Head of Guest Experience & Hospitality Full Time NEW

Company: The Grange Festival

Title: Head of Guest Experience & Hospitality

Location: Alresford, Hampshire

Salary: £36k – £40k per annum

The Grange Festival is looking for an experienced and highly skilled hospitality professional to lead our guest experience and hospitality programme. This is a senior, hands-on role at the heart of a premier arts organisation, offering the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with high-net-worth patrons, members, and guests, while overseeing the operational excellence that ensures every interaction is seamless.

This role also carries a strong commercial focus. You will play a key part in driving revenue through ticket sales, dining, and membership, with a proactive and thoughtful approach to upselling and conversion, always aligned with delivering an exceptional guest experience.

The Grange Festival is currently undergoing a significant period of growth, presenting the chance for the right candidate to shape the evolution of our audience experience and take on increasing responsibility as the organisation expands.

Why This Role is Special

• Lead the delivery of truly exceptional experiences for discerning guests and high-value patrons.
• Balance strategic relationship management with operational oversight and hands-on delivery.
• Play a central role in shaping how our audience engages with The Festival, leaving a lasting impression of excellence and warmth.
• Influence systems, processes, and service design across a growing, dynamic organisation.
• Contribute directly to revenue growth through guest engagement, upselling, and conversion.

What You’ll Do

Build Exceptional Guest Relationships

• Be the first point of contact for our most valued guests, delivering a high-touch, personalised service.
• Maintain strong, trusted relationships with repeat attendees and high-net-worth patrons.
• Identify opportunities to enhance each guest’s visit through tailored recommendations, including ticket upgrades, dining, and membership.
• Manage complex or sensitive requests with discretion, care, and professionalism.

Drive Revenue & Commercial Performance

• Proactively support the generation of ticket, dining, and membership revenue through effective conversion of enquiries.
• Confidently upsell hospitality packages, premium seating, and add-ons in a way that enhances the guest experience.
• Monitor booking patterns and identify opportunities to maximise occupancy and yield.
• Work closely with internal teams to support sales initiatives and campaign delivery.
• Oversee day-to-day operations and commercial performance of the on-site shop, ensuring an engaging retail experience that supports overall revenue growth and brand presentation.

Lead Operational Excellence

• Oversee bookings, seating allocations, and hospitality arrangements, ensuring all guest requirements are met flawlessly.
• Maintain operational standards during peak periods, combining strategic oversight with hands-on execution.
• Ensure dietary requirements, accessibility needs, and bespoke requests are captured and executed with precision.

Manage Financial & Systems Processes

• Oversee ticketing, dining, and donation payments, including cash handling, reconciliation, and use of on-site payment devices.
• Maintain accurate records in Spektrix or comparable CRM/ticketing systems, monitoring data quality and integrity.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, processes, and guest-facing systems.

Lead and Support Your Team

• Manage seasonal staff during peak periods, setting rotas and providing hands-on guidance.
• Lead by example, demonstrating exceptional service standards and commercial awareness.
• Support the development and coordination of front-of-house and hospitality staff.

Be Hands-On

• Actively handle inbound guest enquiries via phone, email, and in-person during peak periods, converting interest into confirmed bookings.
• Support bookings, ticketing, and hospitality execution directly, ensuring every interaction reflects The Grange Festival’s high standards.

About You

• Extensive experience in hospitality, luxury service, or customer-facing roles, ideally within a hotel or premium guest environment.
• Commercially minded, with a proven ability or strong instinct for upselling, conversion, and revenue generation.
• Proven ability to build long-term relationships quickly and maintain high levels of loyalty.
• Strong operational and organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Confident using CRM or ticketing systems (Spektrix or comparable) and managing financial processes.
• Comfortable working strategically while “rolling up your sleeves” during busy periods.
• Calm, solutions-focused, and able to make excellent decisions under pressure.
• Ambitious and excited by the opportunity to grow within a rapidly expanding organisation.

Working Pattern & Benefits

• Full-time: 35 hours/week outside peak season.
• Peak period (June–July) requires extended hours and weekends; TOIL provided.
• Hands-on operational responsibility during peak periods; in the off-season, the team is very small, and you will be responsible for managing all incoming calls and emails.
• Unique opportunity to combine high-end hospitality leadership with a role offering both influence and operational impact, in an organisation undergoing significant growth.