Operations Event Manager

Who We Are Looking For:

We're hiring an Operations Event Manager to own the day‑to‑day operational delivery of selected major projects. You will work alongside a Director or Senior Project Manager who leads client relationships, strategy and key approvals, while you take charge of the on‑the‑ground operations: building and holding the master build schedule, coordinating kit picks, updating staff rotas, locking site comms, and keeping every department aligned.

You'll provide oversight for Project & Staffing Executives assigned to your shows, and work closely with Project Managers and our on‑site Freelance Event Managers. You're practical, detail‑driven, calm under pressure and confident leading multi‑disciplinary crews to tight timelines and budgets. You turn plans into clear briefings, keep decisions moving, and ensure every operational element is installed to spec and handed over cleanly for service.

Who We Are:

Peppermint is a multi-award-winning events business, founded in 2003 by Alex Brooke and Adam Hempenstall - passionate in providing first-class bars and drinks-led solutions to the UK's greatest events & venues. Today, Peppermint services over 50 events and venues every year and has developed long-standing relationships with the likes of AEG, IMG, Cuffe and Taylor and Live Nation. Events include BST Hyde Park, Camp Bestival, Mighty Hoopla, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, All Points East, Lytham, Rewind festivals and many more.

Core Accountabilities:

Planning (pre-event)

• Plan ownership:
  Build and maintain the operations plan and master build schedule for assigned shows; circulate version-controlled updates and actions.
• Kit & logistics:
  Lead kit pick creation with Warehouse/Logistics; confirm load lists, transport/plant bookings, delivery windows, site access and vehicle movements.
• Site layout & services:
  Coordinate with Production/Site on bar locations, BOH compounds, welfare and back-office; capture power/water/waste needs.
• Staffing rotas:
  Work with the Staffing team and Project & Staffing Executive to update rotas, confirm headcount/skills mix (e.g., bar managers, cashiers, queue busters), and brief shift patterns and handovers.
• Tech/EPOS:
  Coordinate EPOS hardware allocations.
• Licensing & H&S:
  Support with EMP/AMP requirements; collate RAMS, site inductions, welfare, Challenge 25 and incident reporting processes; ensure PPE and safety signage are planned.
• Budget control (ops lines):
  Track and seek approval on operational costs (kit hire, logistics, plant, power, radios, signage, waste, cleaning)
• Briefing packs:
  Compile memo docs/briefing packs (contacts, run-sheets, site rules, install specs, comms plan, opening checks) for bar managers and on-site teams. Feed into main event folder that is shared with allocated event team
• Stakeholder alignment:
  Hold regular meetings with the Project Director or Senior Project Manager to review timelines, actions and approvals.

On-site (delivery)

• Site lead (operations):
  Act as the primary day-to-day operations lead on site; manage site comms (radio protocols, channel plans, logging) and ensure all installs match spec. Attend site meetings with event team
• Build & handover:
  Lead bar build sequencing; complete bar build checklists and opening checks; coordinate snagging and service handover with Bar Managers and Freelance Event Managers.
• Briefings & toolbox talks:
  Deliver daily pre-shift briefings and end-of-day debriefs for bar managers and crews; cover site rules and H&S controls, licensing/Challenge 25, service targets and queue plan, roles/handovers, EPOS and cash/float procedures, welfare points, radio protocols, emergency procedures and incident escalation.
• Queue & service performance:
  Monitor queue times/throughput and deploy mitigations (e.g., queue busters, redistribution, signage, menu tweaks) with the Event Management team.
• Compliance & welfare:
  Ensure licensing standards, H&S controls and welfare procedures are followed across the site; brief and re-brief as conditions change.
• Live coordination:
  Keep stock, ops, tech/EPOS, staffing, finance and logistics aligned on the day; manage supplier arrivals and paperwork; log issues, decisions and incidents.
• Cost & resource control:
  Track hours, plant and kit usage; escalate variances to protect GP/staffing percentages and minimise loss/damage.

Post-event (reporting & wrap-up)

• De-rig & returns:
  Lead de-rig checklists; control the return of kit, plant, tools, keys and paperwork; ensure no assets are left on site and supplier collections are completed.
• Reconciliation inputs:
  Submit hours, kit loss/damage, ops POs/invoices and plant/fuel logs; provide concise inputs for budget reconciliation and variance notes.
• Debrief & improvements:
  Capture feedback from bar managers and crews; document process improvements and roll forward into the next-show templates and plans.

Essential Skills:

• 2+ years' on-site operations or event management for large-scale festivals/venues.
• Strong event production/construction understanding (build sequencing, logistics, plant, site services).
• Proven people leadership - comfortable directing build crews and bar/front-of-house teams.
• Operational budget awareness (kit/plant/logistics/staffing) and PO/supplier management.
• Excellent organisation, attention to detail, and clear written & verbal communication.
• Calm under pressure, decisive and solutions-focused during live operations.
• Working knowledge of licensing & H&S processes (inductions, RAMS, welfare, Challenge 25, incident logging).
• Competent with Excel/Google Sheets (lookups/basic formulas) and tidy shared-drive/file management.
• Radio comms literacy and strong stakeholder coordination across multi-disciplinary teams.
• Willing/able to work on-site for multi-day builds/live/event weeks, incl. evenings/weekends.
• Full UK driving licence.

Essential Qualifications:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Strong written English and numeracy; able to produce clear briefing documents, checklists and site memos.
• Right to work in the UK.
• London-based or able to commute to head office min. 3 days/week during planning season.
• Comfortable with UK travel and multi-day on-site working (evenings/weekends in peak season).

£35,000 - £40,000 DOE