General Manager

Welcome to Rose Castle

Rose Castle has been the home of the Bishops of Carlise since 1230, and was purchased in 2016 to create an international centre for peace and reconciliation. It sits three miles outside Dalston, Cumbria, and ten minutes drive from the M6 or Carlisle, with views South across to the Lake District fells.

Rose Castle is a historic venue working towards a financially sustainable operation.

The castle re-opened after a substantial refurbishment in June 2022, welcoming a wide range of guests for weddings, corporate offsites, family gatherings and other exclusive use bookings, as well as reconciliation-specific programmes on behalf of the Rose Castle Foundation (RCF). With 15 large and beautifully designated bedrooms plus a wide range of state rooms, gardens, woodlands and farm, the castle prioritises exclusive use bookings, though is open to different models going forwards. 

The property is family-owned and operated as a not-for-shareholder profit entity. The directors act as custodians of this special place rather than traditional landlords. The owners have a strong sense of mission for equipping a generation of reconciling leaders to act across some of the world’s most challenging divides. The Rose Castle Foundation, a separate charity, is headquartered on the estate, hosting residential programmes around the world and at the castle, with a strong network of partners and alumnae who can help drive awareness and guests towards Rose Castle. 

Working in close partnership with the Rose Castle Foundation, the Rose Castle team blend exceptional hospitality with meaningful purpose, creating a unique environment where reconciliation work and more traditional hospitality compliment and strengthen one another.

The Role: General Manager

The General Manager will oversee all day-to-day operations of Rose Castle as a hospitality venue, ensuring financial sustainability whilst being fully supportive of our wider commitment to  hosting peace and reconciliation programmes. Operations are on a boutique scale, which means the General Manager must be both strategic and present—equally comfortable with long-term strategic planning and welcoming guests through the front door. The successful candidate will be an experienced hospitality professional with a passion for mission-driven work, operational excellence, and building high-performing teams.

A defining aspect of this role is the ability to lead delivery across a broad range of hospitality styles and standards. Rose Castle hosts everything from high-end formal banquet dinners with multi-course menus and refined culinary experiences, to informal family serve buffets. The General Manager must be comfortable operating across this full spectrum—maintaining high standards appropriate to each occasion whilst ensuring the atmosphere and hospitality service always remain welcoming and mission-aligned, whether formal or informal.

This role welcomes someone who can create a cohesive vision that honours our partnership with Rose Castle Foundation—ensuring we excel at facilitating and hosting their reconciliation work without mission drift—whilst also developing meaningful connections between the Foundation's activities and our broader hospitality operations, which include exclusive uses of the castle for weddings, corporate gatherings and family events, as well as castle retreats and special celebrations open to individual bookings. 

Key Responsibilities

Hospitality Operations | Oversee all castle venue operations including accommodation, events, catering, and guest services. Lead delivery of diverse hospitality experiences from high-end formal dining to informal gatherings, ensuring exceptional standards across all event styles and price points.

Team Leadership & Culture | Build and inspire a dedicated team capable of delivering excellence and warmth across varied hospitality contexts. Foster adaptability, collaboration, and mission-driven alignment whilst working alongside the team.    

Financial Management | Maintain and grow financial sustainability across diverse revenue streams (weddings, corporate offsites, retreats, etc). Develop budgets, monitor expenditure, and implement revenue strategies that support both financial viability and sustainability, and our reconciliation mission.

Technology & Systems Management | Leverage hospitality software including property management systems (such as MEWS), CRM platforms (such as HubSpot), point-of-sale systems, and rota management tools to optimise operations and enhance guest experience.

Partnership Stewardship | Collaborate with Rose Castle Foundation to ensure facilities and services of the castle effectively support their reconciliation initiatives. The programmes hosted by RCF are recruited and co-ordinated by their charitable team, but the GM will oversee their welcome and hospitality whilst at Rose Castle. Create meaningful connections between Foundation work and commercial activities.

Strategic Planning | Contribute to long-term strategy for Rose Castle as a centre of international influence. Ensure operational decisions align with Rose Castle’s vision, mission, and custodianship ethos whilst developing hospitality offerings that serve diverse markets.

Guest Experience & Safety | Maintain the highest standards of hospitality, safety, and operational efficiency. Implement continuous improvements to enhance guest satisfaction across all event types.

Experience

• Proven experience managing a hospitality venue capable of delivering diverse service styles, from fine dining to informal catering

• Strong understanding of culinary standards, service delivery, and guest experience across multiple price points and hospitality contexts

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience using innovative hospitality technology, including property management systems (such as MEWS), CRM platforms (such as HubSpot), point-of-sale systems, and rota management software

• Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, forecasting, and revenue management across varied offerings

• Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing teams capable of adapting to different service requirements

• Experience in events management, guest services, or retreat operations with varied hospitality demands

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

• Passion for peacebuilding, reconciliation, or mission-driven work is strongly preferred

• Flexibility to work extended hours, including evenings and weekends when required

Personal Attributes

• Mission-oriented, collaborative, and adaptable leader who can balance strategic thinking with practical presence throughout the operation

• Technologically confident with an enthusiasm for using innovative systems to improve operations and guest experience

• Versatile and comfortable moving between formal and informal contexts, maintaining quality and warmth throughout

• Detail-oriented yet strategic, able to balance day-to-day operations with long-term vision

• Understands the unique dynamics of family-owned businesses and can work effectively within a custodianship model

• Capable of holding creative tension between commercial imperatives and mission integrity

• Resilient, proactive, and solution-focused with strong problem-solving abilities across diverse situations

• Warm, approachable, and capable of creating an exceptional guest experience regardless of the event formality

Why Rose Castle?

This is a unique opportunity to lead a historic centre that blends hospitality with meaningful purpose. The General Manager will shape both the guest experience and the culture of a team committed to hospitality in which every guest and colleague is seen, heard and valued, whilst ensuring long-term sustainability of operations.

You'll work in genuine partnership with Rose Castle Foundation, helping to create an international centre for peace and reconciliation whilst managing a successful financially sustainable operation. The variety of this role—from overseeing high-end formal dinners to informal gatherings, from refined culinary experiences to practical buffet arrangements—offers a dynamic and engaging working environment where no two events are the same.

This role offers the chance to be a custodian of something truly special—a place where hospitality of all kinds serves peace. The position is challenging and demanding, requiring dedication, versatility, and flexibility, but provides the rare opportunity to make meaningful impact through both mission and management.

How to Apply

Applications are best initiated via the application form below by sending your CV and a short cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are interested in this exciting role. 

If you have a question or require assistance with your application please email hello@rosecastle.com