Conference & Banqueting Manager

About the hotel

Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club is a stunning Victorian country house hotel set within 186 acres of woodland and parkland in the High Weald, East Sussex, just a short distance from the M25. Part of the independently owned Elite Hotels collection, Ashdown Park is a beloved destination for weddings, corporate events and leisure stays, offering 16 dedicated events spaces accommodating up to 300 guests. With an indoor pool, health club and extensive grounds, the hotel provides a refined and quintessentially English country house experience.

The work

• • Lead all conference, events and banqueting operations across 16+ meeting and function rooms
• • Manage the set-up, running and breakdown of weddings, private dinners, corporate seminars and parties
• • Prepare staff rosters and coordinate training programmes to ensure consistently high service standards
• • Act as the primary on-site contact for event clients, ensuring expectations are met and exceeded
• • Oversee service quality and customer care standards across all events and banqueting spaces
• • Work closely with the kitchen, reservations and front-of-house teams to ensure seamless event delivery
• • Handle client feedback and manage any service issues with professionalism and composure
• • Contribute to the development of events packages and service enhancements

This role is for you if…

• • You have experience in a Conference & Banqueting Manager or senior events management role in a hotel
• • You are an excellent communicator and organiser who remains composed under pressure
• • You enjoy working across a wide variety of events, from intimate private dinners to large-scale celebrations
• • You have a professional appearance and a warm, attentive approach to client relationships
• • You are excited by the opportunity to lead events within a beautiful country house setting

This role might not be for you if…

• • You prefer a role without direct client or guest-facing responsibility
• • You are not available to work across a 40-hour week including evenings and weekends for events
• • You have limited experience managing event staffing, rotas or training
• • You would find the demands of a busy wedding and events hotel stressful rather than rewarding