Director of Food & Beverage - The Springs Resort and Spa at Wellspring Hospitality LLC – Salt Lake City, Utah

The Springs Resort & Spa is seeking an experienced and financially driven Director of Food & Beverage to lead all food and beverage operations in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. This leadership role is essential to maintaining the resort's reputation as the #1 hot springs resort in America while elevating the dining experience across all outlets following a significant expansion that introduced new restaurant concepts and service models.

The Director of Food & Beverage will oversee all resort dining operations including Wild Finch (full-service restaurant), Barefoot Grill (outdoor grill), 1881 Poolside Provisions, Canteen (poolside bar), The Cafe (breakfast/brunch), poolside walker service across both pool areas, and all banquet, event, and private dining functions. The ideal candidate is a strategic, financially savvy F&B leader with proven experience operating multiple outlets within a hotel or resort environment. This individual must demonstrate a track record of growing revenue, controlling costs, developing high-performing teams, and delivering elevated guest experiences. Candidates with primarily golf course, country club, or casino F&B backgrounds — where food and beverage departments typically operate as loss centers — are not the ideal fit. We are seeking someone who has run F&B as a true profit center within a hotel or resort setting.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

F&B Leadership & Strategy

• Provide overall leadership, direction, and accountability for all food and beverage operations, reporting to the General Manager and leading a team of outlet managers, chefs, bartenders, servers, and support staff across all resort dining venues.
• Develop and execute a strategic vision for the resort's F&B program, with a specific focus on expanding Wild Finch beyond its current dinner-only service to maximize revenue potential and guest utilization.
• Drive revenue growth across all outlets while maintaining or improving profitability through menu engineering, pricing strategy, labor optimization, and cost controls.
• Accountable for F&B revenue targets, food and beverage cost percentages, labor cost ratios, guest satisfaction scores, and per-guest capture rates across all outlets.
• Lead menu development in partnership with culinary leadership, ensuring seasonal innovation, local sourcing alignment, and consistency across all outlets.
• Ensure a cohesive dining identity across the resort — from fine dining at Wild Finch to grab-and-go at The Cafe — that reflects the resort's wellness-focused, guest-first brand.
• Serve as the primary F&B contact during high-volume periods, special events, and VIP experiences.

Multi-Outlet Operations Management

• Oversee daily operations of all five F&B outlets plus poolside service, ensuring consistent quality, service standards, and operational readiness from open to close.
• Manage the unique operational demands of poolside food and beverage service across both the Original Pools and Wellness Pools, including walker service logistics, inventory management, and guest experience flow.
• Ensure all outlets are appropriately staffed, trained, and equipped to deliver the expected guest experience during both peak and off-peak seasons.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for each outlet, adapting for seasonal menu changes, staffing fluctuations, and special event overlays.
• Oversee food safety, sanitation, and health code compliance across all outlets and kitchen operations.

Banquets, Events & Private Dining

• Lead all banquet, event, and private dining operations, from proposal and menu planning through execution and post-event follow-up.
• Partner with sales and marketing teams to develop competitive banquet and event packages that drive group business revenue.
• Ensure seamless coordination between F&B, front office, spa, and engineering departments during events.
• Oversee event setup, service execution, and teardown to meet client expectations and brand standards.

Financial & Administrative Oversight

• Develop and manage F&B operating budgets across all outlets, including revenue forecasts, cost of goods, labor budgets, and capital expenditure requests.
• Monitor and analyze financial performance weekly and monthly — including food cost, beverage cost, labor percentages, covers, average check, and RevPASH (revenue per available seat hour).
• Implement inventory control systems, purchasing protocols, and waste reduction programs to maintain target cost percentages.
• Negotiate vendor contracts, distributor agreements, and service partnerships.
• Prepare and present financial reports, variance analyses, and strategic recommendations to the General Manager and ownership.
• Identify and execute revenue-enhancing opportunities including expanded service hours, new menu concepts, retail F&B offerings, and seasonal programming.

Team Development & Culture

• Recruit, hire, train, and develop F&B leadership and hourly team members across all outlets.
• Build a culture of hospitality, accountability, and continuous improvement within the F&B department.
• Implement structured training programs for service standards, product knowledge, upselling techniques, and safety protocols.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide coaching and mentorship to develop future leaders within the department.
• Manage labor scheduling to align with business volume while controlling overtime and maintaining service quality.

Guest Experience & Brand Alignment

• Ensure every F&B touchpoint reflects the resort's identity as a wellness-focused, guest-first destination where dining is part of the overall experience — not separate from it.
• Monitor guest feedback, online reviews, and satisfaction data to identify trends and implement service improvements.
• Maintain a visible, hands-on presence across all outlets during service periods.
• Collaborate with marketing on F&B promotions, social media content, and guest communications.

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations including Colorado liquor licensing, health department standards, food safety codes, and OSHA requirements.
• Maintain all food handler certifications, liquor service permits, and health inspection records.
• Oversee responsible alcohol service training and compliance across all outlets.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 7–10 years of progressive food and beverage leadership experience in a hotel, resort, or comparable multi-outlet hospitality environment.
• Proven experience managing multiple F&B outlets simultaneously (restaurants, bars, poolside/casual, banquets).
• Demonstrated financial acumen — proven ability to manage P&L, control food and labor costs, and drive revenue growth in an F&B operation run as a profit center, not a loss leader.
• Experience with banquet and event operations, including sales support, menu development, and execution.
• Strong working knowledge of food cost management, inventory systems, menu engineering, and beverage program development.
• Experience opening, expanding, or repositioning a restaurant concept (relevant to Wild Finch expansion).
• Budget development, forecasting, and financial reporting experience.
• Proven team builder with a track record of recruiting, training, and retaining high-performing F&B teams in a competitive labor market.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, health codes, and liquor licensing requirements.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays as operationally required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior Director of F&B or equivalent experience in a resort environment with spa, wellness, or lifestyle positioning.
• Experience in a seasonal or mountain resort market.
• Culinary degree or formal hospitality management education.
• Sommelier certification, Cicerone certification, or advanced beverage program knowledge.
• ServSafe Manager certification.
• Experience with POS systems, inventory management platforms, and labor scheduling software.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, and move between outlets for extended periods.
• Ability to work in both indoor and outdoor environments in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to respond to operational needs outside of standard business hours.
• The Springs Resort & Spa is an Equal Opportunity Employer.