Venue & Presenter Services Manager

Join the City of Parramatta during an exciting period of transformation as we prepare for the redevelopment of Riverside Theatres.

During the redevelopment period, Riverside Theatres will operate as 'Live at Phive' – a 186-seat temporary venue situated in PHIVE's Discovery space during the redevelopment of its permanent precinct, the temporary venue ensures continuity of cultural activity and community engagement for our City.

At Council, we prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We are committed to implementing child safe practices to create an environment where children feel safe and included. We screen candidates to ensure their suitability to work with children, this includes conducting National Police Checks, Working with Children Checks, and through reference checks. Our commitment to child safety is explained in Council's Child Safe Commitment Statement.

About the role

This role leads the commissioning of the venue, and oversees the day-to-day operations and management of all core functional areas.

The Venue and Presenter Services Manager (VPSM) is a pivotal leadership role in charge of the Riverside Theatre in PHIVE. The role serves as the operational linchpin, coordinating closely with the PHIVE operations team and Riverside's leadership, business readiness and corporate services teams.

On a daily basis you will:

• Lead and manage the venue establishment in coordination, project planning, budget tracking, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Define operational workflows, service standards, staffing structures, resource plans in preparation for venue launch
• Ensure regulatory and compliance requirements are satisfied prior to go-live
• Oversee daily operations of all theatre functions
• Coordinate and monitor service delivery across multiple business units and liaise with PHIVE building management, service quality, efficiency and business performance metrics
• Implement business continuity plans and emergency procedures in alignment with both policies – Riverside and PHIVE
• Manage and develop all revenue and financial operations
• Establish and monitor food, beverage & bar operations
• Oversee and collaborate with the Programming, Business Readiness and Legal Teams to manage contracting, invoicing and insurance coverage.
• Lead negotiations and relationship management with external hirers, touring producer and community clients
• Ensure the venue is maintained to a high standard of cleanliness, safety, presentation and functionality at all times
• Ensure signage, amenities and wayfinding are always accessible and aligned with brand standards
• Oversee FOH operations and ushering services to ensure all standards
• Monitor customer relations and feedback, respond to escalated complaints and initiate service improvements
• Supervise, coach, and lead an operational team towards achieving desired organisational outcomes

About You

We are looking for someone with:

• Tertiary Qualifications (minimum Cert IV) or significant demonstrated experience in venue, theatre or live operations, including leadership roles
• Minimum 7 years of experience in venue, theatre or live event operations, including leadership roles
• Responsible Service of Alcohol, and Food & Beverage manage experience in a licensed environment
• Proven experience in managing multi-disciplinary teams and leading high-performance environments, and working in a civic or public space environment
• Demonstrated ability to deliver large-scale operational projects
• Experience in managing revenue streams
• Ability to communicate effectively and being able to navigate complex environments
• Strong understanding of WHS, emergency procedures, accessibility, compliance frameworks, Project Management principles, venue hire, event delivery, commercial contracting and client service
• Strong Financial Literacy including budget development, cost management and commercial reporting
• Sound understanding of business and operational/service delivery principles

What's on offer

This is a Term Contract Opportunity for an initial period of 12 months, with a view to extend if required.

Must be available to work across the spread of hours 7 days per week

We are offering an attractive remuneration from $138,124 plus 12% Superannuation.

In addition, City of Parramatta also offer excellent employee benefits which include:

• Attractive leave benefits (3 additional leave days at Christmas, 15 days sick/personal leave, 2 days health and wellbeing leave per year)
• Learning and development opportunities
• Health and Wellbeing programs (Fitness Passport, flu shots, etc.)

Want to know more?

Further information regarding the requirements of this role can be found in the attached Position Description.

Review our Values Flyer which outlines Council's core values and behaviours.

Alternatively, for a confidential discussion please contact Craig McMaster on (02) 8839 3350 or email cmcmaster_riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au.

How to apply

Candidates must apply online attaching a cover letter addressing the essential requirements of the position.

A Paid Working with Children Check must be uploaded as part of your application.

Applications close 9pm, Sunday 14 September 2025 and will not be accepted through any other medium.

As this is a child-related position, prohibited persons as defined under the NSW Child Protection Act are not eligible to apply.

Council is committed to providing a child safe environment and is guided by the NSW Child Safe Standards | Office of the Children's Guardian. For more information on Council's Child Safe Framework please visit Child Safe | City of Parramatta.

This position requires the successful candidate to complete a Criminal History Records Check and a Pre-Employment Medical, which also includes a Drug and Alcohol test.

The City of Parramatta supports a Drug and Alcohol-free working environment and employees may be subject to random testing as a result.

Inclusion, Diversity and belonging lies at the heart of how we recruit at the City of Parramatta. We continue to commit to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experiences, and backgrounds. We invite candidates of all ages, people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, women, ADF veterans, LGBTIQA+ and other culturally diverse groups. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process and supportive workplace.

Please note you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident or have unlimited working rights in Australia to apply for this position.