Director Of Food & Beverage - Rugby

Hurley Source: WhatJobs

£80,000–£100,000

A rare opportunity has arisen to join one of the UK's most prestigious educational institutions as Director of Food & Beverage, leading the strategic direction of food, hospitality and catering across Rugby School and Bilton Grange. This is far more than a traditional catering leadership role. We are seeking an exceptional senior leader who can combine commercial acumen, operational excellence and inspiring people leadership to create a sector‑leading food and hospitality experience. Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer, Senior Leadership Team, House Masters and operational teams, you will set the vision, establish best‑in‑class standards and drive performance across a complex and highly visible environment. For the right individual, there will also be potential opportunities to influence food strategy across the wider Rugby School Group in the future.

The Opportunity

As Director of Food & Beverage, you will be responsible for shaping and delivering a long‑term strategy that enhances student wellbeing, hospitality excellence, financial performance and operational efficiency.

Setting the strategic direction for food, hospitality and service excellence across Rugby School and Bilton Grange.
Creating and embedding exceptional standards of food quality, presentation and customer experience.
Building and developing high‑performing leadership and operational teams.
Leading transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
Driving commercial performance, financial planning and cost control.
Strengthening operational structures, governance and accountability.
Acting as a visible ambassador for Lodestone House, Rugby School and the wider Rugby community.
Building strong relationships with senior stakeholders, school leaders, students, staff, families and guests.

What Success Looks Like

You will create a lasting legacy through:

Outstanding food quality and dining experiences.
A clear and sustainable food and hospitality strategy.
Strong leadership capability and succession planning.
Improved operational effectiveness and accountability.
Financial clarity, control and long‑term value creation.
A recognised benchmark for excellence within independent education.

You will be an accomplished and influential senior leader with the ability to operate strategically while remaining connected to day‑to‑day delivery.

We are particularly interested in candidates from:

Independent education.
Premium hospitality.
Contract catering.
Multi‑site service‑led organisations.
Complex operational environments with significant stakeholder engagement.

You will bring:

Proven senior leadership experience within hospitality, catering, education or a related service industry.
Strong commercial and financial management expertise.
A track record of leading large teams and delivering cultural change.
The ability to influence and build trusted relationships at executive level.
Excellent strategic, operational and organisational skills.
Sound judgement with the ability to balance service excellence, student wellbeing, commercial objectives and long‑term sustainability.
A passion for creating exceptional customer experiences.

Rugby School is one of the UK's most distinguished educational communities, recognised for its rich heritage, excellence and commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience. This role offers the opportunity to make a visible and lasting impact on daily school life while helping shape the future of food and hospitality across a highly respected institution.

About Lodestone House

Lodestone House is committed to redefining catering within independent education through seasonal and sustainable food, food education and long‑term partnerships with leading schools.

Our ambition is simple: to create memorable food experiences that have a positive impact on students, staff and visitors every day., 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.

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!

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

Contributory pension scheme
Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
Un‑wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families