The Piece Hall Venue Manager

Job Title:                     Venue Manager

Department:                Exec Team

Location:                     The Piece Hall, Halifax

Salary Scale:               £40-45k per annum (depending upon experience)

Hours:                         Full Time (minimum of 37 hrs per week) including regular evenings and weekends

Holidays:                     33 days per annum

Contract:                     Permanent

Reports to:                  COO

Date:                           June 2021

Introduction

The Piece Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire, re-opened on 1^st August 2017 following a multi-million-pound transformation into a world-class heritage, hospitality, independent retail and cultural destination.  The last remaining building of its kind in the UK, this Grade I Listed Georgian cloth hall has hosted world class international music and cultural events, won several national awards, hosted a Royal visit and attracted footfall of over 7 million visitors. The central courtyard can hold up to 7,500 people at a time, and delivers a year-round programme of outdoor and high-profile events, including film, music, food and drink, performance, art, weddings, family and learning activities.

As part of the Piece Hall’s next chapter, we are recruiting an experienced Venue Manager to support the Chief Operating Officer in the running of all of the Piece Hall’s operations, helping us to ensure that all of our events and activities run safely and smoothly, and provide an exceptional visitor experience.

Purpose of the Job

The Venue Manager is a key role in the organisation, responsible for providing a high level of service to all users of the Piece Hall (staff, tenants, artists, visitors, event hirers, local community etc.), ensuring that all events and functions are effectively resourced with infrastructure, facilities and safety staff, leading on all health and safety and due diligence functions, and ensuring the upkeep and maintenance of the building to a high standard.

Reporting to, and working with the COO as part of the Exec Team, the post holder will oversee the Events and Facilities teams, with a focus on:

• driving the smooth and safe planning and operational delivery of all events from inception through to implementation.
• providing the ‘glue’ between the Facilities, Events and Hospitality teams to ensure that all events and functions are effectively resourced and supported by the Facilities team to provide a safe and enjoyable experience
• ensuring that the organisation complies with all statutory and regulatory requirements
• ensuring that all relevant risk assessments, policies, emergency procedures and training are in place to keep staff and visitors safe
• along with the Head of Facilities and Compliance, have overall responsibility for a number of external contracts including cleaning, contract security for events and maintenance and building companies
• Along with the Head of Facilities and Compliance Manager, acting as the Senior Operations Manager at key events or busy weekends

The post holder will contribute to the overall strategic planning and management of the organisation, and in conjunction with the Commercial Director and Events Team, will ensure that commercial events deliver the targeted income streams through careful cost management, without compromising exceptional service and the preservation and maintenance of the site.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record in a similar role in a major visitor destination or venue running live events, for example a racecourse, arena or events venue.

The post holder will not have direct responsibility for creating or managing the annual Events Programme, but will work closely with the Events team, Communications and Engagement team, Commercial Director and Exec Team to create and promote a year-round programme of activities.

The span of responsibility includes:

• Leading and managing the Events and Facilities teams – ensuring that both teams work closely together to effectively and safely deliver events and provide an excellent visitor experience at all times
• Ensuring that the Facilities team works closely and effectively with other departments including Hospitality and Functions to provide appropriate safety, security and facilities resource for community or other activities in the building or on the courtyard
• Security, facilities, health and safety and emergency procedures: drafting policies and procedures where required and ensuring compliance with all policies, procedures, contracts and relevant legislation
• Ensuring all staff are appropriately trained to safely and effectively run a venue of this size including the unlocking and securing of the building, emergency and evacuation procedures, first aid and all other necessary health and safety practices
• Create event and facilities risk assessments in conjunction with the relevant departments
• Health and Safety
• Overall responsibility for Event and Building Insurance and Licences. To oversee all licencing administration and due diligence, ensuring testing and certification is fully maintained,
• Negotiating and managing relevant contracts with external suppliers.
• Ensuring the site is safe at all times and that a family friendly, welcoming atmosphere is constantly maintained.
• To ensure that the building, courtyard and events are as accessible and disability-friendly as possible
• Overseeing the Facilities and Events budgets, managing finances effectively, and always minimising expenditure where reasonably possible.
• Ensuring that commercial events deliver the targeted income streams through careful cost management in conjunction with the Commercial Director and Head of Finance
• Involvement in recruitment and restructuring processes as required

Essential Requirements for The Role

• A proven track record in a similar role in a major visitor destination or venue running live events, for example a racecourse, arena or events venue
• A Personal Licence
• The ability to work evenings and weekends when required.

PLEASE SEND A COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM AND COVER LETTER TO CAROLINE.BATE@THEPIECEHALL.CO.UK