Hotel Manager

Location: On-site in Knutsford, Cheshire, North-West England (not remote)

Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is one of the North West’s most distinguished luxury destinations. Nestled in the heart of the Cheshire countryside and surrounded by a championship golf course, the resort combines Fairmont’s world-renowned elegance with the warmth and character of its local heritage. Renowned for exceptional service and attention to detail, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere offers guests an indulgent escape featuring world-class spa experiences, exceptional dining, and outstanding leisure facilities. Whether visiting for relaxation, celebration, or business, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is dedicated to creating unforgettable moments and delivering the very best in 5-star luxury hospitality.

Your purpose will be:

As an accomplished Hotel Manager, you will play a key role in supporting the pre-opening planning, mobilisation, and launch of the hotel, establishing operational frameworks, brand standards, and service culture ahead of opening. You will support the planning, leadership, and day-to-day management of the hotel’s overall operations, ensuring exceptional guest and colleague experiences while driving operational excellence and achieving financial objectives.

The Hotel Manager will plan, organise, direct, and coordinate all operational management activities in close partnership with the General Manager, contributing directly to the achievement of the hotel’s strategic goals and long-term success. In the absence of the General Manager, the Hotel Manager will assume full responsibility for the operation of the hotel.

As an ambassador for the Fairmont brand, the Hotel Manager will consistently deliver outstanding luxury hospitality, foster a high-performance and high-engagement culture, and protect and enhance the long-term value of the asset in line with brand standards and ownership expectations.

What You Will Be Doing:

• Ensure the smooth operation and coordination of the hotel through respective Department Heads (Front Office, Housekeeping, Golf, Spa & Health Club, Food & Beverage, and Culinary)
• Lead by example, Ensuring delivery of a consistently exceptional luxury guest experience across all areas of the hotel, in line with Fairmont brand standards
• Analyse guest feedback, trends and satisfaction metrics, implementing corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives
• Support the General Manager in the overall management and strategic direction of the hotel.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Resort, including Food & Beverage, Culinary, and Rooms Division.
• Ensure the hotel team delivers Fairmont’s service promise and the highest level of brand standards, turning guest moments into memorable experiences.
• Maintain constant awareness of all ongoing activities throughout the entire operation.
• Drive quality across the resort and inspire the team to create extraordinary guest experiences.
• Demonstrate commitment to service excellence through effective implementation and delivery of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts standards at all times.
• Assume the responsibilities of the General Manager in their absence.
• Guarantee through effective supervision that all services offered are always available and carried out efficiently.
• Ensure the team is fully aware of operating standards and mystery audit criteria, conducting spot checks and audits to ensure targets are met.
• Verify daily that all standards and procedures are adhered to.
• Monitor staff rotas to ensure effective coverage of outlets, with payroll in line with budget.
• Support Heads of Department (HODs) in managing talent within their departments, ensuring correct standards and methods of service are maintained.
• Maintain good working relationships with EXCOM members, third parties, and Accor Hotel Services.
• Oversee hotel ownership, membership, and local community relations.
• Develop and update strategies and key objectives to enhance F&B outlet performance and standards, involving HODs in strategy and concept development.
• Meet regularly with outlet managers and other HODs to review departmental operations, ensuring smooth coordination and communication.
• Ensure each department meets its quantitative and qualitative targets.

What you will need to do this role:

• Strong leadership capability with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop high-performing teams.
• Excellent operational knowledge with strong commercial and financial acumen.
• Bachelor’s Degree from a reputable hospitality school preferred, or equivalent experience.
• 5 years’ operational management experience with a strong Rooms and/or Food & Beverage background, or at least 2 years in a similar senior operational role.
• Strong understanding of hotel operations, business acumen, and luxury service delivery.
• Excellent written and spoken English; additional local language skills are desirable.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated leadership competencies including communication, coaching, and team development.
• Upholds brand standards for professional conduct and presentation.

Please note that we believe in flexibility and multi-skilling, and you may be asked to do different tasks from time to time to enable us to meet the needs of our guests and colleagues.

What is in it for you?

• Exclusive Discounts:
  • Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, Spa and Golf discount
  • Fairmont, Raffles, and Accor Hotels (friends and family rates are included)
  • 20% off food and beverage in on-site restaurants
• Colleague restaurant
• Being part of The Mere Team – our culture is unique!
• You will benefit from training and development opportunities
• Competitive salary and benefits including pension
• 28 days of holiday including public holidays
• 1-5 days service award based on length of service
• Special rates for Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere colleagues and their friends & family and discount across Accor hotels worldwide
• And last but not least you will get to work with a team of EXTRAORDINARY people