Central Group Manager

Job Reference: CGM03421.

Position: Central Group Manager.

(Based at Glasgow Youth Hostel).

Locations: Central region covering Glasgow, Stirling and Rowardennan Lodge Youth Hostels.

Contract: Permanent, immediate start

Hours per week: 40 hours per week

Accommodation: This is a live-out post.

Who we are:

Hostelling Scotland is a not-for-profit charity with over 60 youth and affiliate hostels. This year we are celebrating our 90th year. Since 1931, we have welcomed millions of visitors through our doors, helping them to ‘get outside’, to explore what Scotland got to offer, discovering the beautiful locations and the natural benefits of the great outdoors.

As a non-profit charity with people and communities at our heart, we also give people, who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity, the chance of a well needed break to explore and experience Scotland or to develop their skills for life, learning and work through our youth programmes.

Working with Hostelling Scotland is more than just a job. Join our team to become an Ambassador for Scotland, to make a difference and to celebrate our big milestone with us this year!

About the role:

Core Purpose

Reporting to Hostel Operations Manager, you will provide professional, efficient and effective business hostel management to make certain that each guests’ expectations are met or exceeded during their stay with Hostelling Scotland. Whilst maintaining high standards of cleanliness and guests care, ensure the profitability of all hostel services, in order to achieve and surpass agreed annual budget priorities and objectives.

You will collaborate closely with other members of the management team to assist in the implementation of strategic and operational plans, development priorities, statutory compliance, risk assessments, policies and procedures to achieve Hostelling Scotland’s charitable aims and objectives.

Key Accountabilities

Ensure to deliver high level of quality service with the guest facility provision being welcoming, clean, comfortable, secure, safe, accessible and compliant, and maintained to the appropriate quality standard, enhancing guest experience and exceed expectations whilst taking all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety and security of the guests, employees, volunteers and visitor at all times.
Bring forward business development initiatives and proposals to continually improve business growth, including driving Food and Beverage business, the quality of customer service delivery, and increase the number of guests and revenue generation for all properties within the group.
Actively seek to maximize all hostel(s) income sales whilst ensuring costs are efficiently managed so as to achieve and surpass the agreed annual hostel budget and thereby contribute to the financial viability of Hostelling Scotland.
Responsible for ensuring that customer trends, feedback and complaints from all sources are responded to in a timely and professional manner and analyse key data information so as to continuously improve the delivery of first class customer services.
Responsible to introduce, maintain and update hostel-specific Quality Assured Standards of Performance and check lists for all areas of service delivery.
Manage full recruitment including interviews, offer process, induction training and probationary period, regular appraisals and performance development to meet identified needs.
Evaluate, monitor, appraise and train all employees on a regular basis to ensure a high standard of service delivery and personal development.
Ensure the welfare and employment law compliance requirements in managing employees throughout the group are met, including conducting investigations, performance management, disciplinary and grievance hearings where applicable.
Ensuring that all employees maintains the highest standards of uniform, personal presentation and hygiene protocols in accordance with Hostelling Scotland’s relevant Standing Operating Procedures.
Comply with and act responsibly with Hostelling Scotland’s policies, procedures, instructions and all relevant current legislation ensuring that all required hostel records are kept and up-to-date as required; taking immediate action to remedy any accidents or unsafe incidents, whilst verifying that they are property recorded and reported in accordance with RIDDOR requirements.
Assist in the marketing, promotion and development of the hostel so as to maximise the potential annual accommodation, food, beverage and other hostel sales income, thus safeguarding the financial viability of the hostel.
Actively foster and maintain good local community relations and work in partnership with affiliated and community organisations to promote Hostelling Scotland and its Charitable objectives.

Ideally suitable applicant will have:

Worked successfully in a customer facing role at management level in similar hospitality surroundings with commitment to excellent customer service.
Demonstrable experience of strong leadership with ability to motivate teams by leading examples whilst adopting hands-on approach to support teams.
Excellent knowledge and demonstrable experience, with ingenuity and passion, in managing food and beverage operations for revenue generation, yield and marketing functions and the ability to work collaborator to create value.
Excellent, confident communication skill, verbally and in writing, dealing with people at all levels.
High degree of understanding of health and safety at work and practical experience of implementation, monitoring and developing best practice.
Business acumen including financial and budget management.
Excellent understanding of relevant data protection protocol.
Understanding hostel asset management and contracts and contractor management.
Flexible and adaptable approach to work to changing workload and priorities during busy times.

Additional Information:

Due to the multi property responsivity of the role and to allow on site audits with Hostel Managers the post holder will be required to visit all sites from time to time within the group. This may also include late notice cover to ensure effective staffing levels in all properties within the group.
Cover might be required at other hostels within the network to provide support or to travel for business/training purposes, including hostels in remote locations, accordingly a valid driving license and access to own transport is necessary.
The role involves some degree of physical activities such as bed making of bunk beds with upper and lower beds, including stripping and turning beds.
The job holder is required to undertake Emergency First Aid at Work training to be a certified first aider.
The role is required to become the alcohol license holder for the premises, accordingly the job holder is required to undertake Personal License training.
All successful candidates are required to provide two satisfactory references (including one to be the most recent employer), a recent Basic Disclosure clearance and evidence of their right to work in the UK.

We can offer:

Comprehensive induction and work related training
Supportive culture with regular and open communications
Opportunity to work, live in and explore stunning location and surroundings
Employee benefits including pension, death in service benefit (upon reaching one year service), free employee membership and discounts on Hostelling Scotland accommodations to explore Scotland, and Employee Assistance Programme for your health, wellness and well being
Uniform is provided

In addition, we can provide a temporary short-term staff accommodation (single occupancy) for up to 3 weeks upon commencing employment with us to assist relocation.