• The opportunity to help shape some of London's most exciting new pubs, bars and restaurants

If you love hospitality, enjoy building teams and get a real buzz from seeing a new site come to life, we'd love to hear from you.

Welcome to London's biggest independent pub company!

Urban Pubs & Bars was founded in 2014 and has since expanded to an estate of over 67 pubs, bars and restaurants across London.

In 2018, Urban Pubs & Bars was ranked number 28 in the Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 list, recognising Britain's private companies with the fastest-growing sales. We were then nominated for 2 Publican Awards in 2020, winning the award for 'Best Managed Pub Company - 2-50 sites' on the night. In 2021, Urban was awarded 'Best Food-led Pub Company 2021' at the R200 awards, Urban once again won 'Best Managed Pub Company - 2-50 sites' in 2023 and most recently won 'Best Managed Pub Company - 2-50 sites' and Best food offering in 2026 and In 2025 & 2026 we were recognised by Sunday Times in the Top 100 Companies to work for.