Senior General Manager
5 days ago
Bishop Auckland
The Auckland Project At the heart of our sites is Auckland Palace, the home of the Prince Bishops of Durham and the historic seat of faith and power in the North of England. The experience across our sites is deeply linked to those two themes and are repeated throughout the Palace and its gardens, the Faith Museum and the Mining Art and Spanish Galleries. The collection of our venues, spaces and places invites conversations about belonging, faith, loss, sacrifice, community, love and creativity. We would like our visitors to explore and to discover things about our town, our country and their own lives. We want to create encounters and need your help to do so. Welcome to a New Chapter in Bishop Auckland Hospitality Nestled in the heart of historic Bishop Auckland, our new 3-star-plus hotel offers more than just a place to stay it provides a warm Northern welcome, genuine hospitality, and a memorable connection to the rich heritage of the region. Inspired by the legacy of the Prince Bishops of Durham and the centuries of English history that have shaped this remarkable town, the hotel blends comfort, character, and exceptional service. From the moment you arrive, our friendly team is dedicated to ensuring every guest feels valued, relaxed, and truly at home. At the heart of our food and drink offering is a celebration of local provenance. Our menus showcase the very best produce from County Durham and the Northeast, complemented by seasonal fruit, vegetables, and herbs grown in our own historic walled garden. Fresh, sustainable, and packed with flavour, every dish tells a story of the landscape and people that surround us. Perfectly positioned for visitors exploring Kynren the UK's spectacular live-action outdoor show the hotel serves as a welcoming gateway to the region's past and present. Whether you're discovering the story of England through Kynren, exploring Auckland Palace and its Prince Bishop heritage, or simply enjoying the beauty of the local countryside, you'll find warm welcome, comfortable surroundings, and an authentic taste of the Northeast awaiting you. The role purpose The Senior General Manager will lead the strategic direction, pre-opening,launchand full operational performance of The Auckland Project Hotel. As a senior leader within theorganisation, you will be accountable for delivering an outstanding, commerciallysuccessfuland culturally aligned hotel experience that supports the wider visitor destination. This role will lead all aspects of hotel performance across the new hotel and our existing accommodation venues, ensuring exceptional visitor experiences aligned with the cultural and heritage vision of the Auckland Project, while delivering strong commercial results. You willoperateat both strategic and operational levels, ensuring the hotel becomes a flagship accommodation offering within theNortheast, while driving revenue growth, exceptional guestsatisfactionandstrong teamengagement. The role requires a dynamic and hands-on leader who can establish the hotel as a key part of the wider visitor destination, contributing to the growth of tourism and community engagement in the region. Flexible working hours, including weekends and bank holidays with a high level of on-site presence, particularly during pre-opening and early trading periods. Key Responsibilities and Tasks 1. Pre-Opening & Project Deliv ery Work with developers,contractors, leadership teamand internal stakeholders to ensure operational excellence and successful delivery. Establishall operational frameworks,systemsand brand standards Support on all pre-opening activities, including mobilisation, recruitment, onboarding, and training of the hotel team along with the director of Hospitality and HR Manager. Develop and implement operational policies, procedures, and service standards. Manage pre-opening budgets and timelines, ensuring a successful and timely launch. Contribute to the overall visitor experience strategy in alignment with the wider Auckland Project/ Eleven Arches (Kynren) 2. Operational Management Oversee the day-to-day running of the hotel across all departments ensuring seamless, high quality service delivery Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence Ensure consistently high standards of service, cleanliness, and presentation. Deliver an exceptional guest experience that reflects the heritage and cultural positioning of the Auckland Project. Implement operational improvements and best practices. Maintainstrong on-site leadership presence 3. Financial & Commercial Performance Own full P&L accountability & develop and set & manage annual budgets, forecasts, and commercial strategies. Drive revenue through effective pricing, occupancy management, and commercial initiatives. Drive KPIs such as occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and profitability. Manage costs effectively without compromising quality. Identifygrowth opportunities and partnerships 4. Strategic Leadership & Team Development Shape and deliver the hotels long-term strategy aligned with The Auckland Project vision Act as a senior ambassador for