DEVELOPMENT STORIES
DEVELOPING THE GRAND FAMILY
An introduction to some of our Grand family members who have developed their skills and progressed their careers within hospitality at the hotel. Using in-house training as well as external courses and masterclasses to help team members find their career paths within the industry, below are examples of team members who have began their journey in one hotel department and found their passion in another area of the hotel.
Careers at The Grand
Grace G. | Senior Marketing Executive
From first step to Senior Marketing Executive: Grace’s journey
When Grace joined The Grand in February 2024, it was on a three-month fixed-term contract as a Marketing Assistant. What she brought with her, though, was something harder to manufacture: genuine connection, fresh perspective and a natural understanding of York.
From the outset, Grace threw herself into every opportunity available to her. Her willingness to step outside her comfort zone, get involved and stay involved quickly made her a valued presence in the team.
When her fixed-term contract ended, Grace joined the team permanently and was promoted to Junior Marketing Executive. It was here that her development as a marketing generalist began in earnest.
Across social media, email marketing, website content, graphic design, photoshoots and campaign delivery, Grace built a working knowledge of every channel while developing confidence across the full 360° marketing mix.
Through a structured Personal Development Plan, including specialist training with Digital and PR agencies, Grace continued to grow into a commercially minded and well-rounded marketer.
As Marketing Executive, she took greater ownership of campaign planning, creative development and agency relationships, supporting activity across weddings, food and beverage, spa and rooms.
In February 2026, Grace took her next step as Senior Marketing Executive at Splendid Hospitality, now working across The Grand and the wider business, leading commercially focused campaigns with clear revenue targets.
Careers at The Grand
Harry | Deputy Concierge
From a six-week summer contract to Deputy Concierge: Harry’s journey
When Harry joined The Grand in July 2023, it was only meant to be for six weeks. He came in as a Luggage Porter during the busy summer period, looking for a better opportunity than his role as a Kitchen Porter at the time — and the timing could not have been better.
Having never worked in a hotel before, let alone a five-star hotel, everything felt new. One moment that still stands out was seeing a red Ferrari pull up outside and thinking, “wow” — before realising that experiences like that would soon become part of the everyday at The Grand.
After the initial six-week contract, Harry stayed on part-time from September 2023 while finishing college. This gave him the opportunity to continue building his confidence, develop his understanding of luxury service and become a trusted member of the Front of House team.
In August 2024, Harry progressed into a Concierge role. The move brought a new set of responsibilities: learning how to read people, organise both himself and the wider team, make useful local contacts and anticipate what guests might need before they had to ask.
In February 2026, Harry became Deputy Concierge. He now oversees the Concierge department, manages rotas, holds one-to-one meetings and takes on a much greater management focus. Even so, the part he values most is still the opportunity to speak directly with guests and help shape their experience.
Some of his proudest moments come from making the seemingly impossible happen — securing a last-minute chauffeur, finding a table in a fully booked restaurant or arranging something special at short notice. Seeing a guest genuinely excited and grateful is what makes the role so rewarding.
The biggest skill Harry has developed is confidence with people. Before joining The Grand, he could speak to people but often found it difficult to create engaging conversations. Today, he speaks with guests from different backgrounds and cultures every day and has learnt how to build genuine, natural connections.
Eslam has played an important role in Harry’s development, teaching him about guest service, professionalism and management. Most importantly, Harry says, he was trusted — and that trust gave him the confidence to grow.
Harry describes The Grand as a friendly and supportive place to work. Although the hotel is made up of many different departments, there is a strong sense that everyone is working together and willing to help one another.
His advice to anyone considering a career in hospitality is simple: every day brings new people, new experiences and new opportunities to make someone’s day better.
