JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Purpose:

The Venue Manager has overall responsibility for the delivery of food and beverage services, events and evening/late-night trade, including operational control of external events in the venue. The role has responsibility for the continued development of the venue's events programme; including but not limited to existing club nights and student-led events.

You will work closely with the Commercial Area Manager to ensure the success of the Union’s bar operations and the staff that work for them. Integral to this is the effective management of student staff, ensuring business as usual runs smoothly (venue opens & closes), the venue is stocked appropriately, ensuring exceptional customer service, maintaining high operational standards, fostering excellent working practices from the venue staff teams, along with appointed security contractors and adhere to Health & Safety.

Responsible to: Area Manager

Responsible for: Supervisors, Team Leaders, Tech Assistants, Team Members and contracted SIA staff.

Location/s: Mainly based at Greenwich Campus; travel required to Avery Hill and Medway campuses.

Department/Service:

The Venue Manager is part of the Greenwich Students’ Union Commercial Services. At GSU, we turn over £1m through our not-for-profit commercial services that provide services to students, staff, and the local population. We provide students at the University of Greenwich with social spaces to study, make friends and have fun.

Additionally, the profit generated through our varied income portfolio is invested back into the SU support services for students. We are a Living Wage Employer and a large employer of students putting money back in their pockets to support studying and living costs in London and Kent.

Hours of work: 35 hours per week (Full-time)

Operational Management:

• Be the venue operations senior member of staff, actively engaging with customers and providing feedback and support to the team during service.
• Ensure you and the team deliver high-quality food, beverages, events, and service to meet the expectations of our diverse student community and visitors.
• Placing orders to ensure stock is available, that stock levels are correct, that gross profit margins of food 50% and drinks 73% are achieved.
• Ensuring all beverages are served in quantities as per licensing regulations and company policy.
• Undertake daily supervision of staff, monitoring and seeking to improve working practices.
• Maintain a high level of organisation, hygiene and cleanliness in all venue areas and adjacent thoroughfares, including but not limited to equipment storage, back of house/cellar maintenance and cleaning routines.
• Guide staff working in the venue in healthy and safe working practices, including but not limited to fire safety, evacuation procedures, manual handling, COSHH, and Food hygiene.
• Provide venue wide training on licensing or any other element relating to your job role or as reasonably indicated by your line manager.
• Responsible for staff rotas, ensuring staffing levels are cost effective, within budgeted ratios and without jeopardising standards of customer care and safety.
• Responsible for recording staff hours and dealing with other payroll documentation/issues.
• Responsible for the recruitment, induction, training, development (including appraisal where appropriate) and if necessary, discipline of all staff within the department always adhering to Student Union policies and procedures.
• Monitor staff performance and correct problems where necessary in line with reporting, keep your line manager informed of all relevant staffing matters.
• Respond quickly to changing business patterns, while effectively managing costs and staffing levels within budget.
• Foster and maintain a good working relationship and clear communication channels with other managers and officers of the Union, most notably the Commercial Area Manager and Sales and Events Manager.
• Work closely with the Commercial Marketing Coordinator to effectively promote the venue to students and the general public.
• Running team incentives to promote sales and ensure upselling is an everyday practice.

Bar Management

• Manage the cellar and other stock areas controlling the transfer of stock, and keeping the cellar, adjacent areas, equipment and pipes clean and in good working order.
• Work with the Commercial Area Manager to ensure sufficient stock levels of approved products, appropriate display and use of stock, regular stocktakes and minimal wastage.
• Fully understand the role played by NUS Services Limited or other purchasing consortiums and keep up to date with the services and support available from them. Ensuring any offers and promotions are run at the correct times.
• Manage relationships with vendors and suppliers to ensure a consistent and reliable supply chain.

Venue and Events Management

• Supervise, or delegate supervision of the opening and closing of Venue spaces.
• Undertake or delegate daily supervision of the venue and venue team, maintaining the highest levels of customer service and if necessary, undertaking the duties of a member of the venue staff team.
• Develop and deliver weekly entertainment that compliments venue operations and income.
• Take the operational lead on all events booked in by the Sales and Events Manager.
• Collaborate with event organisers and clients to understand their requirements and deliver exceptional service during events.
• Evaluate and critically analyse all events before their delivery to ensure success.
• Attend weekly meetings with the Sales and Events Team to ensure client needs are understood, met and discussed.
• Ensure the safety of attendees, Students’ Union staff, contractors and the general public at events.
• Ensure the security and safety of venue equipment, stock and spaces including the implementation of security controls and checks.
• Be the venue’s licensing expert, maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of current licensing issues.
• Responsible for the contracts, operation, cleaning and maintenance of all venue equipment, fittings and fixtures.
• Liaise closely with the facilities management team regarding the repair, maintenance and improvement of the venue and related areas.
• Responsible for developing the range of stock held, ensuring the offering is fit for purpose for our members and other venue users.
• Have sufficient technical knowledge to support event set up for DJs, live music and other performance activities and/or to ensure the team is sufficiently trained to fulfil this role.

