Wedding & Special Events Executive
We are thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity for an experienced Wedding & Special Events Executive at our award-winning wedding venue, Horwood House Hotel. As a dedicated and enthusiastic Wedding & Special Events Executive, you will serve as the primary point of contact for all wedding and special event inquiries. Your responsibilities will include accurately documenting event details and organizing show-round appointments to highlight the venue’s full potential. With your confidence and sales expertise, you will effectively transform show-rounds into confirmed bookings, playing a crucial role in the growth of our wedding and special event business. Additionally, you will help achieve established budgets and targets, contributing to the hotel’s overall financial success.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
- Act as the main contact for all wedding and special event inquiries, guiding clients through the booking and planning process.
- Ensure timely follow-up on all inquiries, recording details accurately as agreed with clients.
- Manage contracts, deposits, and event specifics efficiently, adhering to deadlines.
- Meet with clients to discuss upcoming weddings and events, covering their requirements and showcasing hotel facilities and services.
- Prepare event sheets that detail all final client requests and attend weekly function sheet meetings.
- Communicate effectively with the team to share crucial information with relevant departments.
- Actively upsell and cross-sell services to enhance special occasions and add relevant comments to reservation details.
- Maximize revenue opportunities for the hotel while ensuring effective communication between sales for beneficial operations for both staff and guests.
- Maintain established standards and procedures alongside effective diary management to optimize sales potential.
- Ensure that all quoted rates align with the hotel and company sales strategies.
- Respond promptly to all new inquiries.
- Conduct professional hotel show rounds and follow up with precise proposals.
- Be well-informed about the hotel’s facilities, services, and promotions, sharing this knowledge with guests whenever possible.
- Proactively manage all guest feedback, both positive and negative, and record it accurately.
- Ensure accurate documentation of all wedding and social event inquiries.
- Assist in achieving budgets and targets set for this segment, as well as the overall hotel budget.
Skills Required
- At least 1 year of experience in a similar role within weddings and events.
- Exceptional organizational abilities and prioritization skills.
- Capability to perform well under pressure.
- Strong multitasking abilities and self-management of workload.
- Attention to detail to guarantee every element of an event is flawless.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, as well as in person.
- Proficient IT skills, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
What You’ll Receive as Part of Our Team:
Competitive salary
Bonus scheme with a target of 10% of your salary, paid quarterly upon achievement
28 days of annual leave (including bank holidays)
Pension plan
Training and development opportunities
Complimentary staff meals
Free parking
Discounts on food, beverages, spa services, hotel stays, and memberships
A free birthday meal
Long service rewards
Recommend a friend scheme
Uniform provided
If you believe this role suits you, we would love to hear from you!
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £30,000.00 per year
Additional pay:
Bonus scheme
Quarterly bonus
Benefits:
Company pension
Discounted or free food
Employee discount
Free parking
Health & wellbeing programme
Life insurance
On-site parking
Referral programme
Schedule:
Day shift
Ability to commute/relocate:
Milton Keynes: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
Similar Role: 1 year (required)
Work authorisation:
United Kingdom (preferred)
Work Location: In person
HSpa Therapist
We are looking for experienced, pro-active individuals with a can-do attitude to work within the HSpa team to deliver a memorable guest experience. Our tranquil Spa has 6 treatment rooms offering many different packages and treatments, you will enjoy a busy and diverse workload.
What would make you the ideal candidate?
At least 1 year’s experience in a similar position and environment, with an understanding of excellence in customer service.
What you’ll receive as part of our team:
Competitive salary
28 days annual holiday (including bank holidays)
Pension
Training and development opportunities
Free staff meals
Free parking
Discounted food, beverage, spa, hotel and membership
Birthday Meal allowance
Long service rewards
Recommend a friend scheme
Uniforms
Key responsibilities
1. To have good knowledge of HSpa Operating Times and Procedures.
2. To have knowledge of booking systems and scheduling.
3. To attend relevant meetings as and when required to ensure excellent communication throughout the department.
4. To be familiar with all activities and facilities within the hotel.
5. Dealing with customer feedback in the correct manner and advising the HSpa Manager accordingly.
6. To ensure the HSpa treatment rooms, lounge areas and surrounding areas are always kept to a high standard of cleanliness and tidiness.
