Assistant Visitor Experience Manager

Warwick Arts Centre is looking for an experienced, passionate, inclusive, and collaborative, Assistant Visitor Experience Manager to join the team. We believe that the arts are an extraordinary source of wisdom, support, connection, understanding, joy, and inspiration for every one of us. It’s our job to bring art into more people’s lives and our Assistant Visitor Experience Managers are integral to helping us reach, and connect with, more people in new ways.

You will be an active member of the Visitor Experience team, responsible for maintaining our high standards of service to all visitors. You will manage a successful mix of live performances, hires, cinema, visual art, conference events and activity across Warwick Arts Centre venues for events both onsite and offsite. This role would suit a positive, pro-active individual with previous experience in Arts event management, and a passion for creating memorable experiences.

We are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels they belong, a place of fairness and equity and to be an organisation that reflects the diversity of its city. If this sounds like somewhere you would like to work, we would like to hear from you.

This is a 1 year fixed term maternity cover role.

**This position has an expected start date of 16th September 2024**

Our commitment to inclusion

Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive working and learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued. Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social, and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation.

Legal Responsibilities

• To deputise for the Licensee ensuring compliance with all relevant national and local licensing authorities, and legislation relevant to public buildings and places of entertainment and employment
• House Management duties for daytime and evening performances and events including weekends and Bank Holidays
• Compliance with Health and Safety legislation, including ensuring all emergency and evacuation procedures, training records and venue checking procedures are current and up to date
• Compliance with Safeguarding legislation and other related public building/entertainment legislations, including ensuring training records are current and up to date
• To complete risk assessments for all front of house areas and activities and review annually
• To sit on the Arts Centre Health and Safety Committee
• To act in accordance with the following: Theatres Act, Data Protection Act, Health and Safety at Work Act, Disability Discrimination Act and University policy, and to maintain the security of the Box Office ticketing system regarding the confidentiality of the personal data and financial information to which staff have access

House Management Duties

• Duty Management support to include responsibility for the Front of House Office and all Duty Management administration, stationery, and equipment
• To assist with the Visitor Experience and contribute to identifying and providing the best possible customer journey and experience whilst co-ordinating and delivering the visitor experience.
• To assist with ensuring that Warwick Arts Centre is presented to visitors in accordance with the brand and quality standards at all times, owning and delivering professional standards across all spaces at all times.
• To respond to visitor feedback in a timely, professional manner, including conducting internal investigations to ensure a comprehensive response is provided
• To assist with maintaining the very high standards of customer service and appearance required in the Front of House areas, including regular liaison with the Marketing, Catering, Conferences, Estates, and other internal departments of the University
• Control of income from sales for programmes, merchandise, and confectionery sales and responsibility for monitoring associated budgets
• Responsibility for generating income from ancillary sales to include stock control and ordering, liaison with suppliers, recruitment and management of sales staff and development of sales strategies
• Portfolio responsibility for all aspects of hiring of Arts Centre venues and facilities
• Responsibility for liaison with the University of Warwick regarding all aspects of university events including the Vice-Chancellor’s addresses, Graduation, Welcome Week etc.
• Liaison with relevant personnel regarding the day-to-day function of the foyer information system
• Support the development and implementation of WAC policies and procedures

Management and Personnel

• Day to day organisation and supervision of Stewards/Volunteers. To include:
• a. Scheduling and maintaining Stewards/volunteers’ rotas, to always ensure full cover
• b. Recruitment and training of Stewards to include compiling and producing Stewards’ Handbook, briefing sheets, and keeping up to date training records
• c. Processing stewards’ wages, holiday pay, and administration of tax records and work permits in consultation with the University personnel/payroll offices
• d. Maintaining full up-to-date records and producing relevant mailings
• e. Organisation of Head Stewards’ and Ices Stewards’ meetings, minuting and distribution of minutes
• f. Coordinating Stewards’ social events
• g. Responsibility for effective communication with stewards, including production of stewards’ newsletter
• Day to day supervision of the Box Office staff, to ensure full and efficient sales cover. A good working knowledge of the computerised Box Office system desirable, however, full training will be provided.
• Scheduling and supervision of staff and volunteers as required including arranging their rota and holiday / sickness cover
• Liaison with Volunteer Co-ordinator to ensure volunteers are trained and committed to Visitor Experience strategies and contribute to future visions

Event Management

• Assisting the Visitor Experience Manager with the smooth administration of all performances, talks, receptions, sponsored events, corporate events, etc. including PRS returns, signed performances and audio-described performances etc. – to include liaison with artistic companies
• Day-to-day responsibility for Arts Centre, to include dealing with visitors and staff quickly and efficiently to troubleshoot and resolve any situation(s) that may arise
• To liaise with internal and University departments to ensure excellent event management for clients/artists is delivered consistently
• Administrative and other duties relating to operational aspects of the Arts Centre as required by the Visitor Experience Manager, to include some small project management

General

• To be a competent IT user able to use and quickly learn different systems and packages including excel, word, ticketing system, artifax, kinetic and any other IT systems as the business requires
• To drive vehicles as appropriate, subject to complying with the conditions of the University's motor insurance policy.
• To understand, adhere to and promote University of Warwick and Warwick Arts Centre policies and procedures.
• To work as required unsociable hours including overnight, weekends, customary and statutory days.
• To be an ambassador for WAC, it’s vision and mission, and to provide excellent customer experience to all staff, ‘users’ and visitors.
• To lead by example and identify and promote best practice and to undertake any training as required by the post.
• To be a proactive, positive, and flexible member of the team supporting Warwick Arts Centre meet its objectives and vision.

Essential and Desirable Criteria

Essential

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent level or to have a demonstrable level of similar qualification or equivalent experience
• Experience of working in the Arts or related field with an interest in the Arts and Events Management
• Commitment to and willingness in working unsociable hours; including regular evenings, weekends, and bank holidays with a flexible attitude and proactive approach to work
• Experience of supervising, leading, and motivating all employees and volunteers
• Ability to work unsupervised and use own initiative as well as being an effective team member
• Ability to take charge of the public in an emergency and a diplomatic, calm, and positive approach to dealing with difficult situations
• Proven experience and commitment to delivering excellent standards of customer service
• Excellent organisational skills and proven ability to prioritise busy workload with close attention to detail and the ability to meet tight deadlines, including leading small project work
• Excellent IT skills, including all MS Office applications and the ability to learn industry software quickly
• Excellent communication skills with good written and arithmetical skills
• Understanding of current Health & Safety, Safeguarding, and other legislations relating to places of entertainment and public buildings

Desirable

• Experience with EPOS systems and management of ancillary sales
• First Aid qualification
• Customer Service qualification campaigns
• Possession of a full, clean, UK drivers licence