Head of Hotel Operations

Company: Crafted at Powdermills

Reporting to: Managing Director

Type: Full-Time

We’re hiring people to craft our culture, ethos and success. This role defines how you spend your days, who you spend them with, and what your future looks like. It requires thoughtfulness, empathy and respect, as the challenges, opportunities, quirks, and impact are clearly outlined below.

Crafted is a series of life‑friendly hotels and spaces that offer guests nature, food, wellbeing, craft, people and play. We are set to open several hotels, with the first arriving in summer 2025 at Crafted at Powdermills, East Sussex.

As Head of Hotel Operations you will work closely with the Managing Director, ensuring the seamless running of all departments, delivering exceptional guest experiences at every touchpoint and upholding brand standards across the entire estate.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as Deputy to the Managing Director in their absence.
• Oversee operational departments: Food & Beverage, Kitchen, Events, Front of House, Property/Maintenance.
• Lead and support departmental managers, championing technology to improve guest experience.
• Manage staffing processes for event staff: onboarding, training, development.
• Oversee Health & Safety, Compliance and IT functions.
• Foster a positive work culture that supports engagement, retention and professional growth.
• Oversee maintenance and property management of the 78‑acre estate, including kitchen garden and animals.
• Coordinate weekly and monthly operational team meetings with clear communication and follow‑up.
• Provide reporting to the MD: performance metrics, guest feedback, financial tracking, operational KPIs.
• Support strategic initiatives and guest experience improvements with the MD.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures across all operational departments.
• Collaborate with finance on budgeting, forecasting and cost control.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance guest experience, team efficiency and profitability.
• Work closely with Sales & Marketing on site visits, VIP guests, trade representatives and new business conversion.
• Drive guest satisfaction: monitor service quality, respond to feedback, manage service recovery.
• Ensure flawless delivery of confirmed events with the Events team.
• Maintain up‑to‑date licensing, insurance and regulatory documents.
• Provide hands‑on operational support during peak periods or where coverage is required.
• Maintain Crafted brand presentation standards across all hotel and grounds areas.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in hotel operations and revenue management.
• Calm and focused under pressure.
• Available to work evenings and weekends.
• Strong business acumen.
• Proactive, practical and highly organised.
• Strong leadership skills to develop and guide a team.
• Strong budget management skills to control costs and optimise resources.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment.

Values

• Enjoy it: work should be fun; humming, moving with music is welcome.
• Own it: take responsibility for outcomes and improve continuously.
• Improve it: seek feedback, be curious, and grow.

Note: positive Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles are integrated across these three values.

Seniority level: Executive

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Management and Manufacturing; Industries: Hospitality