Operational Venue Manager

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and management of all core functional areas in a venue.

The successful candidate will be leading the commissioning of the venue, defining operational workflows, service standards, staffing structures, resource plans in preparation for venue launch, ensuring regulatory and compliance requirements are satisfied prior to go-live, overseeing daily operations of all theatre functions, coordinating and monitoring service delivery across multiple business units, liaising with building management, service quality, efficiency and business performance metrics, implementing business continuity plans and emergency procedures in alignment with both policies, managing and developing all revenue and financial operations, establishing and monitoring food, beverage & bar operations, overseeing and collaborating with programming, business readiness and legal teams to manage contracting, invoicing and insurance coverage, leading negotiations and relationship management with external hirers, touring producers and community clients, ensuring the venue is maintained to a high standard of cleanliness, safety, presentation and functionality at all times, ensuring signage, amenities and wayfinding are always accessible and aligned with brand standards, overseeing FOH operations and ushering services to ensure all standards, monitoring customer relations and feedback, responding to escalated complaints and initiating service improvements, supervising, coaching, and leading an operational team towards achieving desired organisational outcomes.

Responsibilities include:

• 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.

Key qualifications include:

• 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 management 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.