Director of Food & Drink
WELCOME TO A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES AT THE UK’s #1 GREAT PLACE TO WORK 2025, AS VOTED BY OUR TEAM MEMBERS!
A new era begins at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
Located in the heart of Mayfair, London Hilton on Park Lane was the first Hilton to open within the UK and is close to all that London has to offer. Soaring high above Park Lane, the hotel is famed for its unparalleled five-star luxury. With 453 spacious guest rooms, including 56 suites and a Presidential Suite, there is something for all.
2023 was the hotel’s 60th anniversary, which has seen the refurbishment of Executive rooms and suites as well as a re-development of the lobby level, including a brand new restaurant and bar.
BENEFITS
· Competitive salary & bonus
· 28 days paid holiday increasing with service
· Exclusive high-street discounts through Perks at Work portal
· Industry-leading Team Member discounts on hotel stays for you, your family and friends
· Access to leadership and development programmes through Hilton University
· Worldwide career opportunities and wellbeing programmes to help you thrive in the workplace
· Reward programmes, incentives and team member recognition, as well as long service awards
· 50% off in Hilton restaurants and bars (subject to individual outlets)
· Refer a Friend Scheme
· Opportunities to be recognised for being awesome and doing a great job
· Free meals on shift
JOB OVERVIEW
The Director of F&D is responsible for the successful management and commercial performance of all F&D and partnerships in the hotel. This is a key role in the hotel leadership team.
· Are you passionate about operating market-leading restaurants and bars?
· Do you enjoy delivering world class conference and events?
· Do you know what it takes to inspire your team to create exceptional customer experiences every time?
· Are you a pioneer in F&D trends, social media and marketing?
· As a leader, are you supportive and inclusive?
If so, the Director of F&D role is tailor-made for you!
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
As Director of F&D, your key responsibilities will be:
1. Commercial Performance
· Develop the F&D Operations business plan, considering market strategy, financial targets and business volumes, as well as customer and team member experience.
· Partner with the Commercial team to develop and execute powerful F&D sales, marketing and social media plans.
· Manage F&D key partnerships to develop and maintain successful stakeholder relations.
· Manage the F&D venue operations budget and forecast to support achievement of the hotel’s commercial goals.
· Manage one of London’s largest and most prestigious meeting and event hotels.
· Review departmental results - including sales, costs, profit margins, covers, guest satisfaction - and take action with the F&D management team to improve performance.
2. Excellent Food & Drinks
· Partner with the Culinary team to create attractive F&D concepts, menus, products and promotions that drive revenue and profit.
· Deliver high-quality, well-presented food and beverage to meet guests’ needs - and social media feeds!
· Champion Hilton’s sustainability goals through local sourcing, use of seasonal produce and minimizing food waste.
3. Exceptional Guest Experiences
· Deliver exceptional guest experiences by maintaining consistently high service standards and product knowledge throughout the F&D team.
· Make sure that food allergies and dietary requirements are treated with absolute seriousness.
· Review and act on guest feedback, taking prompt action to resolve guest complaints and improve guest loyalty.
· Enhance the hotel’s image through online reputation management for F&D, driving positive reviews on key platforms and websites.
4. Great Working Environment
· Lead, develop and inspire the F&D Operations team, creating an inclusive environment where all Team Members can thrive and achieve their professional goals.
· Practice great people management, from recruitment to training to succession planning and recognition.
· Develop an efficient F&D Operations workforce plan to identify current and future needs based on forecast business volumes, budgets and HR guidelines.
· Communicate well and often, building great relationships with key stakeholders.
5. Day-To-Day Essentials
· Make sure F&D operations strictly comply with all regulations (including health, safety and hygiene, food safety certification, licensing) and that potentially hazardous situations are identified, reported and corrected.
· Work with the Purchasing team to select suppliers and create efficient purchasing processes.
· Keep up to date with what’s happening in F&D – current and future trends, markets, ingredients, competitors and suppliers – to drive innovation.
· Serve as the Weekend Manager on Duty in the absence of senior hotel leadership, overseeing and supporting all aspects of hotel operations.
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We’re looking for an inspirational leader who is passionate about food and drinks, with at least 3 years’ experience in a similar role and an internationally recognized degree or diploma. Experience of similar capacity in an international luxury hotel F&D operation or independent restaurant and bar group is a requirement.
To be successful in this position you will have:
· Commercial focus, with a demonstrated ability to deliver exceptional business performance and results.
· Inspirational leadership and people management skills, experienced in leading, developing and motivating a large team and working effectively with other departments.
· Excellent verbal and written communication deliver a compelling message for the right audience, from team briefings to commercial action skills to business presentations to representing the hotel publicly.
· Guest focus, maintaining the highest standards of service and quality to create memorable guest experiences.
· Effective relationship management skills to build good working relationships with key stakeholders, internally and externally, including suppliers, local media and influencers.
· Creativity, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment while remaining calm and focused under pressure.
You will be also fluent in English, a social media expert, and comfortable using F&D systems and MS Office.
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
· A competitive salary and benefits package
· Worldwide career opportunities
· Access to leadership development programs and hundreds of courses through Hilton University
· Industry-leading Team Member travel rates through Go Hilton
· Wellbeing initiatives to help you thrive and be your best self.
· A workplace to be proud of and recognized as the “No. 1 Best Place to Work.”
· Opportunities to be recognized for being awesome and doing a great job.
· Support and guidance from our Corporate F&D experts, when you need it.
USEFUL TO KNOW: This position is full-time and may require working weekend and/or evening shifts.
Reporting to:
- Director of Operations
Responsible for:
- Restaurant & Bar General Managers
- Director of C&E
- Director of Wine
- In-Room Dining
- Commercial performance
- Restaurant Reservations
Works closely with:
- Venue partners
- Culinary & Stewarding Teams
- Commercial Team
- Marketing Team
- Third Party Suppliers
- Health & safety
EVERY JOB MAKES THE STAY.
At Hilton, It Matters Where You Stay, but The Stay is only one side of the story.
We know it takes hundreds of jobs to create unforgettable experiences for our guests – and behind every job, there’s an extraordinary person working to make each Stay magical. That’s why at Hilton, Every Job Makes the Stay.
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