theorganisationlocally,regionallyand nationally Contribute to wider group planning and cross-functional initiatives Working with HR to recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing team. Foster & embed a positive, inclusive, and values-driven working culture. Ensure compliance with UK employment law and HR best practices. Build and lead a high-performing leadership team developing coaching and performance management skills. Lead workforce planning,successionand talent development 5. Sales, Marketing & Commercial Strategy Work closely with our Visitor Experience and Marketing teams to drive awareness and bookings. Build relationships with local businesses, tourism partners, and community organisations. Position the hotel as a key accommodation offering within County Durhams tourism market. Support group-wide initiatives and partnerships linked to the Auckland Project. 6. Guest Experience & Brand Delivery Champion a guest-first culture across all areas of the hotel ensuring a best-in-class guest experience aligned with heritage positioning. Monitor guest feedback and implement continuous improvements to enhance service delivery. Ensure the hotel experience complements and enhances the wider Auckland Project visitor journey. 7. Compliance & Health & Safety Ensure full compliance with UK legislation, including health & safety, fire safety, food hygiene, and licensing. Implement and maintain robust safety procedures and risk management systems. Ensure audit readiness and adherence to organisational policies. Oversee risk management, health &safetyand audit readiness 8. Stakeholder & Community Engagement Act as the main point of contact for internal stakeholders and external partners. Support the Auckland Projects mission, values, and community engagement objectives. Represent the hotel and The Auckland Project locally within the community and at industry events. Build strong relationships with tourism bodies,partnersand the community KPIs Deliver sustainable commercial performance by achieving and exceeding agreed revenue, profitability, gross margin, and cashflow targets across all business lines. Maintain full ownership of annual budgeting, forecasting, cost control, labour percentage and financial planning, while driving year-on-year growth and maximising return on investment. Lead an exceptional guest experience strategy , achieving and sustaining market-leading guest satisfaction, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and online reputation metrics across all platforms (including TripAdvisor, Google and other relevant channels). Demonstrate continuous improvement through service innovation, guest loyalty, and effective resolution of customer feedback. Build and lead a high-performing culture through exceptional people leadership, delivering strong employee engagement, talent retention, reduced voluntary turnover, robust succession planning, and leadership development. Create a culture of accountability, inclusion, wellbeing, and continuous improvement, ensuring the organisation is recognised as an employer of choice. Successfully deliver all pre-opening and mobilisation objectives , ensuring the hotel launches on schedule, within approved budgets, and to agreed brand and operational standards. Oversee recruitment, training, systems implementation, operational readiness, stakeholder engagement, and achievement of initial trading and profitability targets. Maintain exemplary governance, compliance, and risk management standards , ensuring full compliance with all legal, regulatory, statutory, health & safety, safeguarding, licensing, financial, and corporate governance requirements. Achieve positive audit outcomes and foster a culture of risk awareness and operational excellence. Drive food, beverage and hospitality excellence , ensuring achievement of revenue, gross profit, and margin targets through effective pricing, menu engineering, stock management, waste reduction, procurement control, and optimisation of commercial opportunities across all hospitality operations. Provide strategic leadership and stakeholder management , acting as a key ambassador for The Auckland Project and fostering effective relationships with trustees, senior leaders, local partners, commercial stakeholders, and community organisations to support wider organisational objectives and reputation. Promote operational excellence and innovation , identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, service delivery, and profitability through data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement initiatives, and effective resource deployment. Performance Measures Financial performance (revenue, profitability, gross margin, wage percentage, budget adherence and forecasting accuracy) Guest experience and reputation metrics (NPS, review scores, complaints resolution and service quality indicators) People and culture measures (engagement, retention, succession, leadership effectiveness and employee development) Operational excellence across whole hotel inc. kitchen (compliance, due diligence, audits, health & safety, project delivery and operational readiness) Food and beverage