Health, Safety, and Compliance

• Ensure that the Student Union’s Health and Safety Policy, and appropriate Health and Safety legislation is adhered to at all times and to provide leadership in health and safety management for the venue team.
• Ensure compliance with licensing regulations and safety guidelines for all events.
• Ensure at all times the health and safety of all users of the venue, staff, customers and visitors. This will include working to ensure that the Union’s code of conduct and house rules are adhered to and assisting with any required student disciplinary matters.
• Act as a first aider and fire warden duty manager for the venue.
• Ensure all equipment used in all operational areas is in safe working order, stored appropriately and deployed only by those who are trained in their safe operation.
• Ensure all work of the venues is undertaken with compliance to Union policy and procedure, developing such policy and procedure where required to achieve a Best Bar None ranking where such a scheme is available.
• Develop and deliver operational risk assessments.

Finance and Reporting

• Take responsibility for the finances of the venue, ensuring the financial sustainability of weekly club nights and events as they relate to the venue.
• Assist in the preparation of annual budgets and department specific targets.
• Monitor financial performance on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, advising the Commercial Area Manager and Finance Team accordingly.
• Monitor expenses, control costs, and implement cost-effective measures without compromising on quality.
• Collaborate with the Commercial Area Manager to ensure all period targets as agreed are achieved and reports on KPIs created as appropriate.
• Maintain GSU’s Financial Regulations, Standards and Procedures at all times, particularly in relation to cash handling, stock control (including promotional and free stock), purchasing, and payment of contractors and artists.
• Ensure all internal transfers and invoices related to events are shared with the finance department ensuring payments are received promptly
• Prepare incident, and accident reports, ensuring end of night reports are prepared by the closing team.
• Ensure all paperwork related to stock take is prepared and ready prior to the stock take, and ensure support to the external stock takers is offered on the day.
• Work with the Commercial Area Manager to formulate the Student Union’s annual product and pricing strategy for the department, ensuring GP% targets are met and providing reports throughout the year of any relevant issues or changes.
• Record usage data, footfall data, and entertainment information as required for monitoring the venue’s performance in monthly reports for the Area Manager.

General Responsibilities

• Represent and be an ambassador for GSU.
• Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop, or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position.
• Maintain and improve competencies through continuous professional development.
• Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct and practices.
• Support and promote workplace liberation, diversity, equality, and inclusion of opportunity.
• Treat with confidentiality any personal, private, or sensitive information about individual organisations, clients, staff, and Project data.
• Actively seek better ways to assist GSU in becoming a more sustainable workplace.
• Any other duties commensurate with the accountabilities of the post

Essential Attributes

• Proven management experience working in licensed trade or associated environment, with event management or coordination and supervision of staff.
• Good understanding of numbers in relation to finance, adhering to financial systems and processes, including record keeping and stock control.
• Good understanding of health and safety issues, particularly related to events and venue operations.
• First aid trained (or willingness to become first aid trained).
• Personal License holder (or ability to become one).
• Ability to problem solve in innovative and cost-effective ways.
• Ability to work effectively on own initiative and team working.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and openly in all interactions. Must also demonstrate a positive attitude while communicating with clients and co-workers.
• A passion for providing excellent customer service, customer welfare orientated and creating a welcoming environment for students and/or staff.
• Excellent understanding of the event industry particularly in relation to students and late-night, box office and event entry management.
• Excellent time management, organisational, and planning skills.
• Familiarity with relevant software and tools for managing schedules, inventory, and reporting.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word, as well as an understanding of social media platforms
• Ability to engage, motivate, train and develop a young team.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to deescalate conflict and confidence to interact effectively with a wide range of people from different backgrounds.
• Must be willing to work late nights and weekends.

Desirable Attributes

• Formal relevant catering qualifications – Health and Safety Level 2
• HR experience, including Recruitment of staff and performance management.
• Bars management, events management and Health & safety qualification
• Basic technical knowledge of entertainment equipment such as lighting, sound, and other production equipment.
• Understanding and knowledge of working for a charity and/or within the student sector.
• Managing a budget.
• Use of EPOS software.
• Working with external contractors for example goods suppliers and security management
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities.
• A full, clean driving licence.

Personal Attributes and Other Requirements

• All Commercial Services staff may be asked to work at other campus outlets on an ad hoc basis to assist with day-to-day operations and events.
• Prepared to work unsociable hours and stay overnight where necessary.
• Work well in a team with a flexible approach to work.
• Professional approach, attitude and desire to work for a charity.
• Commitment to the values and ethos of the Organisation.

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week

Salary: £33,551 - £37,763

New starters will be placed on the bottom spine point of their grade. If you would like more information on our Pay Policy, please let us know.

Annual Leave: 25 days holiday plus bank holidays in addition, ‘privilege leave’ over the Christmas and New Year period is also additionally given.

Notice period: One month

Benefits:

• Leave entitlement increases by 1 day each year for a maximum of 5 years.
• The SU offers a contributory pension scheme.
• The SU contribution rate is 2% to 6% the employee minimum rate is 3%.
• Parking and Season Ticket Travel loan are available.
• Contribution to eye tests and prescription lenses.
• We are committed to facilitating a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working policies and time off for volunteering, which is also a commitment to continued professional development.