General Manager - Sherborne

General Manager – Lodestone House at Sherborne SchoolLead an Exceptional Hospitality Operation

Lodestone House is proud to partner with Sherborne School, delivering exceptional food, hospitality and service within one of the UK's leading independent schools.

We're looking for an experienced General Manager who is passionate about delivering outstanding hospitality, exceptional customer experiences and strong operational performance. This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious hospitality professional to take overall responsibility for a high-quality operation within a prestigious education environment.

As General Manager, you'll lead the day-to-day operation, inspiring your team to deliver excellent food and service, strong financial performance and consistently high standards, while building trusted relationships with the school and its wider community.

What We Offer

We believe in recognising and rewarding our people. That's why we provide a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Free meals whilst on duty
• Free onsite parking
• Contributory pension scheme
• Excellent Career Pathways and MyLearning development programmes
• Quick access to a Digital GP for you and your immediate family, plus wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your weekly shop with discounts at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Cash rewards every time you spend with participating brands
• Free wellbeing, mindfulness and exercise classes
• Access to a wide range of discounts and offers for you, your friends and family

About the Role

As General Manager at Lodestone House at Sherborne School, you'll take overall responsibility for the operational performance of the catering and hospitality service.

Working closely with the school and Lodestone House leadership teams, you'll ensure the delivery of an exceptional service that meets the needs of pupils, staff, visitors and guests.

You'll lead and inspire a talented team, manage budgets and resources, build strong client relationships and drive continuous improvement across the operation. You'll also identify opportunities to enhance the school's hospitality offer, improve customer satisfaction and deliver sustainable commercial results.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop your team to deliver exceptional food, hospitality and customer service.
• Take overall responsibility for the day-to-day management and performance of the catering and hospitality operation.
• Ensure all contractual, company, school and legislative standards are consistently achieved.
• Oversee the delivery of high-quality catering, hospitality and associated services.
• Ensure excellent food safety, health & safety, hygiene and compliance standards are maintained at all times.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Sherborne School, pupils, staff, visitors and key stakeholders.
• Review customer feedback and satisfaction results, implementing effective continuous improvement plans.
• Manage budgets, labour, food costs and operating costs to achieve financial targets.
• Monitor purchasing, stock control and wastage to maximise efficiency and value.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the school's food and hospitality offer and improve the overall customer experience.
• Deliver outstanding hospitality for school events, functions and other special occasions.
• Ensure all compliance documentation, audits and reporting are completed accurately and on time.
• Drive engagement, innovation and added-value initiatives across the operation.
• Recruit, coach and develop team members, supporting career progression and succession planning.
• Create a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture.
• Work closely with the school to understand its priorities and ensure the service continually evolves to meet its needs.
• Act as a positive ambassador for Lodestone House and Sherborne School.

Who We're Looking For

You'll be a confident, commercially focused and inspirational leader with a genuine passion for food, hospitality, people and service excellence.

You'll be comfortable taking ownership of a complex operation, making informed decisions and inspiring your team to deliver exceptional results within a prestigious independent school environment.

You'll Have:

• Previous General Manager, Operations Manager, Catering Manager or similar senior management experience within contract catering, hospitality, education, healthcare, B&I or a comparable environment.
• Strong people management and leadership skills.
• Proven experience managing budgets, costs and financial performance.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety, health & safety and compliance requirements.
• Strong client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• A genuine passion for delivering excellent customer service and hospitality.
• Experience managing a complex catering or hospitality operation is desirable.
• Excellent organisational, communication and problem-solving skills.
• A hands-on and visible management style, with the ability to motivate, coach and develop teams.
• A commercial mindset with the ability to identify opportunities and deliver results.
• A proactive approach, with a focus on innovation, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Join Lodestone House at Sherborne School

This is an exciting opportunity to join Lodestone House at Sherborne School and play a key role in delivering an exceptional catering and hospitality experience across the school.

If you're an experienced hospitality leader looking for your next challenge and want the opportunity to make a real impact within a prestigious independent school, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and take the next step in your career as General Manager with Lodestone House at Sherborne School.

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/1208/99130001/52825192/SU #Lodestone House

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!