7. To clean and clear all HSpa areas where needed and assist with service and refreshments when required to do so.
8. To carry out treatments to a high and correct standard ensuring client confidentiality and high levels of customer care.
9. Ensure that treatments are conducted on time and not cut short so that bookings are kept to time.
10. To give aftercare advice and sell retail products at every opportunity.
11. To report to work on time using the correct clocking procedure, dressed in clean uniform and with good personal hygiene.
12. To ensure all equipment is in safe working order, maintained and serviced to the required standard and that it is stored correctly, safely and securely.
13. To be aware of budgeted targets for treatment and product sales.
14. To maintain overall client satisfaction.
15. To assist in the control of all stock within the department.
16. To complete all training assigned to you, either Face to Face or Online.
17. To be fully conversant with the hotel fire evacuation policy, attend regular training sessions.
18. Report all accidents (to guests or staff) to the HSpa or Duty Manager so that they can be recorded in accordance with the law and company procedure.
19. To maintain a high standard of conduct whilst on duty and carry out duties with professionalism and due manners.
20. To assist that the HSpa environment is welcoming to both staff and customers alike and to ensure that departmental co-operation is encouraged.
If this sounds like the ideal role for you, we’d love to hear from you!
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £26,000.00-£27,000.00 per year
Additional pay:
Tips
Benefits:
Canteen
Company events
Company pension
Discounted or free food
Employee discount
Free parking
Health & wellbeing programme
Life insurance
On-site parking
Referral programme
Ability to commute/relocate:
Milton Keynes: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Licence/Certification: NVQ Level 3 Beauty Therapy (required)
Work Location: In person
Guest Relations Executive
To ensure open lines of communication between staff and guests. You will respond to guest needs and anticipate their unstdted ones to improve the guest experience. You will welcome our guests and provide memorable hospitality experiences. Delivering a consistently high standard of customer service. Ensuring the overall business achieves its ultimate potential in that of sales and profitability through creating an environment for customers which is stylish, contemporary, and welcoming.
Key Responsibilities
To be actively involved in fulfilling pre-arrival requests, liaising with reservations to support in conducting pre arrival calls and checks to enhance guests stay targeting upsells, special occasions instructions, room allocations, restaurant bookings.
To be Reception focussed and to assist with check ins and check outs where necessary
Ensure guests are properly greeted upon their arrival either as residential guest, spa guest or functions, escorting to bedrooms, spa or function room.
To provide upscale guest service experience for guests throughout their stay. Foresee the needs
of guests and ensure they are satisfied with our service.
To ensure assigned rooms are prepared prior to check-in and VIP rooms are checked to housekeeping and maintenance required standards.
To review on a regular basis the guest feedback obtained from guests, both internally and externally, and to ensure quality levels are consistently maintained to the agreed levels.
To promote spa treatments and special offers.
Maintain a guest refreshment station in reception.
To manage guest enquiries, such as taxi requests, using a knowledge of local attractions and events whilst addressing any concerns raised.
To ensure guest feedback via social platforms, directly to the hotel or via our feedback management software is responded to promptly and professionally tracking any refunds offered.
To be on hand to welcome guests into our restaurant, surveying all public areas and lounges to interact with guests, ensure suitable presentation of these areas and responding to any requests made.
To work with our Food & Beverage team, Kitchen, Marketing and Reception team to forward plan calendar events like Mother's Day, Father's Day the Easter egg hunt, Easter, Halloween, Christmas etc.
Create a memorable experience to enhance guests' satisfaction and loyalty and establish friendly relationships with regular guests.
To promote all hotel amenities seeking opportunities to drive hotel revenue whilst enhancing guest experience.
Assist with C & B events supporting the team during busy periods, assisting with group check- ins, check-outs, luggage drops and key collections
To meet and greet conference organisers at the commencement of and throughout their stay to ensure they receive the services they require.
To assist in ensuring we are ready for show rounds, attending to guests and VIP's
Customer Service
To ensure all customers are treated in a professional, friendly, and courteous manner.
To attend and contribute to all daily/weekly meetings.
To be a good example of the company dress code and appearance standards.
