Food and Beverage General Manager

About the role:

Our Food and Beverage department are a key part in providing our passengers with a smooth and positive journey through our airport. We bet you’re thinking “so what is it I will actually be doing day to day?” well….  

• As the General Manager, I’m responsible for the full operational, financial, and customer experience performance of all Food and Beverage outlets across the airport. These currently include cafés, a pub, a premium lounge, and dynamic pop-up bars and eateries, all operating in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• I’m responsible for ensuring that every outlet delivers outstanding service, strong commercial results, and compliance with all regulatory standards—while creating a welcoming experience for every guest.
• I lead large, diverse teams, driving a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement across all aspects of food and beverage delivery.
• I will fully embody the Airports ‘One Team’ culture and understand that there may be times when I am required to undertake other activities to support the needs of the business.  
• I understand that the Airport is in operation 24/7 so I may be scheduled and expected to work any shift during operating hours, this will include early mornings, late nights, weekends, and bank holidays

Core Activities:

Customer Experience

I champion consistent, high-quality guest experiences across all outlets

I ensure each outlet always delivers its concept and presentation standards

Team Leadership, Development & Training

I lead and support outlet Assistant Managers and their teams to achieve operational and service excellence

I drive colleague engagement, recognition, and retention across the Food and Beverage team

Commercial & Financial Performance

I deliver and manage sales, gross profit, and cost budgets across all locations

I monitor and control key metrics including labour, produce margins, and overall wastage management

Safety, Compliance & Allergen Management

I ensure full compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations, including HACCP (utilising Shield) and local authority standards’

I lead on Rachel’s Law compliance; ensuring robust allergen awareness, controls, and customer communication are in place

Stakeholder Engagement & Airport Collaboration

I am the primary contact for airport partners and regulatory bodies

I ensure alignment with airport policies, operational requirements, and shared goals

How I do it:

Customer Experience

I plan and adapt quickly to airport passenger flows and route performance trends to maintain smooth service delivery and optimal revenue

Team Leadership, Development & Training

I deliver structured onboarding and ongoing training, ensuring all management and colleagues are trained, and able to deliver their roles with confidence.

I support succession planning and leadership development across all outlets

Commercial & Financial Performance

I work with the Head of Commercial Optimisation to analyse sales trends, guest feedback, and performance data to identify opportunities and drive profitability

I plan and implement new revenue initiatives, seasonal promotions, and commercial activations

Safety, Compliance & Allergen Management

I will work with Shield to conduct regular safety checks and audits

Ensure all team members are trained and regularly refreshed on safety, hygiene, and allergen procedures

Stakeholder Engagement & Airport Collaboration

I will positively represent the food and beverage operation in meetings and planning sessions, contributing to the long-term success of the Airport overall

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:

Sounds good so far? You’re probably wondering “What skills and experience do I need for this role?” there are just a handful of skills you need in order to undertake this role, everything else we can teach you, if you can answer yes to all of the below requirements you have the required skills:  

• I have a minimum of 3 years’ successful experience in a senior food and beverage management role within a high-volume hospitality environment, with annual turnover exceeding £5 million
• I have strong commercial acumen and a track record of performing against sales, cost, and profit targets
• I hold current, in-depth knowledge of food safety, licensing laws, allergen legislation (including Rachel’s Law), and HACCP principles. Experience working with Sheild safety is preferable.
• I have proven ability to lead, develop, and inspire large, diverse teams in a fast-paced, customer-facing setting
• I hold relevant industry qualifications in food safety, hospitality management, or business operations (e.g., Level 3/4 Food Safety, Hospitality Management BTEC/degree, Personal Licence Holder)

If you require any reasonable adjustments regarding these points, please talk to us during the interview process.

Salary - up to £60,000.00 per annum dependant on experience.

Benefits:

Now that you understand the role and possess all the necessary skills, we would like to share more about our outstanding benefits package. We take great pride in these offerings, as they are designed with the wellbeing and job satisfaction of every colleague in mind! Here’s a small insight into some of our amazing benefits.

• Apprenticeships – we are proud to offer our colleagues the opportunity to gain valuable qualifications from level 3 through to level 7 (Master’s Degree Level) all whilst being at work. These courses are fully funded and available in a huge variety of disciplines.
• Medicash - London Southend Airport fund cover for all airport colleagues. Giving colleagues access to virtual GP & Physio appointments, access to the Skin Vision app, several retail discounts, and with our bespoke healthcare cash plan, you can claim back what you spend on your everyday health expenses.
• Discounted BUPA dental plan 
• Access to a Wellbeing app containing amazing features such as a mood tracker, live chat or telephone counselling service.
• Employee Assistance Programme to confidentially support and provide advice and guidance to our colleagues with all health and legal related issues.
• ‘My Gym Discounts’ giving up to 25% off memberships with over 3,800 gyms throughout the UK.
• Mental Health First Aiders - We are extremely proud to have qualified and experienced mental health first aiders working fulltime at London Southend Airport who are on hand to provide colleagues with support. 
• Cycle to Work Scheme giving a saving of up to 21-39%RRP on bikes and accessories 
• Costco Membership scheme. 
• World Duty Free Discount.
• Arriva buses discounts. 

Sound good? Hit that apply button, we can’t wait to hear from you!