General Manager - Gourmet Hound, Fulham, London, SW6
GM position open for a responsible, dynamic, clean, organised and hard-working candidate to lead a small, close-knit team at an established neighbourhood specialty store, delicatessen and café in Fulham, Southwest London.
This would be a great opportunity for a current assistant manager willing to step up and take the lead, or a seasoned retail manager looking for the next challenge within a familiar ’customer first’ retail environment. The successful candidate would be a self-starter who leads by example and further display characteristics core to the Gourmet Hound ethos: authenticity, a willingness to constantly learn and grow, passion for food and wine, the pursuit of excellence and a natural business aspiration to achieve our collective vision.
Our main goal is to offer superb service and experience to match our top quality products, making customers feel welcome and taken care of at all times. Therefore, excellent communication and leadership skills are essential, along with a good front of house presence and a positive attitude towards work and managing the team of shop assistants. It is all about personality and always being professional, creating an outstanding experience, whilst building genuine and lasting relationships to develop and keep a regular customer base.
About us:
Established in 2021, Gourmet Hound is a fresh concept British focused deli, cellar and speciality grocer based in Fulham, London. A modern concept with sustainability at its heart, we showcase the best British and International food, wine and spirits with a strong ethos to seek out simply the absolute best suppliers. The shop is open from 8:00am to 8:00pm daily and sits on a prominent aspect on a corner of Fulham Palace Road, boasting both inside and outside customer seating. Gourmet Hound is a family business, owned by local SW6 residents, with a long term commitment to operating a successful enterprise that positively adds to the fabric of the community.
What we are looking for:
The role will entail being ’the face’ of the shop for the local clientele, always being courteous, knowledgeable and informative, all whilst taking ownership and responsibility for the daily operation of all sections, including but not limited to:
*Store opening and closing procedures.
*Weekly ordering, receiving, invoice processing and stock control.
*Planning and scheduling effective weekly rotas for full and part time staff.
*Daily staff development, mentoring and overall team monitoring.
*Following food, health and safety and licensing standards.
*Effectively managing customer feedback and complaints.
*Generating reports periodically, evaluating Key Performance Indicators.
*Forecasting sales, setting short and long-term goals, minimising wastage and working within variable set monthly budgets.
*Researching and sampling new products, following seasonality and market trends.
*Liaising and negotiating with current and future suppliers, always striving to keep good working relationships.
*Recruiting and training of staff, as well as dismissal, when needed.
*Maintaining communications with the Owner Partners, working constructively on business strategy, execution and periodic business appraisal.
Furthermore, the role involves handling meat, dairy and bakery products, preparing and serving coffee/drinks, standing for extended periods of time, being comfortable with knife handling and sharp equipment, receiving and lifting heavy items up and down stairs, restocking shelves and constantly tending to product displays.
The ideal candidate will be passionate about food and drink, hospitality and customer service, with more than one year of proven experience in a managerial or supervisory capacity, preferably in a delicatessen, café, food retail, or similar environment. Should also be holder of a Personal License and have a Food Hygiene and Safety Level 3 certificate (or level 2, but willing to obtain level 3 within the first month). Applicants should have a working knowledge of the standard Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) and confidence in verbal/electronic communications with suppliers, service providers and the Owner Partners.
Obviously, candidates with exceptional knowledge of gastronomy, charcuterie, cheese, wine, spirits, coffee and/or gourmet food and beverage products will be highly valued and moved further up the selection process.
This is a full-time permanent position on a variable weekly 5-shift pattern, including weekends and bank holidays, with the occasional overtime, as needed. The earliest shift starts at 7:30am, with the latest finish at 9:00pm; giving a flexible daytime schedule with a good work-life balance. Work Location definition is "in person".
What we offer:
*Competitive salary, depending on experience.
*Support for continuing professional development and training.
*25 days holiday, excluding bank and public holidays.
*Staff meal allowance while on shift.
*Opportunity to unleash your enterprising spirit by collaborating with the Owner Partners on business development, management and strategy.
*Discretionary profit share, based on financial and non-financial performance factors.
Benefits:
*Discretionary profit sharing opportunities
*Discounted or free food
*Exposure to business development and strategy
*Employee discount
*Neat casual dress
Experience:
*Deli/Cafe/Grocery Management: 1 year+ (required)
*Personal Licence and Food Hygiene and Safety Level 2 (required)
*Working knowledge of Microsoft Office software suite - Excel, Word, Outlook, Edge (required)
*Hospitality Management: 1 year (preferred)
*Passion for gastronomy, charcuterie, cheese, wine, spirits, coffee and gourmet foods (preferred)
*Customer/Retail service: 1 year+ (preferred)
*Easy commute for candidate to shop (preferred)