Ensure communication procedures are effective and efficient on a day-to-day basis, so that service standards are not compromised.
To promote and report all guest feedback received from guests and implement continuous improvement, measuring results.
Personnel
To take an active role as a team member, welcoming new colleagues, assisting with their training and participating fully in all ongoing training initiatives.
As part of the larger team in maintaining the standards of the venue, to be available for any reasonable assistance you may be requested to give in other areas of the hotel as business demands.
Health and Safety
To ensure completion of all H&S related training on time and to attend any relevant meetings.
General Responsibilities
To ensure the accuracy of all information and respect its confidentiality.
To carry out any other duties as reasonably requested by your Management Team.
To ensure that you maintain high standards of guest care, both to internal and external guests and be aware of satisfiers and dissatisfiers for each.
As part of the larger team involved in maintaining the standards of the hotel, to be available for
any reasonable assistance you may be requested to give in other areas of the hotel as business demands.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £27,000.00 per year
Additional pay:
Performance bonus
Tips
Benefits:
Canteen
Company events
Company pension
Discounted or free food
Employee discount
Free parking
Gym membership
Life insurance
On-site parking
Referral programme
Schedule:
8 hour shift
Ability to commute/relocate:
Little Horwood, MK17 0PH: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 27/04/2025
Junior Sous Chef
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Junior Sous Chef to come and join our kitchen team at Horwood House Hotel.
Duties and Responsibilities
To assist the Head Chef/Senior Sous Chef in the planning, organising and control of day-to-day operation of the department thereby ensuring the established standards of performance are maintained and total customer satisfaction is achieved.
To assist the Head Chef/Senior Sous Chef in ensuring HACCP is in place to ensuring due diligence in preventing an outbreak of food poisoning along with supervising the work of the team, allocating special duties and responsibilities.
To assist the Head Chef/Senior Sous Chef to supervise all food preparation and production in all Kitchens.
To monitor the temperature, quality and portion size of all food served from the Kitchen areas.
To assist the Head Chef/Senior Sous Chef to set standards in conjunction with the team and maintain these standards through training and promotion of training in all areas.
Ensure good communication throughout kitchen department at all times.
To ensure the effective control of refrigeration and dry store goods to ensure that there is no waste.
To ensure that all food leaving the Kitchen is prepared and served to the pre-agreed consistent high standards, ensuring that all hot food leaving the kitchen is at the required temperature.
To ensure that all areas of responsibility are always kept sanitised and free from dust and debris, following strict and pre-agreed cleaning schedules.
To deputise for the Head Chef in their absence.
Attend meetings as requested by Senior Management or Head Chef.
To take an active role as a team member, welcoming new colleagues, assisting with their training and participating fully in all ongoing training initiatives.
As part of the larger team in maintaining the standards of the hotel, to be available for any reasonable assistance you may be requested to give in other areas of the venue as business demands.
Hotel Culture
To take an active role as a team member, welcoming new colleagues and helping them to settle into the business.
Demonstrate a “can do” attitude, helping any guests.
To be a valued member of the hotel team, helping and advising colleagues where required.
Always promoting the image of the venue and that of Horwood House.
Training and Development
To attend training sessions conducted by your Head of Department.
To ensure you perform your daily duties in accordance with the trained standards and our customer service ethos.
To attend monthly departmental meetings or any other meetings for the better performance of your role.
Your work will be assessed throughout your employment on an annual basis and a development plan will be agreed.
Health & Safety
To ensure that the Company Health & Safety procedures are adhered to and implemented within the department.
To be aware of all legislation that is relevant to your work and ensure that all legal requirements are met including: licensing, health & safety at work, Coshh, environmental health, fire precautions, manual handling, and any other relevant policies.
Financial
To assist the Head of Department and to be responsible for all stocks held in the department, their safe storage and usage to ensure correct control of costs is achieved.
To assist the Head of Department and ensure all services used are correctly recorded and charged to the appropriate guest.
Company Standards
1. To be dressed in a smart and professional manner in conjunction with the Quality Standards stated in your handbook.
2. To be a valued member of member of the Horwood House team, helping and advising colleagues where required, always promoting the image of the Hotel/Venue and that of the Company.
