Hospitality jobs

If you're passionate about providing exceptional experiences to guests, customers and clients, the world of hospitality offers a wealth of exciting career opportunities where your skills and qualifications can shine

Accommodation manager

It's your job to keep tenants, guests, or residents happy, and maintain a clean establishment with well-trained staff. This applies to various settings such as care homes, halls of residence, housing associations and hotels.

Your responsibilities as a manager will include budget control, business planning and administration. Although a degree is not always required, employers prefer candidates with experience and relevant skills.

However, if you wish to join a management scheme for a larger chain, a degree may be necessary. Additionally, you can pursue an apprenticeship in hospitality management and work your way up to a management position.

See what skills you'll need to become an accommodation manager or hotel manager. Take a look at 6 reasons to get into hotel management.

Catering manager

Also known as a food and beverage manager, you'll be responsible for planning, organising, and developing menus that meet customer expectations, adhere to strict hygiene standards, and stay within budget.

This career path offers multiple entry points. Graduate schemes and apprenticeships provide structured development while starting as a catering assistant allows you to build your skills and experience firsthand. With dedication and talent, you could progress to head of catering, operations manager, or even catering director, overseeing a regional team.

Success in this role requires the ability to think on your feet, collaborate effectively, and manage finances with precision. Food hygiene and health and safety certifications might be required, but many employers offer training.

Read more about the daily tasks and salary of a catering manager.

Chef

This industry boasts a hierarchy, with chef positions tiered. Your journey will likely begin as a commis chef, where you'll gain experience and hone your skills before climbing the ladder.

Beyond mastering culinary techniques and adhering to food hygiene and safety regulations, success depends on skills such as:

• the ability to follow instructions attentively
• delegating work effectively when needed
• being able to maintain composure under pressure.

Take a look at the qualifications needed to become a chef.

Conference centre manager

Your main responsibility is to ensure that all services provided meet the client's needs and that events are run efficiently. This might require you to consult with an event organiser. You can find work in various venues including conference centres, hotels, universities, and sporting arenas.

Salaries for this role vary depending on the sector, position, and experience. Assistant managers typically start at £20,000 and can rise to £35,000 as managers. With a few years of experience, the salary can go up to £60,000.

To be successful you need to have effective organisational skills, the ability to budget and manage finances, and customer service skills.  A full driving licence and foreign language skills can also be useful, depending on the job.

Learn more about the career prospects of a conference centre manager.

Event manager

In this role, you'll be responsible for planning and organising conferences, seminars, exhibitions, and parties. While a degree in event management, marketing, or leisure and tourism may be useful, employers are more interested in your  skills and industry experience. To gain experience, consider a degree that includes a year in industry, or you could volunteer to organise events while at university.

Project management skills, attention to detail, and the ability to problem solve are also crucial in this hands-on role.

Discover what you could earn as an event manager.

Exhibition designer

Your aim is to create visually appealing exhibitions that are practical, effectively convey the client's message, and meet any space or budget constraints. To achieve this, you'll need excellent communication skills to listen to the client's ideas and translate them into reality while incorporating your own ideas.

Most employers require a degree in an art and design-related field, along with a design portfolio and relevant work experience. To excel in this field, you need to have creative thinking abilities, drawing skills, and a good commercial understanding.

Exhibition design positions are available in design firms, consultancies, larger museums, and galleries. However, before starting your own business, you must have enough experience and a well-established portfolio to build contacts and gain clients.

Read about the responsibilities of an exhibition designer.

Fast food restaurant manager

It's your responsibility to ensure that the food and drinks served at your establishment are high quality, and that the customers receive excellent service. You may also have to oversee finance, operations, and sales as required.

Many managers begin their careers at the counter and work their way up the ladder. However, there are also opportunities to pursue a graduate scheme, a degree-level course, or an apprenticeship. By being flexible with your working hours and location, and demonstrating commitment and drive, you can climb the ranks more quickly and reach senior management positions.

Assistant manager positions typically pay between £24,000 and £26,000, with salaries increasing to between £28,000 and £36,000 with experience. Regional managers can expect to earn up to £65,000.

Find out about the role of a fast food restaurant manager.

Operations director

Working behind the scenes, operations directors are highly experienced staff members who ensure a smooth-running establishment. They function as team leaders, responsible for setting schedules, delegating tasks, and ensuring staff follow proper procedures to deliver exceptional service. Operations managers also play a crucial role in managing expenses and identifying cost-saving strategies for the business.

You'll need to be familiar with health and safety regulations and ensure that your department is operating in compliance with them. You'll also need to have years of experience in the industry to prove your ability to oversee operations.

According to the Reed Salary Guide, you can expect to be paid between £59,700 to £93,200 depending on where you work.

Pastry chef

 As culinary artists who specialise in creating delicious and visually stunning pastries, desserts, breads, and confections, pastry chefs need a solid foundation in baking science, pastry techniques like dough preparation, tempering chocolate, and cake decorating, as well as knowledge of various ingredients.

Pastry chefs are not just bakers; they are creative minds who can translate ideas into delectable treats, meaning an eye for design, plating, and presentation is crucial.

This specialism is in-demand in various hospitality settings such as:

• fine dining restaurants
• hotels and resorts
• bakeries and patisseries
• speciality food shops
• catering companies.

Salaries vary depending on location but range between £23,500 and £35,300  per year.

Public house manager

Running a pub or bar includes customer service, staff recruitment, managing finances, and keeping inventory in check. Whether you're the owner of the establishment or entrusted to run it by a brewery or pub chain, a personal license to sell alcohol is required. You can get your license through an accredited qualification.

Formal qualifications are generally less desired than firsthand experience. However, if you're entering the field through a graduate management scheme, a strong degree in any discipline is beneficial.

Salaries for assistant pub managers range from £16,000 to £21,000, with managers and licensees earning up to £35,000. Additional benefits might include subsidised meals and discounted or complimentary accommodation, with some managers even having the option to live above the pub itself.

Take a look at the skills you'll need to be a public house manager.

Restaurant manager

Balance is key in running a successful restaurant. You'll ensure smooth operations and profitability while safeguarding the restaurant's reputation. Excellent business skills and creativity are essential to juggle tasks like quality standards while ensuring financial performance, and health and safety.

Exceptional personal skills and problem-solving abilities are crucial for managing staff and customer interactions. You'll be diplomatic, ensuring everyone feels heard and respected.

A degree is not mandatory, as work experience is equally valued. However, a degree in business, hospitality management, or catering can be a stepping stone for formal recruitment programmes.

Salaries range from £23,000 to £45,600 across the UK.

Learn more about the life of a restaurant manager.

Sommelier

A sommelier is an expert in wines who possesses extensive knowledge about grape varieties, wine regions, production techniques, and the unique styles of wine produced worldwide. Understanding how the flavours of wine interact and create pairings with food is a crucial skill, as well as possessing a well-developed sense of taste and smell to effectively evaluate wines and describe their unique characteristics.

While not always mandatory, certifications from recognised institutions like the Court of Master Sommeliers or the Wine and Spirit Education Trust can demonstrate your expertise and enhance your career prospects.

From fine dining to upscale wine bars, there's a growing need for sommeliers in hospitality.

You can expect to take home between £24,100 and £39,100 based on your location.

Find out more

• See what the hospitality and events management sector has to offer.