Head of Hospitality & Events Operations in Bolton

About The Role

Role Purpose

To lead the operational teams responsible for events delivery across matchday hospitality and non-matchday conferences and events, ensuring exceptional service whilst managing budgets and costs effectively.

Main areas of responsibility

Operational Management:

Lead the day-to-day operations of all matchday hospitality and non-matchday events.
Oversee the planning and delivery of all matchday hospitality and non-matchday events.
Ensure flawless execution of events in line with BWFC standards, customer contracts and agreed SLAs, as well as adherence to all health & safety, licensing, and legal requirements.

Financial Stewardship:

Hold ownership of the financial performance of hospitality and events operations, with clear accountability for cost control, margins, and delivery against budget.
Produce clear, structured performance reporting that enables senior stakeholders to quickly understand trends, risks, and opportunities.
Lead forecasting and budgeting processes, building bottom-up plans based on operational drivers such as event volumes & mix, guest numbers, F&B throughput, and staffing hours.
Work closely with the Commercial team to ensure sales strategies and commercial initiatives are supported by realistic cost assumptions and sustainable margins.
Use financial insight to support continuous improvement in profitability whilst maintaining elite standards of service and guest experience.

Team Leadership:

Inspire, mentor and develop a multi-disciplinary team across hospitality, events, kitchen and public catering operations.
Create a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.
Manage workforce planning, recruitment and succession planning.

Guest Experience:

Champion a "best-in-class" service culture, ensuring exceptional experiences for all guests.
Implement systems to proactively gather, track, and respond to guest feedback.
Work with the marketing and commercial teams to innovate products and packages to maximise guest satisfaction levels and experiences.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

Act as a key liaison between internal departments, including Commercial, Marketing, Facilities and Football Operations.
Build strong relationships with external parties, including suppliers, contractors, sponsors/partners, event organisers/promoters, and corporate clients/VIP guests.
Collaborate with Bolton Stadium Hotel and the Commercial team to position the venue as a leading destination for premium experiences.

Strategic Leadership:

Contribute to the club's long-term hospitality and events strategy, driving growth in profitability across matchday hospitality and non-matchday events.
Monitor industry trends and implement best practices to enhance operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.

General Responsibilities

BWFC seek to ensure that all children and young people are protected and kept safe from harm while they are with staff and volunteers within Bolton Wanderers activities. Everyone at Bolton Wanderers has a safeguarding responsibility to all work colleagues, fans and any vulnerable adults and children.
Comply fully with all data protection and confidentiality obligations, ensuring that personal, sensitive, and confidential information is handled lawfully, securely, and in accordance with UK GDPR and the Club's Data Protection and Confidentiality Policies.
Be an ambassador of the Group, providing excellent customer service at all times whilst portraying a professional image.
Perform other duties as required, which are considered relevant to the post and to the objectives of the Group as identified by the Group Head of Revenue and Growth.
Treat all colleagues as customers ensuring respectful positive outcomes across communications.
Adhere to and abide by all BWFC policies, procedures, and guidelines especially remembering responsibilities to others under Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity.
This post is subject to a DBS disclosure.

About The Candidate

Experience & Qualifications

Significant leadership experience in hospitality operations, events or venue management (stadium, arena, conference centre, hotel or similar).
Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets & achieving profitability targets.
Familiarity with key hospitality and events cost categories and their impact margins (including labour, food & beverage, supplies, maintenance and utilities).
Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams, including both people leadership/coaching, and also workforce planning/staff scheduling.
Highly organised with excellent project-management skills; able to manage multiple events and prioritise simultaneously.
Outstanding communication and stakeholder-management skills; able to liaise with senior executives, partners, suppliers and guests.
Resilient and results-driven individual, with the ability to operate effectively under pressure.
A passion for delivering memorable hospitality and event experiences, with a commitment to continuous improvement.

Key Metrics of Success:

Profitability/margin performance of hospitality operations.
Guest satisfaction and repeat business levels.
Operational efficiency and cost management.
Team engagement, retention and development metrics.
Compliance with health, safety and licensing requirements.

About The Club

As a founder member of the Football League (EFL), Bolton Wanderers is a football club that is internationally renowned, having played in all four professional leagues of English football, as well as winning the FA Cup on four occasions.

Since the 2019 acquisition by Football Ventures (Whites) Ltd, a new chapter is underway for Bolton Wanderers and Bolton Stadium Hotel, focused on actively shaping a dynamic and enduring future. We are committed to a distinctive approach, driving the club's progress with ambitious plans realised through practical, genuine and comprehensive strategies.

As we continue striving towards achieving greater success, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a Head of Hospitality & Events Operations to lead our operational teams responsible for event delivery across matchday hospitality and non-matchday conferences and events, ensuring exceptional service whilst managing budgets and costs effectively.

This role will focus on delivering outstanding guest experiences, driving operational efficiencies, supporting the commercial strategy, and maintaining the club's reputation as a premier venue for sport, entertainment and corporate events.

You will be joining the team at an important moment in the Club's journey, working alongside a leadership team that is ambitious, commercially minded, and committed to raising standards across the organisation. For someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys responsibility, and wants to help shape how a major football club operates day to day, this is a rare opportunity to make a tangible difference inside one of English football's most recognisable clubs.

As as equal opportunities employer, Bolton Wanderers Football Club is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us.

BWFC seek to ensure that all children and young people are protected and kept safe from harm while they are with staff and volunteers within Bolton Wanderers activities. Everyone at Bolton Wanderers has a safeguarding responsibility to all work colleagues, fans and any vulnerable adults and children.

www.bwfc.co.uk/club/equality-diversity-and-inclusion

www.bwfc.co.uk/club/one-wanderers-family-safeguarding

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Head of Hospitality & Events Operations

About The Role

About The Candidate

About The Club

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