3. To comply with any reasonable request from the management team or your Head of Department.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £33,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Additional pay:
Tips
Benefits:
Canteen
Company pension
Discounted or free food
Employee discount
Health & wellbeing programme
Life insurance
On-site gym
On-site parking
Referral programme
Ability to commute/relocate:
Milton Keynes, MK17: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person
Restaurant & Bar Manager
Our charming hotel has just had a £6M renovation and refurbishment. Nestled in the heart of the Buckinghamshire countryside and combines heritage, comfort and warm, friendly service to create an unforgettable experience.
Built in 1911, the beautiful Grade II listed Manor House is the focal point, and the birthplace of the famous gardener, Percy Thrower. The house, lily pond and manicured Pytheas Gardens provide a truly stunning backdrop for our guests and visitors to enjoy.
A range of spectacular and flexible meeting spaces, a dedicated events team and accessible location makes Horwood House Hotel the perfect location for any event, from unique business meetings and conferences to special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and anniversaries.
What is the main purpose of the role?
To ensure the delivery of high quality food and beverages to customers. Driving, training & developing a consistently high service & customer-centred focus.
Ensuring the overall business achieves its ultimate potential in that of sales and profitability through creating an environment for customers which is stylish, contemporary, offering high quality ‘modern’ food and beverages served with style.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
To be responsible for the quality and profitability of all Food and Beverages
Bringing and keeping energy, using confidence and charisma to relax guests and create a positive atmosphere
Discuss and record customer requirements particularly for special occasions and events
Build an internal and external network, keeping up to date with current trends and the local marketplace, regularly visiting competitors.
Promote a positive attitude and display the ability to ‘make things happen’ to achieve or exceed anticipated results and encourage the same in the team.
Review the monthly sales performance and profit and loss of both the Restaurant & Bars business with the Ops Manager, Financial Controller, and the Exec Chef
Be responsible for the ordering, quality and probability of all beverage stock served throughout the hotel, ensuring that the amount of beverage related stock ordered meets business demands and that effective beverage controls and systems are in place to produce results in line with monthly stock takes.
To contribute to business strategy discussions to ensure the maximum results for the business are achieved
To carry out training to continually improve the skill base of the R&B Team. To also become involved with the ongoing training of the Kitchen, to assist in their product knowledge and thus improve synergy between the two areas.
Ensure all Training provided is documented and signed off by relevant staff, and that a personal development plan is in place for every member of the team.
To effectively communicate and share openly relevant business information, targets, and results with your Assistant Managers & Supervisors.
To ensure Assistant Managers & Supervisors are fully engaged and accountable for key areas delegated to them within the business. Regular 1-1 meetings, providing feedback and improvement focus in the business.
To motivate the R&B Service Team by being confident, through your personality being dynamic and positive at all times, leading from the front.
To develop marketing and sales strategies with measurable activity on an on-going basis
To be actively involved in the recruitment and selection of the Restaurant and Bar team members and to offer support to the Exec Chef in the recruitment of the Kitchen staff
Responsible for ensuring all appraisals are carried out within your Team and 6 monthly reviews carried out to ensure objectives set are active
To work alongside the Exec Chef ensuring that standards of both food service and production are consistently high and that the agreed standards are maintained and regularly tested and reviewed
To review on a regular basis the guest feedback obtained from clients, both internally and externally, and to ensure quality levels are consistently maintained to the agreed levels
To maximise productivity and minimise poor labour time
To hold a monthly meeting with the Restaurant & Bars Team with documented minutes taken
To minimise waste of man hours through effective Rostering. Ensuring no unnecessary casuals/overtime/Temporary Agency staff and to work to budgeted payroll targets set against revenue
To plan and arrange food and beverage preparation to minimise wastage
To carry out Duty Management shifts
To ensure the Restaurant & Bar is always organised to meet business demands, with particular attention being given to stock controls and payroll
To understand and to participate in all target setting activities with Assistant Managers within the team and to ensure that these are communicated effectively to all other team members and achievements are reviewed and also communicated
To encourage ethos of driving for results ensuring quality is not compromised
To be responsible for all beverage related stock items and to order all beverage items in accordance with business levels and to ensure that only agreed suppliers are utilised
To ensure that there are effective Beverage controls and systems in place that will produce acceptable results from monthly stock takes
To ensure that all food and beverages are served in good time, all service specifications are adhered to
In conjunction with Exec Chef organise and execute daily taste panels with Kitchen and Restaurant Team to underpin their existing Food and Beverage knowledge
To be responsible for implementing and continually reviewing the effectiveness of all Health and Safety Practises and procedures to ensure that we fully comply with all legislation and the Horwood House’s Health and Safety Policy
To ensure that the Weights and Measures Act and Trade Descriptions Act are always adhered to
To participate in all stock inventories at specified intervals and to be active in controlling stock in accordance with the agreed budget
Responsible for inspecting the physical aspects of all Restaurant areas and equipment and to report any defects immediately to the Hotel’s Head of Maintenance.
