Guest Experience Manager

Escape to the heart of the Forest of Dean, where you will lead the guest experience that makeseverywoodland stay unforgettable

• Location:Forest of Dean (Coleford, Gloucestershire)
• Salary: Up to £40,000 per annum
• Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
• Days of Work: Shifts vary Monday to Sunday on a rolling rota.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Guest Experience Manager to join our passionate team atForest of Dean.This is more than a management role - it's your chance to lead, inspire, and bring the magic of our Forest Retreat to life every day.

Discover the Guest Experience Manager role:

As our Guest Experience Manager, you'll bring the Forest Feeling to life, taking ownership of the guest journey and experience standards across the entire location, from pre-arrival through to departure. Leading our guest-facing teams across reception, food and beverage, retail and ranger activities, you'll create a welcoming, seamless experience that leaves a lasting impression on every guest.

As a key member of the Senior Management Team, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the overall performance of the location, deputising for the General Manager when required. Balancing exceptional guest care with strong commercial performance, you'll inspire your teams to deliver consistently high standards, achieve key performance targets and make every moment of a guest's stay feel special.

Guest Experience ManagerResponsibilities: Guest Experience

• Own the end-to-end guest journey, delivering exceptional experiences from pre-arrival to departure.
• Champion the Forest Feeling through visible guest engagement, welcome experiences, feedback and service recovery.
• Drive guest satisfaction, NPS and continuous improvements across the location.

Food & Beverage Operations

• Lead Retreat and in-cabin food and beverage operations, working closely with the Kitchen Manager.
• Drive sales, profitability and guest spend while maintaining exceptional service, food safety and hygiene standards.
• Oversee stock, suppliers, margins, costs and waste management.

Commercial Performance

• Deliver ancillary revenue, budget and P&L targets across F&B, retail and activities.
• Identify opportunities to grow revenue and enhance the guest experience.
• Monitor performance, stock and margins, balancing commercial success with guest satisfaction.

Team Leadership

• Lead, inspire and develop the wider Forest Retreat team across Guest Experience, F&B, Kitchen and Rangers.
• Drive a positive, guest-focused culture through recruitment, training, coaching and performance management.
• Champion Forest Holidays brand standards and service excellence.

Ranger & Activities

• Lead the delivery of engaging, memorable and safe ranger-led activities and experiences.
• Maximise participation and continually evolve experiences through guest feedback.

Leadership & Location Performance

• Deputise for the General Manager, providing senior leadership and decision-making when required.
• Work closely with the Cabin Operations Manager to deliver a seamless location experience.
• Take Duty Manager responsibility when required, overseeing operational challenges, guest issues and emergency situations.
• Monitor performance, identify opportunities and contribute to the location's wider business strategy.

Your Skills & Experience:

We're looking for a dynamic, hands-on leader who thrives on creating extraordinary guest experiences. You'll bring energy, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for hospitality, inspiring your team to deliver excellence every day.

• Full UK driving license and access to a vehicle
• Proven experience managing customer service or guest experience within hospitality, leisure or a similar guest-facing environment.
• Strong leadership experience, with the ability to motivate, develop and manage teams.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage with guests, colleagues and stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong commercial awareness, with an understanding of budgets, P&L, revenue generation and cost control.
• Proven ability to influence, negotiate and make effective decisions.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure.
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across departments and management teams.
• Confident IT skills, including Microsoft Office and database systems.

Who Are Forest Holidays?

Our business has been recognised as a force for good.

Our holidays are unique, and so are we. We're a team of 800 people. We're stewards of 244.5 hectares of forest. We manage the land for conservation and create spaces in nature for people to stay. Our tucked-away cabin locations are always thoughtfully placed. They're places to discover the wonders of nature and realise the part we all play in protecting it.

What's in it for You?

• 23 days' holiday plus bank holidays (increasing with service)
• Annual bonus based on company performance
• Enhanced parental leave - (24 weeks maternity, 3 weeks paternity at full pay).
• Long service awards and company events
• Access to our health & well being platform
• Secure your future with our company pension scheme
• Twopaid days to volunteer
• Discounted food when working on location
• Health cash plan & life assurance
• Wellbeing events & activities
• Discounted and last-minute stays at Forest Holidays and Sykes Cottages for you, your friends & family.
• Hundreds of discounts on top brands across the UK

If successful in the role, any job offer will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a basic criminal record check.

Reasonable Adjustments: We're all about diversity, inclusion, and bringing your authentic self to work. Need adjustments for the recruitment process? Just ask, our team is happy to help.

If you're ready to create unforgettable moments for every guest and lead a team that makes memorable holidays happen,