Our SENsational colleagues are what make our airport thrive. Our goal is to develop each and every one of our colleagues’ skillsets by investing heavily in training and development throughout their careers, creating a culture of internal development and progression. A number of our senior leadership team began their career with us in an entry level role; the sky is the limit here at LSA.
As one of the key employers for Southend City, we aim to ensure that our roles are accessible to the community. We are committed to providing equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for our colleagues.
Now is an exciting time to join our airport. As a business, we are constantly growing, resulting in a wealth of roles to choose from, including Air Traffic Control, Fuelling, Car Parking, Rail, Security, Ground Maintenance, Firefighters, Cleaning, Technical Services, and more. There really isn’t a better time to join team SENsational.
About the role:
Our Food and Beverage department plays a key role in providing our passengers with a smooth and positive journey through our airport. The role involves:
* Managing the operational, financial, and customer experience performance of all Food and Beverage outlets across the airport, including cafés, a pub, a premium lounge, and dynamic pop-up bars and eateries, in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
* Ensuring that every outlet delivers outstanding service, strong commercial results, and compliance with all regulatory standards, while creating a welcoming experience for every guest.
* Leading large, diverse teams, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
* Embodying the Airport’s ‘One Team’ culture and supporting the business as needed.
* Working flexible shifts, including early mornings, late nights, weekends, and bank holidays, as the airport operates 24/7.
Core Activities:
Customer Experience
* Championing high-quality guest experiences across all outlets.
* Ensuring outlets meet their concept and presentation standards.
* Leading and supporting outlet Assistant Managers and their teams.
* Driving colleague engagement, recognition, and retention.
* Managing sales, gross profit, and cost budgets.
* Monitoring key metrics like labour, margins, and wastage.
Safety, Compliance & Allergen Management
* Ensuring compliance with food safety, hygiene regulations, and allergen controls, including Rachel’s Law.
* Leading on safety checks and audits using Shield.
Stakeholder Engagement & Airport Collaboration
* Acting as the primary contact for airport partners and regulatory bodies.
* Aligning with airport policies and shared goals.
Operational Planning & Development
* Adapting to passenger flows and trends to maintain service quality and revenue.
* Providing training and development for management and staff.
* Supporting succession planning and leadership development.
* Analyzing sales and feedback data to identify opportunities.
* Implementing revenue initiatives and promotions.
Safety & Compliance
* Conducting safety checks and ensuring training on safety, hygiene, and allergen procedures.
Representation & Collaboration
* Representing the operation in meetings and planning sessions to support airport success.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:
To succeed in this role, you should have:
* At least 3 years’ experience in a senior food and beverage management role within a high-volume hospitality environment, with annual turnover over £5 million.
* Strong commercial acumen and a track record of achieving sales, cost, and profit targets.
* Knowledge of food safety, licensing laws, allergen legislation (including Rachel’s Law), and HACCP principles; experience with Shield safety is preferable.
* Proven ability to lead, develop, and inspire large, diverse teams.
* Relevant industry qualifications such as Level 3/4 Food Safety, Hospitality Management BTEC/degree, or Personal Licence.
We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments during the interview process.
Our benefits package includes apprenticeships, Medicash healthcare, wellbeing apps, Employee Assistance Programme, gym discounts, mental health support, cycle schemes, and duty-free discounts. If you’re ready, hit the apply button — we look forward to hearing from you!
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