Join Our Head Office

Freemans Event Partners are the leading provider of event and stadium public food and beverage in the UK. We operate at over 400 events each year, working in partnership with prestigious sporting and entertainment venues such as Silverstone Circuit and Twickenham Stadium and have established excellent supplier relationships with market-leading partners across numerous platforms.

We are currently recruiting for an Assistant Venue Manager to join our Bars division to plan and deliver a first-class service for the client and consumer. The Assistant Venue Manager will be responsible for leading, planning and co-ordinating the operations for bar set-up and break down, identifying and passing best practice to colleagues. Where necessary the role will also lead the event team with overarching responsibility for staffing, stock and cash on site.

The main duties and responsibility include; 

Plan

• Supporting the Venue Manager / Head of Operations plan, within budget, events delivering the direction of the client including completion of planning minutes and bar operations schedule packs.
• Support the Staffing Operations Manager, Stock Manager and Finance team in planning their areas of events.

Deliver

• Within budget, manage the event (or your part of the whole) including, set-up, delivery and breakdown, in line with Health and Safety (H&S) regulation, Bars objectives and client standards.
• Complete H&S risk assessment ensuring that all Freemans staff, contractors and visitors follow your recommendations.
• Lead your team in all aspects of setting up an event; setting up bars, sorting out the infrastructure and dressing the site by e.g. setting out tables, fences, flags and flowers.
• Communicate with bar managers and ensure they manage their bars and keep to the process set and completing any paperwork and managers packs.
• Support the Stock, Staffing and Cash leads on site; ensure they deliver their part of the plan and manage changes in a timely fashion.
• As required be the Personal License Holder for the event and keep to the licensing laws (including Challenge 21/25 etc) of the event and ensure bars are closed at the time given.
• Ensure that staff are professional and in the correct uniform.
• Ensure stock and cash are correctly managed by the cash and stock leads for the event.
• If directed take on the role of stock or cash event lead. (Likely in small events).
• Ensure all equipment is secure and accounted for before during and after an event.
• Communicate with your team effectively, so they understand their duties and responsibilities and have the information and training required to carry out their roles.
• Lead your team’s performance by setting the highest possible example; monitoring, encouraging, coaching, guiding and tackling any performance issues as they arise.
• Direct the security team to prevent or deal with any security issues that arise during an event. (e.g. Prevention of crime disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, protect of children from harm, forged identification documents or counterfeit money)
• Manage post-event breakdown.
• Complete a site handover certificate, making sure the site is left clean and tidy and all stock and equipment is returned and that client requirements with regards to recycling and refuse disposal are adhered to.
• Keep within any budgets set by the Head of Operations and the Finance Controller and adhere to the process they put in place.
• Keep and enforce the Freemans Event Partners Behaviour and Skills framework.
• Always drive Freemans Event Partner vehicles (or those hired) in a responsible fashion being responsible for all charges and fines in a timely fashion.

Report

• Keep the Venue Manager / Head of Operations updated with progress, especially if the event plan is deviated from, or budget limits will be broken.
• Record all expenditure using the Purchase Order (PO) system.
• Report security breaches immediately, with a regular update on what action has been taken.
• Give feedback and assist clients with their needs as required.
• Under direction of the Staffing Operations Manager, complete post event staff appraisal, communicating good and bad performance to individuals.
• Record own working hours on timesheets and submit to the Head of Operations for authorisation.
• Provide the Venue Manager / Head of Operations with a post-event report to include problems encountered, solutions implemented and suggestions for improvement.
• Review the event pack with the Venue Manager / Head of Operations and the Finance team.
• Maintenance and safe storage of bar furniture and equipment.
• Any other duties that may be required from time to time for the smooth running of event preparations or event delivery.

We are looking for candidates with the following knowledge, experience and skills; 

Essential

• Full manual driving licence.
• Previous experience of managing a bar/catering unit
• Experience of undertaking manual work in an outdoor environment.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Pragmatic approach to problem solving, ability to use initiative but not to cut corners.
• IT literate with a basic understanding of MS Office.
• Previous experience of managing a team.
• Previous experience of working back-of-house in the outdoor events industry.
• Previous customer service experience.

Desirable

• A passion for the events and food and drinks industry.
• Qualified First Aider.
• Qualified and competent to tow and operate a Counterbalance and Reach Forklift Truck.
• Personal Licence Holder.
• Level 3 Health and Safety qualification.

About you; 

• Flexible, adaptable, and calm when working under pressure.
• Team player.
• Respectful when speaking to senior management, clients, staff and other members of your team.
• Positive and self-motivated and able to think on your feet.
• Resilient, tenacious, good attention to detail.
• Honest and dependable.
• Keen for personal development and progression.
• Well presented.
• Able and willing to stay away from home frequently, especially at weekends.

In return for your hard work, we offer many great benefits…

• 28 day holiday allowance plus bank holidays on top.
• Life cover, income protection, company matched pension scheme and employee assistance programme.
• Access to Medicash, a healthcare cash plan reimbursing the costs of dental treatments, optical and more! As a Medicash member, you can also access an online GP service as well as gym and retail discounts.
• The opportunity to earn some extra cash by using our refer a friend programme.
• We also have fortnightly team lunches and regular social activities, plus the opportunity to be involved in some of the UK’s most prestigious sporting events and festivals!