General Manager – The White Hart, Lewes

We have an exceptional opportunity for an experienced and commercially driven General Manager to lead our thriving White Hart in Lewes.

Now successfully open and going from strength to strength, The White Hart is a stunning historic inn in the heart of Lewes, East Sussex. Beautifully restored and already building an outstanding reputation, the site offers a vibrant bar with 40 covers, 140 dining covers, an enclosed terrace for 60 with breathtaking views of the South Downs, and 23 beautifully appointed guest rooms.

As one of our flagship Pubs with Rooms within the award-winning Heartwood Collection home to Brasserie Blanc and Heartwood Inns, The White Hart combines fresh, seasonal food with warm hospitality and exceptional standards. Our businesses sit at the heart of their communities, and our continued success is driven by passionate, like-minded individuals who create unforgettable guest experiences.

The Role

This is a high-impact leadership role for a commercially astute operator who can drive sales, maximise profitability and continue the impressive growth trajectory of the business.

You will take full accountability for performance across all areas of the site including  food, beverage service and rooms  ensuring operational excellence while building, developing and inspiring a high-performing team.

You will be confident analysing KPIs, identifying opportunities, and implementing clear commercial strategies to grow revenue across all streams, including rooms. A strong understanding of cost control, payroll management and revenue optimisation is essential.

The Ideal Candidate will:

• Be highly commercial and financially astute, with a proven track record of driving sales growth and profitability
• Have strong people management skills and experience leading large, diverse teams
• Be confident managing HR matters, including recruitment, performance management, succession planning, engagement and employee relations
• Have experience running a site with accommodation and a solid understanding of rooms revenue management and yield
• Demonstrate the ability to oversee a busy, multi-faceted operation while maintaining exceptional standards
• Be a visible, hands-on leader with energy, warmth and presence
• Thrive on motivating and empowering teams to deliver outstanding guest experiences
• Have proven experience delivering sustained business growth, achieving budgets and maintaining strong staff retention

This is an exciting opportunity to lead an already successful and growing business with significant further potential.

If you are a driven and ambitious General Manager looking to take ownership of a flagship site within a respected and expanding collection, we would love to hear from you.

General Manager – What We Offer:

• Competitive salary plus Tronc and quarterly bonus
• Private Healthcare with Bupa
• Employee Assistance Programme with Hospitality Action
• 28 days holiday including Bank Holidays
• Option to buy an additional 5 days holiday per year
• The Pantry – hundreds of retailer and experience discounts through Reward Gateway
• Stepping Stones – our industry-leading training and development platform supporting progression
• Coaching and Mentorship programme to support your career development
• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity package
• 50% off food across all Heartwood Collection sites
• 20% Friends & Family food discount
• Discounted rooms at our Inns
• A thoughtful birthday gift
• Long Service Recognition Awards
• Refer a Friend bonus up to £1,500
• Instant access to earned pay through EarlyPay
• Cycle to Work Scheme

About Heartwood Collection

Heartwood Collection is one of the UK’s fastest-growing premium casual dining groups, home to the award-winning Brasserie Blanc and Heartwood Inns brands. Backed by Alchemy Partners since 2022, we operate 50 sites nationwide and are on an ambitious growth journey including a rapidly expanding rooms business set to exceed 300 bedrooms by 2027.

We are proud of our family culture, collaborative spirit and appetite for growth. This is an exciting time to join a business where commercial thinking, strong leadership and data-driven decision-making play a critical role in shaping long-term success.

General Manager – The White Hart, Lewes

We have an exceptional opportunity for an experienced and commercially driven General Manager to lead our thriving White Hart in Lewes.

Now successfully open and going from strength to strength, The White Hart is a stunning historic inn in the heart of Lewes, East Sussex. Beautifully restored and already building an outstanding reputation, the site offers a vibrant bar with 40 covers, 140 dining covers, an enclosed terrace for 60 with breathtaking views of the South Downs, and 23 beautifully appointed guest rooms.

As one of our flagship Pubs with Rooms within the award-winning Heartwood Collection home to Brasserie Blanc and Heartwood Inns, The White Hart combines fresh, seasonal food with warm hospitality and exceptional standards. Our businesses sit at the heart of their communities, and our continued success is driven by passionate, like-minded individuals who create unforgettable guest experiences.

The Role

This is a high-impact leadership role for a commercially astute operator who can drive sales, maximise profitability and continue the impressive growth trajectory of the business.

You will take full accountability for performance across all areas of the site including  food, beverage service and rooms  ensuring operational excellence while building, developing and inspiring a high-performing team.

You will be confident analysing KPIs, identifying opportunities, and implementing clear commercial strategies to grow revenue across all streams, including rooms. A strong understanding of cost control, payroll management and revenue optimisation is essential.

The Ideal Candidate will:

• Be highly commercial and financially astute, with a proven track record of driving sales growth and profitability
• Have strong people management skills and experience leading large, diverse teams
• Be confident managing HR matters, including recruitment, performance management, succession planning, engagement and employee relations
• Have experience running a site with accommodation and a solid understanding of rooms revenue management and yield
• Demonstrate the ability to oversee a busy, multi-faceted operation while maintaining exceptional standards
• Be a visible, hands-on leader with energy, warmth and presence
• Thrive on motivating and empowering teams to deliver outstanding guest experiences
• Have proven experience delivering sustained business growth, achieving budgets and maintaining strong staff retention

This is an exciting opportunity to lead an already successful and growing business with significant further potential.

If you are a driven and ambitious General Manager looking to take ownership of a flagship site within a respected and expanding collection, we would love to hear from you.

General Manager – What We Offer:

• Competitive salary plus Tronc and quarterly bonus
• Private Healthcare with Bupa
• Employee Assistance Programme with Hospitality Action
• 28 days holiday including Bank Holidays
• Option to buy an additional 5 days holiday per year
• The Pantry – hundreds of retailer and experience discounts through Reward Gateway
• Stepping Stones – our industry-leading training and development platform supporting progression
• Coaching and Mentorship programme to support your career development
• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity package
• 50% off food across all Heartwood Collection sites
• 20% Friends & Family food discount
• Discounted rooms at our Inns
• A thoughtful birthday gift
• Long Service Recognition Awards
• Refer a Friend bonus up to £1,500
• Instant access to earned pay through EarlyPay
• Cycle to Work Scheme

About Heartwood Collection

Heartwood Collection is one of the UK’s fastest-growing premium casual dining groups, home to the award-winning Brasserie Blanc and Heartwood Inns brands. Backed by Alchemy Partners since 2022, we operate 50 sites nationwide and are on an ambitious growth journey including a rapidly expanding rooms business set to exceed 300 bedrooms by 2027.

We are proud of our family culture, collaborative spirit and appetite for growth. This is an exciting time to join a business where commercial thinking, strong leadership and data-driven decision-making play a critical role in shaping long-term success.