KNOWSLEY HALL OPERATIONS - APRIL 2021 Knowsley Hall
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
RECRUITMENT
PACK
KNOWSLEY HALL OPERATIONS
MANAGER
LOCATION:
Knowsley Hall
APRIL 2021
INTRODUCTION Thank you for your interest in this role and working at The Knowsley Estate, we hope that this recruitment pack provides you with the information that you need to pursue your application. Please ensure that you read all parts of this document in order to complete your application as requested. This pack contains the following: • About the Knowsley Estate • Knowsley Hall • Benefits of Working at The Knowsley Estate • The Role • The Person • How to Apply
ABOUT THE KNOWSLEY ESTATE Home to The Earl and Countess of Derby, The Knowsley Estate is comprised of two operating entities. Firstly, Stanley Enterprise, the leisure arm of the business, focussing on outstanding quality of customer service and guest experience and home to two great Merseyside icons – Knowsley Hall and Knowsley Safari. Secondly, The Stanley Estate and Stud Company which operates the landed side of the business including farmland, residential properties and Stanley Grange Business Village. Further afield in Newmarket near Cambridge, is Stanley House Stud and which is home to the family’s ‘Mare in a Million’ – Ouija Board. The walled Estate covers over 2500 acres and has been in the ownership of the Stanley Family since 1385 and from that time the history of the family has been closely intertwined with the history of the country. If you delve into the family’s history, you’ll discover that Lord Stanley was created the 1st Earl on the battlefield of Bosworth by Henry VII, the 14th Earl was Prime Minister three times, the 15th Earl was Foreign Secretary and the 17th Earl was Minister of War during the First World War and involved in negotiating the Treaty of Versailles. The beautiful park was landscaped with the advice of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in the 1770’s. The park was extended in the nineteenth century and is enclosed by a stone wall 9 ½ miles long. At times in its long history, the park has contained a racecourse and (reputedly) a gold- mine. At The Knowsley Estate, we know that ultimately, it is our staff’s commitment and hard work that will drive us forward. It is our vision to value and invest in our people to inspire them to channel their pride and passion in their work towards our goals. We are committed to the personal development of our staff where aspirations can be met and opportunities are available.
KNOWSLEY HALL Even for such an impressive stately home, Knowsley Hall boasts an exceptional depth and breadth of history with links to the locality as well as on the national and international stage. As a grade II listed site, it is of enormous significance on these stages in a multitude of ways and represents a progressive and forward-thinking establishment. Upon inheriting the estate, Lord and Lady Derby found it their mission to return Knowsley Hall to its former grandeur and important significance. The restoration works were led by Lady Derby herself and any decoration is still achieved with Lady Derby at the helm. Aside from being an award winning exclusive-use wedding venue of not insignificant repute and the highest quality, Knowsley Hall is highly regarded as a holiday home taken by UHNW individuals for 3 to 5 days as well as a burgeoning incentive-market hospitality space targeted towards a discerning local, national and global audience. The teams here operate very much as a family and the culture is one of support and inclusion – every single person strives for the highest standards at all times. As the team navigate this exciting journey they aim to innovate and proactively develop as yet untapped revenue streams in order to further the reputation of the Hall itself, the recognition of the locale as one which competes with the very best in the UK, and the Family as well as the wider group including Knowsley Safari Park among other hospitality and related spaces. In order to ensure the best possible position for this exciting chapter in Knowsley Hall’s journey, a HOM is sought to lead and guide the team, reporting into Lord and Lady Derby.
BENEFITS OF WORKING AT
KNOWSLEY
▪ 33 days’ annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays), increasing with service (pro rata
in line with contract)
▪ Access to a generous pension scheme
▪ Complimentary tickets to Knowsley Safari
▪ Free entry to affiliated zoo’s and collections through BIAZA
▪ Discounts on a range of products and services offered by the Estate
▪ Investment from us into you and your role
▪ Estate Summer BBQ and Christmas Tea Party staff events
▪ Health Shield Healthcare including health cash plan to cover costs such as dental
and optical.
▪ Employee Assistance Programme, a 24/7 counselling and support helpline to
discuss any worries anonymously.
▪ PERKS online discount scheme
▪ Celebration of Service awards
▪ Cycle to Work scheme
▪ Free car parking
THE ROLE
J O B T IT L E Knowsley Hall Operations Manager
C O NT R A C T T Y P E Permanent
Your normal working hours are those
reasonably required for the fulfilment of your
W O R K I NG HO UR S
duties. You will be expected to work bank
holidays, evenings, and weekends.
