Head of Hospitality

Head of Hospitality

Location: Ascot Racecourse, Royal Ascot, High Street, Ascot, SL5 7JX

Salary: £competitive plus 10% bonus

Working pattern: 5 days out of 7, Monday to Friday plus race days, with time back in lieu

Sodexo Live! is looking for an exceptional Head of Hospitality to lead our premium hospitality and conference operations at the world-renowned Ascot Racecourse.

This is a high-profile leadership role at one of the UK’s most prestigious sporting and events venues. You will oversee a large-scale, luxury hospitality operation, including up to 30 fine dining restaurants, 215 private boxes, a casual management team, and P&L responsibility in excess of £19 million.

As Head of Hospitality, you will be responsible for delivering world-class food and beverage experiences across race days, conferences, private events and premium guest areas. Working closely with Sodexo Live!, Ascot Racecourse Ltd and key stakeholders, you will ensure every operation is commercially successful, beautifully executed and consistently aligned with the standards expected of a luxury venue.

You will lead from the front, bringing energy, structure and innovation to a complex, high-volume environment. This role would suit someone with experience in large venues, racecourses, stadia, hotels, luxury hospitality, premium events or high-end food and beverage operations.

What you’ll do

You will lead the hospitality and conference teams to deliver outstanding service, commercial performance and operational excellence across the venue. Your responsibilities will include:

• Maximising profitability across hospitality and conference operations while maintaining exceptional guest standards
• Leading the planning, set-up, delivery and breakdown of events in line with operational standards and procedures
• Managing food and beverage operations across fine dining restaurants, private boxes and premium hospitality areas
• Building strong relationships with Ascot Racecourse Ltd, guest services, internal teams and external stakeholders
• Driving innovation, market trends and best practice across the hospitality operation
• Recruiting, training, developing and motivating a large casual and permanent workforce
• Managing budgets, costs, KPIs and P&L performance
• Supporting menu development, cellar management and premium wine service
• Ensuring full compliance with food safety, health and safety and operational procedures
• Handling guest feedback and resolving issues quickly and professionally
• Developing Assistant Managers and future hospitality leaders within the team
• Ensuring the venue is fully operationally ready for race days, conferences and major events

What you’ll bring

We are looking for a confident and commercially focused hospitality leader with experience delivering premium service in a large, complex environment. You will bring:

• Significant operational experience in hospitality, events, venues, hotels, racecourses, stadia or luxury food and beverage
• Experience managing large teams in high-volume environments
• A strong understanding of luxury service standards and guest experience
• Commercial awareness, including budget control, cost management and P&L responsibility
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• The ability to prioritise, problem-solve and remain calm under pressure
• A hands‑on leadership style with the ability to motivate and develop teams
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office
• Strong literacy and numeracy skills

Desirable qualifications include IOSH, CIEH Level 3 or previous experience in major events.

What we offer

In return, you will receive a competitive package and the opportunity to play a key role at one of the most iconic racecourses in the world.

Benefits include

• Competitive Salary
• 10% bonus opportunity
• Time back in lieu for race days worked
• Free race day tickets
• The opportunity to lead a flagship Sodexo Live! hospitality operation
• Career development within a global organisation

This is a fantastic opportunity for a hospitality leader who thrives in a fast-paced, premium environment and wants to deliver unforgettable guest experiences at scale.