Senior Venue Project Manager

Location: London/Hybrid

Salary: £45,000

Who We Are Looking For:

The Venue Project Manager will be responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of various venue projects, particularly during the early planning stages. This role will involve coordinating the planning, layout optimization, and preparation of venues to ensure they are set up for success. As projects move towards completion, the Venue Project Manager will begin the handover process to General Managers, who are overseen by the Venue Area Manager. The role will be approximately 75% focused on planning and 25% on providing operational support once venues are live and planning requirements lessen. 

Many of these projects repeat year after year, offering the opportunity to implement consistent improvements that positively impact future planning and operations. The Venue Project Manager will play a key role in identifying areas for improvement and ensuring that these changes are effectively integrated into recurring projects. 

Although the Venue Project Manager will provide some ongoing operational support, their primary responsibility will be to assist and collaborate with the Venue Area Manager to ensure smooth transitions and successful operations. This includes offering guidance and support where needed, particularly during the handover phase and when venues first go live, ensuring that any operational challenges are addressed efficiently. The position will require coordinating with multiple stakeholders, managing budgets, and enhancing customer experiences to ensure seamless operations across multiple venues. 

Who We Are:

Peppermint provides high-performance bar and event solutions to the world’s best entertainment businesses and consumer brands. Our core business is operating festival & event bars, brand activation and conjoined retail-led F&B solutions to the UK’s best festivals and outdoor events.

The recent partnership with Levy (Compass UK) has led our established business into new sectors within sports and stadium arenas across the UK, Ireland and Europe. These world class venues include the o2 arena, Wembley arena, Aviva Stadium and Johan Crujff stadium in Amsterdam. 

We also manage seasonal venues across the UK such as Freight Island in Manchester, Dreamland in Margate and Between the Bridges in London. 

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Project Planning and Coordination: 

• Venue Setup and Layout Design: Lead the early-stage planning and implementation of venue layouts, ensuring the strategic placement of bar facilities, both front of house (FOH) and back of house (BOH). Focus on optimizing layouts for maximum space utilization, service efficiency, and smooth customer flow. 
• Collaboration with Stakeholders: Work closely with key stakeholders, including contractors, design teams, and internal departments, to align all project elements with overall objectives and ensure high-standard execution. Facilitate communication to guarantee smooth handovers to General Managers. 
• Recruitment and Training: Assist in the recruitment and training of key personnel, such as Deputy General Managers and core team members, to ensure consistent service and experiences across venues before transitioning operations to General Managers. 
• Event Package Development: Oversee the design and implementation of event packages, including VIP experiences, and ensure they integrate seamlessly with existing venue offerings and technologies during the planning phases. 

Operational Support: 

• Handover Support: Provide support to General Managers during the handover phase, assisting in operational readiness and addressing any challenges as venues go live. Collaborate with the Venue Area Manager to ensure smooth transitions. 
• Bar and Equipment Oversight: Collaborate with bar contractors and internal teams during the venue's early stages to finalize bar setups, covering space allocation, equipment needs, and operational systems.  
• Menu and Service Management: Support the trader team, chefs, and beverage teams in developing menus aligned with the venue’s theme and operational goals. Oversee drink menu creation to complement the food offerings and enhance the guest experience, with ongoing support during operations. 

Digital Technology and Customer Interaction: 

• Technology Integration: Lead the implementation and oversight of digital and customer-facing technologies during the planning phase, including EPOS systems, QR code ordering, pre-order screens, and other systems designed to enhance guest experience and operational efficiency. 
• Customer Experience Enhancement: Ensure digital technologies are integrated creatively into the venue environments, focusing on enhancing customer interaction and supporting the venue’s thematic elements. 

Creative and Thematic Alignment: 

• Venue and Experience Design: Collaborate with creative teams to ensure all elements of the venue, including food and beverage offerings, uniforms, and event space design, align with the overall theme. Ensure this alignment is maintained through the handover to General Managers. 
• Collaboration with Experts: Work with professionals in design, branding, and operational efficiency to ensure each venue project has a consistent and engaging thematic presence during planning and post-opening support phases. 

Budget Management: 

• Project Budget Oversight: Take full responsibility for managing project budgets during the planning stages, ensuring that all financial aspects are monitored and reported to stay within allocated parameters. Assist in the budget transition as venues are handed over to General Managers. 
• Cost Control and Financial Reporting: Implement cost-control measures and provide regular financial updates to stakeholders, highlighting key expenditures, variances, and forecasts during both planning and early operational phases. 
• Revenue Management: Oversee revenue strategies in planning and early-stage operations, ensuring financial targets are met across food, drink, and other venue offerings before handing over to operational teams. 

Marketing and Sponsorship: 

• Collaborative Marketing Efforts: Work closely with the marketing team to promote venue offerings and contribute to creative strategies that align with the venue’s theme and objectives during the planning phase and support early operational promotions. 
• Sponsorship and Revenue Strategy: Oversee sponsorship activities in collaboration with the commercial and stock teams, implementing strategies to optimize revenue and post-event opportunities, with a focus on early-stage planning. 

Monitoring and Continuous Improvement: 

• Performance Monitoring: Regularly evaluate the performance of operational aspects during both planning and live phases, making adjustments as needed to enhance efficiency and guest satisfaction. 
• Stakeholder Communication: Maintain clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders, including senior management and external partners, to ensure alignment on project goals, timelines, and handover processes. 

Knowledge & Experience:

ESSENTIAL: 

• Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in project management within the events or hospitality industry, with a proven track record of delivering large-scale projects. 
• Leadership Skills: Strong leadership and team management abilities, with experience in recruiting, training, and motivating staff. 
• Organizational Skills: Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple aspects of a complex project simultaneously. 
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with stakeholders at all levels. 
• Budget Management: Demonstrated experience in managing complex budgets, including joint budgets across multiple stakeholders. 
• Digital Technology: Experience in overseeing customer-facing digital technology implementations, with an understanding of integrating technology into themed environments. 
• Marketing Collaboration: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with marketing teams to enhance the overall guest experience. 
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on finding efficient, creative solutions. 

Company benefits

• Company sick pay (10 days) 
• Medicash- dental care, optical treatments, physiotherapy etc 
• Employee assistance programme- counselling and support 
• Discounts on shopping, travel, entertainment and dining 
• Birthday day off 
• Hybrid and remote working options 
• Quarterly team socials 
• Apprenticeship programmes available  
• Festival and sport event tickets/drinks tokens 
• Enhanced maternity/paternity leave 

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