To ensure compliance within the Restaurant with Legal, Government and Company Policies relating to, Fire, Health and Safety procedures and ensure team are fully conversant with their responsibilities also.
To complete a monthly Health and Safety Checklist and ensure actions are completed in a timely manner.
Ensure that Risk Assessments and COSHH Assessments are carried out, reviewed yearly, training staff in all aspects
Ensure with the Exec Chef that food allergens are clearly communicated & shared on every shift, every service. Food allergen training on Inspire is a priority.
To be responsible for ensuring all administrative work is completed in a timely manner i.e. completion of employee timesheets, rotas.
To carry out any reasonable tasks requested by the Operations Manager or Senior Team
Engaging Hospitality
To be an ambassador for Horwood House welcoming new colleagues and helping them to settle into the business.
Demonstrate a “can do” attitude always offering engaging hospitality to all colleagues and our guests
Promoting the image of Horwood House at all times, through our behaviour and personal presentation ensuring we are always smart and ready for business at all times.
Learning and Development
To deliver regular value added learning and development sessions within the business to support both business performance and personal learning
To ensure you perform your daily duties in accordance with the trained and communicated standards and lead by example in developing a customer focused engaging service driven hospitality offering to our guests and internal colleagues
Take an active role in enhancing and taking ownership for your own continuous personal development.
Health & Safety
To ensure that the Company Health & Safety procedures are adhered to and implemented within the department.
To be aware of all legislation that is relevant to your work and ensure that all legal requirements are met including: licensing, health & safety at work, COSHH, environmental health, fire precautions, manual handling and any other relevant policies.
Qualifications
Minimum 3 years’ experience required as a Restaurant and Bars Manager/in a similar role in a similar establishment. On the job training is available.
Hospitality management degree preferred. Other appropriate vocational qualifications considered.
Job Types: Full-time, Contract, Permanent
Pay: £35,000.00-£38,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Life insurance
On-site parking
Work Location: In person
Office Administrator
We have an exciting role for an Office Administrator to join Horwood House Hotel. The purpose of this role is to provide administrative support, reporting directly to the Senior Management team. The role requires excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage a variety of administrative tasks efficiently. This is a varied role and will require skills in creating and managing spreadsheets and producing reports on available data for senior management.
Responsibilities/Duties
1. Manage daily administrative activities for the Senior Management team and office operations.
2. Use internal systems to keep all records up-to-date and analyse administrative processes, ensuring efficiency and accuracy.
3. Ensure prompt and professional communication with internal and external stakeholders, including management, clients, vendors, and suppliers.
4. Provide diary management, schedule coordination, and general correspondence support for senior management.
5. Organize and oversee business meetings, including scheduling, preparing agendas, taking minutes, tracking action items, and providing follow-ups.
6. Monitor and respond to guest feedback, assisting in the preparation of reports for continuous service improvements.
7. Support the maintenance department by liaising with contractors, suppliers, and service providers for required maintenance, invoices, and reports.
Professional Conduct
Actively contribute as a key team member, welcoming new colleagues and assisting with onboarding.
Exhibit a proactive and professional attitude, offering support to colleagues and management.
Collaborate effectively with team members, providing guidance and sharing relevant information while maintaining confidentiality.
Participate in departmental and company-wide meetings to support continuous improvement.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £25,000.00-£26,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Company pension
Discounted or free food
Life insurance
On-site parking
Schedule:
Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
Milton Keynes MK17: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person