R E P O R T T O Lord and Lady Derby
Events Managers, Estate Office Manager, Head
D IR E C T R E P O R T S
Chef, and Head Housekeeper.
Lord and Lady Derby, Curator, Hall Steward,
Senior Executive Officer, Chief of Staff, Senior
Leadership Team, Property Services
K E Y C ON T A C T S
Department, Estate Manager, the Parks &
Gardens team, Security, and members of the
Private Household team.
The following job description has been designed to give a clear definition of the role but it is
hoped that the employee will seek to develop the role to the best of their ability and that the
role can and will be developed to make full use of their potential.
Purpose of the Role
The Hall Operations Manager (HOM) is responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations at
Knowsley Hall, including the leadership and management of the kitchen, housekeeping and
operational teams, and the overall guest experience. They will provide the single leadership
of the stately home working closely with the Earl & Countess of Derby and the Senior
Leadership Team on the strategic planning for the events & hospitality business ensuring the
preservation of the Grade II* historic building, the efficient operations of the teams & events,
and ultimately guest satisfaction.
The HOM is an ambassador for the Knowsley Brand and does everything within their power
to ensure the standards which we expect and for which we are known, are always there or
above to delight our guests and ensure a truly memorable experience at Knowsley Hall.
The HOM will be responsible for leading the management team, managing profitability, guest
satisfaction, and overall Events targets, and will be flexible in their approach towards their
responsibilities.
By the nature of the building, the size of the team and the centrality of the Hall to the
Knowsley Brand, the role is hands on, delivering the personal touch exemplified by Lord &
Lady Derby and maintaining the standards they require of their home. It is important that our
HOM understands, lives, and breathes this.
You will safeguard and enhance Knowsley Hall as a historic stately home, and outstanding
events venue.
Main Duti es and Responsibilitie s
Leaders hip
• Continuously review the Company’s standards, looking for ways to enhance company
standard and service.
• Dealing with day-to-day staff issues to ensure that our teams have what they need
and know what they are responsible for. Ensure that our people are doing their jobs
effectively and efficiently.
• Developing policies and procedures to deliver the Hall’s objectives.
• Demonstrate a guest focussed attitude to your team.
• Hold regular briefings and meetings with all managers.
• Communicate strategy and results to Knowsley Hall employees ensuring that they
understand and are able to contribute to the strategy.
• Uphold the highest ethical standards for yourself and others.
• Be the exemplar for professionalism and customer service, present a positive and
professional image to all visitors, suppliers, enquiries, and other interactions.
Finance
• Responsible for the financial performance of Events within Knowsley Hall.
• Responsible for F&B GP, reporting results against budgets.
• Ensure appropriate purchasing for all equipment and supplies for each department
and sign off relevant invoices.
• Ensure a strong understanding of P&L statements and react with impactful strategies.
• Ensures, through department heads, effective stock controls and that regular
stocktakes are conducted and inventoried.
• With support from the Financial Controller, develop the annual operating budget
including revenue forecasts.• Review and analyse activities, costs, operations and forecast data to determine
progress towards Hall objectives.
• Develop improvement actions and carry out costs savings.
Oper ations
• To lead the weekly Hall Operations meeting ensuring that all departments are
communicating effectively and that all departments are aware of where they need to
coordinate with each other on tasks or events.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of Knowsley Hall.
• Open and close the building during office hours or where required.
• Act as an out of hours contact.
• Support the Sales & Marketing team in completing show rounds for potential clients.
• Deal with all filming enquiries and recces on site.
• Complete menu tasting with clients.
• Run events in line with events operational procedures.
• Run post event evaluation meetings.
• Control labour costs and enhance productivity.
• Work with the Estate Manager and Parks & Gardens team to ensure that the Hall is
always looking its best for our clients.
• Ensure efficient operational systems; identify and solve operational problems.
• Plan for and implement changes and improvements to the physical operation.
• Investigate and assesses hazards, risks, and incidents implementing the necessary
procedures and policy.
• Ensure Knowsley Hall has the appropriate risk assessments in place for events.
• Deal with visitors, contractors, and suppliers ensuring that they are supervised when
working within Knowsley Hall.