performance (gross profit margins, cost control, average spend, and waste management) Strategic leadership and contribution to The Auckland Project's wider commercial, cultural, and community objectives . Performance will be measured through a balanced scorecard approach, incorporating commercial success, guest experience, people metrics, and strategic contribution to The Auckland Projects wider objectives. Reporting Lines and Team Structure Reporting directly to the Director of Hospitality, you will be leading a team of department managers and their teams to deliver an exceptional guest experience that reflects the heritage and cultural positioning of the Auckland Project. Management responsibilities The role is responsible for leading, motivating, and developing a high-performing team to achieve operational and strategic objectives. This includes overseeing day-to-day activities, setting clear goals and priorities, managing performance through regular feedback and reviews, and ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures. The role holder will foster a positive and inclusive working environment, support continuous improvement, and collaborate with senior stakeholders to drive effective decision-making and organisational success. You will be responsible for probation reviews, one to one reviews, recording absences and family friendly time off, creating & managing rotas. Health & Safety Promote a positive approach to health, safety and accessibility by following TAP policies, procedures and guidelines. Help ensure a safe and supportive environment for visitors, staff, volunteers and contractors at all times. Person Specification Essential Criteria Qualifications An Enhanced DBS check (or willing to undertake) Experience Significant proven experience as a Hotel General Manager or senior hotel operations leader. Proven success in hotel openings or major operational transformations. Strong background in managing hotel operations across multiple departments. Demonstrable commercial and financial management experience with strong commercial acumen with full P&L responsibility. Exceptional leadership, influencing and organisational skills. Experience delivering high standards of guest service. Knowledge & Skills Experience within heritage or destination-led hospitality. Knowledge of the County Durham or Northeast tourism market Strong communication & interpersonal skills with the ability to multitask in a busy environment The ability to lead, train and motivate staff Administrative ability and IT literacy. Numeracy and financial skills and experience in order to monitor adhere to a budget. Ability to work and lead in a team Personal qualities. attitude and behaviours Must be passionate about providing a quality guest experience Strong leadership skills Ability to work as part of a team Attention to detail and accuracy A keen interest in local communities and heritage Desirable Criteria Qualifications L3 qualification in Hospitality Management or equivalent Drivers licence Experience Experience of training and mentoring team members Experience within destination-led or heritage hospitality. Knowledge of theNortheasttourism market . Previous experience of working with volunteers Experience in carrying out risk assessment Knowledge & Skills Level 2 in numeracy & literacy Have logistical skills and the ability to plan ahead Excellent time management skills Employee benefits We pride ourselves in taking care of our team members. For your efforts we offer 30 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays), pension contribution, free parking on site, access to staff discounts and local benefits, free unlimited access to our attractions for you and your family (restrictions apply), free access to our staff welfare programme including free medical, legal & financial advice and access to 24-hour counselling along with a large variety of retailer discounts. The Auckland Project The Auckland Project works hard to create a positive change for those living, working and visiting Bishop Auckland. We have created a visitor destination in Bishop Auckland, incorporating Auckland Castle (once home to the Prince Bishops of Durham), a Spanish Art Gallery, Faith Museum, Walled Garden, Deer Park, Mining Art Gallery, Auckland Tower visitor centre and Weardale Railway. We achieve our purpose in three main ways: As a visitor destination through our buildings, collections, and natural environment As a centre for learning and skills supporting development, education, and opportunity As an asset for Bishop Auckland creating spaces and opportunities for community engagement By working with us, you are helping to ensure the towns future is as magnificent and vibrant as its past. How to Apply Apply for this role by downloading and completing an application form. Were unable to accept CVs as applications. Please complete and submit our application form instead. Closing date: Wednesday 22 nd July 2026 First round interviews to commence w/c 27 th July 2026 Expected start date: November 2026 If we receive a large number of applications, we may close the application process earlier than planned. TPBN1_UKCT