Visitor Services Manager – Food & Beverage

The Mackintosh Tearooms is the home of the original Willow Tea Rooms Building at 217 Sauchiehall Street. It was first opened by Miss Cranston in 1903 and designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in collaboration with his wife, Margaret Macdonald. Following a detailed restoration project in 2018, the building is now back to its former glory as a unique tearoom over three floors. It now includes additional events spaces, an exhibition and a gift shop. In January 2024, The Mackintosh Tearooms was acquired by the National Trust for Scotland and the Property is now under their care. 

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The role of the VSM - Food & Beverage is responsible for the operational delivery of the visitor experience in the food & beverage department, comprising of historic tea rooms, private dining and event spaces at The Mackintosh Tearooms.  Delivering performance standards and targets to ensure enjoyment of the property by visitors and members is maximised, and key commercial, financial and development objectives are achieved, making the property fully sustainable. The role is a key member of a broader management team responsible for delivering an overall visitor service strategy, promoting effective communication across the site and a joined-up service provision. The VSM – Food & Beverage reports to the Operations Manager at The Mackintosh Tearooms.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Overall responsibility for the management and delivery of the day-to-day food & beverage operation at MAW.
• Leading, managing and motivating a team of staff and volunteers; (recruitment, induction, development, and performance management, ensuring they are fully equipped and motivated to carry out their duties to the required Trust standards. 
• Driving the catering department at the property to achieve its financial targets, maximising income, and profitability. This role will strive to be efficient and ensure cost effectiveness in all the work you do with particular attention to cost of sales and profit margins. 
• Budgets –monitoring the department budgets together with the Operations Manager, to ensure that the catering department finances and staffing budgets are in line with the wider property budgets and to manage, deliver and report on the KPI’s performance.
• Ensuring high standards of food quality, presentation and consistency across the property.
• Creating a culture of a ‘warm welcome’ to visitors and ‘exceptional service, every time.
• To be responsible for and instil a Health & Safety and Environmental culture throughout the catering operation, ensuring that the team works within the property’s ‘Safe System of Work’ to reduce risk of incidents and accidents to volunteers, employees, and visitors. 
• To line manage and support the VSS – Booking & Events to deliver an excellent food & beverage service, maximizing opportunities to increase commercial revenue by promoting the venue locally and on a wider scale in collaboration with the NTS Commercial & Marketing Teams. 
• To work proactively with the VSM – Creative Learning & Education to facilitate schools and community groups visits and workshops and in collaboration with other partners provide training and development placements.
• To be responsible for key holder management. To manage the people and processes involved with the security of the building and emergency procedure implementation. 
• To undertake training in all departments to ensure you have an understanding of all aspects of the operation. 
• To be responsible for the duty management rota to ensure continuous cover as required
• Taking responsibility to ensure the daily cash reconciliations, vouchers and billing information are recorded according to the Trust’s processes and policies. To ensure that all the staff are fully trained in cash handling according to the Trust’s processes, policies and systems.
• To actively support and promote the National Trust for Scotland as a memberships organization and the benefits of becoming a member to all visitors to achieve memberships KPIs.
• Undertake any other tasks that may be reasonable requested

A significant amount of time spent in the role is non-desk-based, requiring good time management, and the role-holder can expect that a substantial part of the working day will be spent front of house, supporting the operational delivery of the food & beverage offer.

Will be required to work flexible working patterns and hours including evenings, weekends, and public holidays. As part of the role and as a senior member of the team, there will be an expectation that the post holder would attend work at short notice (if operational needs demand and circumstances allow)

This role is one for which the duties and responsibilities require you to undertake a criminal records check.

Department specific – catering

• Payroll – responsible for collating payroll information from Line Managers, for approval by the Operations Manager, and submitting the monthly payroll reports for payment.
• Property & Equipment Maintenance – reporting and logging defects onto the compliance centre and facilitating engineer visits to ensure a high standard of maintenance throughout departments.
• To ensure that the location meets statutory and company requirements of Health and Safety, Food Safety and Environmental legislations and procedures including Waste Disposal and Allergens.
• To conduct Food Safety and Health and Safety Risk Assessments and ensure that all standards and procedures with regards to Hygiene and Safety are established and maintained in line with the Food Safety Management Plan to ensure all staff are fully trained and resourced to follow procedures.
• Accountable for controlling stock levels.
• Will have frequent interaction with suppliers and contractors to ensure the best price point. 
• In collaboration with the Operations Manager and Head Chef devise and cost menus in line with the overall catering budget and strategy
• Undertake any other tasks that may be reasonable requested

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications

• NVQ3/BTEC/City & Guilds/HND/Degree or equivalent experience.

Essential

• Intermediate Food Hygiene Certificate or above.
• Experience of catering management across a similar operation
• Demonstrable skills in successful budget and financial management, combined with clear evidence of commercial awareness and previous sales experience
• Demonstrable knowledge of health and safety
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and confidence in dealing with a wide range of staff, visitors, and other stakeholders, with a friendly, confident, and well-presented  
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office applications: Excel, PowerPoint, Word
• Ability to manage time efficiently and effectively in an environment of changing priorities
• To hold, or, have the ability and willingness to hold a Scottish Personal Licence Holder's Certificate and Personal Licence

Desirable

• A genuine understanding of, and belief in, the work of the National Trust for Scotland 
• An understanding and experience of food and beverage operations within an historic/heritage environment
• A formal qualification in Hospitality, Tourism or Event Management.
• A full clean driving license valid for the UK and access to a vehicle suitable for use on Trust business (with appropriate business insurance)