• Working with the Property Services department, you are responsible for the H&S of
Knowsley Hall staff and the building’s compliance.
• Be the designated premises supervisor and hold a personal license.
• Working with key contacts, be responsible for the security of Knowsley Hall.
Safeguardi ng of the Hall and Collection
• Work as a team to safeguard the Hall, Derby collection and other contents of the
building on a daily basis by ensuring that everyone adheres to the Derby Collection
guidelines.
• Working with the Curator to ensure safeguarding of the Derby Collection during
events by developing Events procedures and ensure that these are communicated to
all staff.• Monitor and report on any damage from events.
• Assist the Curator in the management of the annual Spring Clean for both front and
back of house.
• Ensure that the environmental conditions of the building and the activities of the
Events and Housekeeping team are maintained to set standards and procedures, this
includes the monitoring of humidifiers and dehumidifiers.
Customer S atisfacti on
• Ensure that the highest standards of customer service are provided by all staff in line
with our customer service standards.
• Regularly review standards procedures for all departments under your leadership,
including completing spot checks, highlighting to the team areas for improvement
where found.
• Attend to customer complaints or concerns promptly and with professionalism,
empathy, providing feedback and initiating corrective action where required.
• Ensure that the team maintain a high level of personal presentation, wearing correct
uniform and offering a professional, courteous, and friendly service.
• Monitor customer satisfaction.
• Complete quality checks for each department to ensure consistent high quality in
everything we do.
People
• Ensures that departments are correctly staffed at all times, checking rotas, and
managing annual leave.
• Ensure that all members of the team maintain a guest focussed attitude.
• Complete return to works with members of the teams, passing over to HR when
completed.
• Responsible for onboarding new starters, introducing them to the business and the
expectations we have of them and the team. You will be expected to spend time with
line managers and the new starter to see how they are doing in their first 90 days.
• Provide training to members of the team where required.
• Conduct regular performance appraisals (internally referred to as ‘RADs’), identifying
areas for development and ensuring that all training is effective.
• Ensure the development and maintenance of job descriptions.
Strategy
• Analyse market trends making recommendations to the senior leadership team
ensuring that Knowsley Hall remains competitive in the market.• Assist with determining product and pricing strategies to meet business targets.
• Looking for new opportunities and enhancing existing opportunities and putting
forward any ideas to the senior leadership team.
Due to the nature of this role, you may be required to undertake other reasonable duties from
time to time in addition to your normal duties to meet the needs of the business.
Where does this role sit within Knowsley?
Lord and Lady Derby
Senior Leadership
Team
Hall Operations
Manager
Events Ops
Team
Kitchen Team
Housekeeping
TeamTHE PERSON This role will suit someone who is calm under pressure, organised, has a great attention to detail and loves being part of everything in a small business, and who will take full responsibility for the work they are leading on. You will enjoy a challenge within a dynamic environment, be great with your time management and have the ability to motivate and lead a team. Our ideal candidate will have previous experience working in a boutique hotel or similar. You will be expected to have the following skills, qualities, and experience: • Excellent leadership skills to be able to lead teams and individuals effectively so they can perform at the best of their ability with proven experience of delivery results with a team. • The ability to build effective relationships throughout the organisation to inspire trust and confidence. • Excellent financial understanding of reports and budgets. • Excellent communication skills with the ability to resolve issues appropriately. • A can-do attitude. • Enthusiasm for providing the ultimate guest experience. • Display the ability to be decisive and able to react to unforeseen circumstances. • Proven practical experience of setting up and maintaining effective and efficient workflow with the ability to self-motivate and prioritise within a complex workload. • An outstanding attention to detail. • Proactive, organised, and methodical with an ability to grasp detail and complexity and reach appropriate resolutions. • Strong conflict and complaint resolutions skills. • High level of personal and professional commitment. • Proven experience of using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
HOW TO APPLY
Please send your covering letter and CV to recruitment@knowsley.com, please state your
current notice period.
At The Knowsley Estate, we support sustainable practices, to support us in this, we ask that
all CVs are sent in by email. However, where email is unavailable, please post to:
Human Resources, Knowsley Safari, Prescot, Merseyside, L34 4AN.
AP P L IC AT IO N
Monday 10 May 2021
C L O S I NG D AT E
First Stage Interviews – Tuesday 18 May 2021
I NT E R VIE W D AT E
Second Stage Interviews – Wednesday 26 May 2021You can also read
