National Food & Drinks Development Manager

Leisure Employment Services; Hemel Hempstead; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance

Annual bonus

Hotel discounts

Wellbeing support

Corporate box access

Partner discounts

Learning & development

Family-friendly pay

Job summary

Haven in Hemel Hempstead is recruiting a National Food & Beverage Development Manager to lead the F&B strategy, translate plans into annual programs and drive profitable development across parks. You will own menu development, allergen compliance, safety standards and pricing, working with Operations, Finance, Procurement, Digital and Marketing to maximise guest satisfaction and commercial returns.

The role is hybrid (2 office days, 2 park days, 1 home) with a focus on strategic execution, team

Qualifications

• Proven F&B development leadership experience within large scale operations
• Strong understanding of park structures and Central Operations
• Knowledge of allergy compliance, safety standards and pricing strategy

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the F&B development strategy and annual plans
• Lead technical menu builds, allergen compliance, safety standards and pricing
• Collaborate with Ops, Finance, Procurement, Digital, Marketing and Licensing to optimise volume and guest experience
• Drive insight-led performance using data, trends and guest insights to shape NPD

Skills

F&B leadership

Strategic planning

Pricing strategy

Allergen compliance

Cross-functional collab

Team leadership

Communication

Data-driven

Education

Level 3 Food Safety

Tools

Word

Excel

Adobe

Job description

National Food & Beverage Development Manager Hemel Hempstead (Hybrid – 2 days office, 2 days park, 1 day at home per week) Annual salary + bonus and benefits

Step into a pivotal role shaping the future of Food & Beverage at Haven. As our Food & Beverage Development lead, you’ll define and deliver a bold, commercially driven development strategy that brings our F&B growth ambitions to life and complements our wider business plans. Blending strategic vision with deep technical expertise, you’ll unlock performance through innovative propositions, smart pricing strategies and best‑in‑class development processes. You’ll play a critical role in ensuring every part of our offer is safe, compliant and future‑ready—while working collaboratively across Operations, Digital, Finance, Product, People, H&S and L&D to turn strategy into impact. If you’re excited by creating compelling food and drink experiences that drive growth and delight guests, this is your opportunity to make a real difference.

What you will be doing:

Owning and leading the F&B Development strategy, aligning it to the wider F&B growth plan and translating it into clear annual plans, test‑and‑trial programmes and critical paths that enable effective park handover and delivery. Acting as the F&B Development subject matter expert, leading technical menu builds, allergen compliance, safety standards and pricing strategy, while ensuring all development activity delivers strong commercial returns. Partnering cross‑functionally and with parks to implement F&B development plans, working closely with Operations, Finance, Procurement, Digital, Marketing, Proposition and Licensing to optimise volume, profit and guest experience. Driving insight‑led performance and innovation, using data, market trends and guest insight to shape NPD, recommend growth opportunities and deliver simpler, better, lower‑cost solutions across the F&B estate. Leading, developing and supporting teams and capability, championing operational excellence, supporting training and SOP development, nurturing talent and ensuring consistent, safe and high‑quality execution of all F&B development activity.

What we’d like you to bring:

Proven experience leading F&B development with a strong understanding of park structures, Central Operations, and current industry trends and horizon scanning. Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of leading senior‑level discussions and balancing guest, team, and stakeholder needs with strategic thinking and effective decision‑making. Strong coaching, organisational, time management, and critical thinking skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines efficiently. Comprehensive knowledge of technical food management systems, Level 3 Food Safety, advanced food hygiene, and proficient in Word, Excel, and Adobe software. Demonstrated leadership experience, including team management, situational leadership, change management, and the ability to build collaborative relationships while embodying Haven’s Leadership behaviours.

What’s In It For You?

• 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays + Holiday Buy Scheme
• Annual bonus
• Generous discounts on Haven and Warner Hotels holidays for you, your 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)

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. We operate a hybrid working model, meaning 50% of your working week will be spent at the office, occasionally on Park, or 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)