COUNTRY HOUSE ASSISTANT MANAGER Location: Abingworth Hall, Storrington Road, Thakeham, West Sussex, RH20 3EF Contract: Permanent, Full Time Salary: £28,080 Reporting to: House Manager Live In: Live in accommodation available inclusive of all bills, 3 meals per day, Laundry & Free wifi, Job Benefits: 33 Days Holiday pro rata inclusive of bank holidays | Pension Contributions | Volunteer Day | Group Life Assurance | Cinema Discounts | Online Shopping Discounts | Cycle to work Scheme | Discounted Gym Membership | Virtual GP | Health & Wellbeing Support 24/7 Helplines with access to trained counsellors for support on Mental Health, Relationships, Work, Stress, Bereavement, Finances, Childcare and much more | Exclusive discounts on our holidays for you, your friends and family | Annual familiarization visit at any of our country houses for you and your family About the role: Our Abingworth Hall country house proudly boasts 30 elegantly appointed bedrooms, providing a serene retreat for up to 49 guests embarking on guided or self-guided tour holidays. As the Country House Assistant Manager, your role revolves around supporting the House Manager to deliver an exceptional standard of customer service, ensuring every part of the house operates at the pinnacle of excellence. Your responsibilities span various domains: Customer Service Excellence : Engage and Interact with our guests creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. Monitor every aspect of customer service, leaving no room for compromise on our commitment to excellence. Front of House Leadership : Lead the front of house team, ensuring pristine conditions in all bedrooms and public areas are meet to our brand standards. Property Maintenance and Aesthetics : Support the House Manager in addressing internal and external repairs and property defects. Work with the maintenance team to uphold the appearance of the garden, grounds, and overall Country House aesthetics to align with brand standards. Team Culture Development : Given a significant portion of our staff live in, you will foster a culture of teamwork and harmony, recognising the crucial role it plays in the overall success of our house. Centralised Support : Leverage the support of our central HR team for recruitment, performance management, and conduct-related matters. Similarly, work with the central support operations team for the implementation and upkeep of all facets of Health and Safety, purchasing, stock management control, and reporting. As an Assistant General Manager your role encapsulates not just management but a commitment to creating an environment where every detail reflects the excellence that defines our brand. Your potential to contribute to our team goes beyond professional competence; it lies in your ability to infuse warmth, leadership, and excellence into every area of our Country House operations. This role will require you to deputise for the House Manager covering Days off and Annual Leave. What are we looking for? We would love to hear from you if you have these essential skills: A robust commercial background in the Tourism or Hospitality industry. We are keen to hear from Assistant Hotel Managers, Country House Assistant Managers, Hotel Assistant General Managers or Assistant Hospitality Managers, who can showcase a track record of successful management within a hotel, country house, or similar establishment. Exemplary customer service skills and excel as a team leader Given the nature of our industry, flexibility is key. The role necessitates adaptability to varied working hours, particularly during evenings and weekends About HF Holidays: HF Holidays are a B Corp Certified British heritage brand with over 110 years of experience organising walking holidays in the UK, Europe, and beyond. We’ve been leading the way since 1913 and offer over 260 carefully curated guided and self-guided walking tours on six continents and in 40 destinations worldwide. Run as a co-operative, we put people at the heart of everything we do and are proud to be part of a community with a shared passion for the great outdoors. Friendship, fun, fresh air, and the feelgood factor have always been our guiding principles. Our 500-strong team are based remotely, at our Head Office in Hertfordshire and across our 16 country houses located in some of the UK’s best-loved national parks and National Landscapes. Our Application Process: To ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation process, we welcome candidates to submit their CVs without including personal identifying information, such as name, gender, age, race, religion, or any other factors that may reveal their identity. This practice aligns with our commitment to fostering equal opportunities for all applicants. Equity and Diversity: We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate individuals based on job-related qualifications and abilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against candidates based on any of the protected characteristics set out under the Equalities Act 2010 or any other characteristic protected by law. HF Holidays also provides reasonable adjustments to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable laws. We are a member of the Business Disability Forum, a Disability Confident Employer and we operate the Guaranteed Interview Scheme to those candidates who meet our essential criteria. If you need to enquire about a reasonable adjustment, need assistance with completing the application process or wish to be interviewed under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, please email recruitmenthfholidays.co.uk or call us on (0) 7918 652114 where a member of our Resourcing Team will be happy to help you.