Venue Director

Spear Heads are delighted to be partnered exclusively with a leading entertainment group which manages 74 venues across UK, US and Germany.

Our client has an exciting opportunity for an experienced
VENUE DIRECTOR
to join their team in Stockton as the Senior Leader of an iconic venue.

The successful candidate will be major player in the local community - this role drives performance, profit and service delivery to customers, producers, promoters, and the business. Requires collaboration with colleagues in other venues, central functions and in the wider community to ensure best practice and excellent standards.

A strong people manager, this role supports the venue Heads of Department in Operations, Marketing & Communications, Technical & Maintenance, Creative Learning and Business Development & Sales – with a focus on ensuring each individual alongside their wider team has all they need to drive their area of the business forward whilst working collaboratively and efficiently.

Key Responsibilities:

• Elevating the reach and status of the venue to transform the growth of the business.
• Developing an ambitious vision and corresponding business plan for your venue, and implementing short, medium and long term plans to achieve the plan.
• To achieve, or exceed, budget expectations. Ensure your venue is perceived to be vital to its community, and a desired destination for customers, producers, and promoters.
• To offer inspiring leadership both internally and externally.
• Take responsibility for the overall performance of your business, ensuring that there is a balanced approach to Customers, Shareholders, Employees, Reputation, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Development.
• Provide and determine the smartest allocation of resources in your control – and ensure the balance of resources is proportionate and appropriate to achieve short, medium and long term goals.
• Actively create and pursue new income streams, including sponsorship and local programming opportunities, which fit the overall business objectives and vision.
• To work to and help formulate the Business Plan for your venue, in consultation with your Business Director and your Business Partner (Finance Team) and deliver against its objectives.
• To contribute to the programming of the venue through participation in an effective and collaborative dialogue with the Programming Director and his team; taking positive ownership of the resulting programme and offering ideas and/or new relationships to contribute to its longer-term development while taking responsibility for directly programming local bookings and events at the Venue.
• Work with the Regional Head of Conference and Sales to develop and implement a commercial conference and events strategy to support the continued expansion of this key area of the operation.
• To create a positive work culture for your team – ensuring a focus on individual development, open dialogue, and creative thinking in order to drive forward performance of both the employees and venue.
• Ensure your teams are capable and able to deliver first class service to a range of internal and external customers.
• Ensure the team work towards the agreed goals and targets and regularly review performance against those targets, dealing with performance issues appropriately.
• Represent the venue and ATG Entertainment generally as necessary ensuring that the venue maintains its own reputation and its status as part of an industry leading organisation.
• Support the development and delivery of community engagement activities and seek opportunities to further develop or support the venue through local partnerships.
• Ensure you comply with all legislative requirements for people, standards, health & safety.

Essential Skills and experience:

• Previous experience working in a leadership and management capacity, as minimum at an equivalent level to a head of department, or in positions of significant responsibility in smaller organisations.

• Proven ability to organise, lead and motivate a large and diverse team while engendering a sense of teamwork and common purpose.

• Creative and results-driven approach to delivering sophisticated, high-quality customer service in a busy environment; a focus on and prioritisation of the needs of our customer, client, or collaborator.

• Ability to pioneer positive change, engaging others and steering the team towards priority goals.

• Ability to manage and develop internal and external relationships at all levels and collaborate effectively with a diverse team

• Good IT skills, with the ability to learn to use new software and systems.

Desirable:

• Experience in Event Management with an understanding of the requirements and considerations of hosting large scale performances and events.

• Experience of delivering events in a modular venue with a varied programme

• Knowledge of the local music scene alongside strong contacts with local promoters/event planners

• Experience of co-promoting events

• Knowledge of ticketing or retail systems.

• Relevant management qualifications or training.

• Health and Safety qualifications and/or experience.

• A genuine interest in the live entertainment industry is required; work experience in the industry is desirable but not essential and we actively encourage applications from individuals working in other sectors.

* The Venue Director is required to be a Personal License holder or undertake the training and assessment to gain a license on starting in the role, which the group will arrange. The application process for a license includes a Disclosure and Barring Service check.