RBH Hospitality Management has launched its Pyramid Programme for 2024 – a fast-track talent development scheme for hospitality professionals showing great promise.

Kicking off this October, the development programme is designed to give ambitious heads of departments within the RBH portfolio of 50+ hotels an opportunity to fast-track into senior roles with the right training. Each year, candidates are invited to put themselves forward with the support of their general manager and are selected to enter the programme based upon the successful completion of a rigorous performance-based assessment process.

Now in its sixth year, the scheme has already seen five previous candidates become General Managers, while 46% of its delegates have been promoted into deputy manager roles, and 29% have had the confidence to move into larger roles.

RBH’s 2022 intake of 12 candidates concluded with a series of promotions including Stacey Lucas, now Operations Manager at The Olde Bell (previously Guest Services Manager at ibis Heathrow T5), Karolina Blaszczyk, Deputy General Manager at Holiday Inn Express London - Southwark (previously Reservations Manager at Holiday Inn Express London - Earl’s Court), Tirion Canavan, Operations Manager at Hotel Indigo Cardiff (previously Restaurant Manager at Hotel Indigo Cardiff), and Natasha Fletcher, Deputy General Manager at The Townhouse Manchester (previously Guest Services Manager at Holiday Inn Express Dunstable).

Over the next 12 months, the 2023 cohort of 13 employees who successfully completed the thorough assessment process will now participate in a series of hotel management masterclasses to further develop their knowledge and skillset to prepare them for more senior roles. The topics are regularly adapted to remain relevant to the industry and the challenges it faces, with the first focusing on a framework of leadership. Other masterclasses will vary from operational and commercial performance, to ESG.

On the success of the programme, Niki Fincham, Group Learning and Development Manager at RBH, said:

“This programme continues to prove the return on investment when it comes to in-depth training opportunities for our teams. I am so proud of the measurable success our candidates have had and I feel these types of opportunities that offer such practical learnings are one of the reasons our employee retention rates remain so positive.”

Stacey Lucas, Operations Manager at The Olde Bell and graduate of the 2023 programme said:

“I can’t speak highly enough of the Pyramid Programme and the fast-track career opportunities it offers. It has undoubtedly broadened my skillset and knowledge to make me a more confident hotelier, leading to my promotion into a deputy general manager role sooner than expected.”