Venue Manager

In order to make the most of the opportunity our redeveloped hall and rooms provide we are seeking to appoint a Venue Manager. We are looking for a personable and energetic individual, with experience in marketing and business development, to help us realise our vision, which puts All Saints Hall back at the heart of community life, both in all that we seek to do in service of the community – especially young people, children, families and those who are marginalised – and as a flexible and attractive space to hire for conferences and classes, parties, weddings and more. 

Whilst the Venue Manager’s focus will, primarily, be on the Hall and its site, it is important that the individual integrates well into the wider staff team. It is also important that our new facilities are seen as one (albeit important) part of the greater whole. The Venue Manager will work closely with the Parish Manager and also our Property Manager, who will be a great resource for the successful candidate, knowing the building inside out.

It will be key for the person who is appointed to this role to understand the importance of mixed usage, for church and community, for outreach and for hires, and the successful candidate will be someone who sees this crucial mix as an opportunity and not a burden. Those already exploring using the Hall, for a range of different activities, are telling us that this is a great selling point, to have beautiful contemporary space, which has been invested in both for hire and for community work.

We very much hope that All Saints’ Hall becomes a busy hub, and it is envisaged that the Venue Manager will build relationships with suppliers, cleaning and security contractors and other assistance (including opening and closing) for times and events where that is appropriate.

Recognising that the role requires flexibility and a range of skills, we would be prepared to explore the possibility of a job share for the right candidates.

Main Responsibilities

Marketing

• Developing and successfully executing a marketing strategy for the venue, building relationships with potential hirers and community groups.
• Managing the All Saints’ Hall website and developing a social media presence.
• Managing the launch of the redeveloped hall for maximum impact.
• Growing the reputation of the venue for high quality hire locally and more widely.

Business Development

• Growing and developing relationships with both event and longer-term hirers.
• Networking in the local community to raise the profile of the venue.
• Building relationships with approved caterers and other event conduits.
• Working with other staff to build meaningful community partnerships relating to venue usage and hire, to further All Saints Church’s mission and ministry.
• Communicate and liaise with the Hall Marketing and Operations Committee, making best use of members’ experience and expertise.

Venue Hire

• Managing the tensions of seeking to ensure the venue is used for social action and outreach, community use and event hires.
• Increasing income for usage and hire wherever possible.
• Maximising usage of the whole building (main hall, meeting rooms and gallery).
• Being creative in attracting long-term hirers.
• Being entrepreneurial in working with those planning events to facilitate a good quality experience.
• Managing invoicing.

 Building Management

• Ensuring that the venue complies with all health and safety regulations, policies and procedures.
• Being responsible for risk assessments for use of the venue and for events taking place.
• Managing the cleaning of the venue and turnaround after different hires/events.
• Managing service contracts.
• Working closely with the property manager to manage maintenance requirements and building works.

 General

• Financial budget management.
• Participation in staff meetings, regular supervision meetings with line manager and All Saints’ performance and development process.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the ethos and values of All Saints, and the principles of equal opportunities, both in relation to employment issues and service delivery, and adhere to the policies of the Parochial Church Council.

Person Specification

Essential:

• A people person who is able to work flexibly across a diverse organisation
• A collaborative individual who works well in a team but who is also self-motivated and diligent when working alone
• A capacity to build relationships, with experience in networking
• A problem solver, who possesses both resilience and creativity
• Proven experience in marketing
• Proven experience of business development
• Experience of venue or events management
• Experience of managing budgets
• Experience of managing a varying workload, with effective time management skills
• A good communicator, both verbally and in writing
• IT literacy, with a good working knowledge of MS Applications
• Enthusiasm for the inclusive vision, values and ethos of All Saints’ church 

Desirable:

• Experience of venue and events management
• Experience of managing staff
• Experience of working with volunteers
• Understanding of the nature and work of a parish church