Venue Manager

Verity Lane Market; Canberra; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Verity Lane Market in Canberra is seeking an experienced Venue Manager to lead daily operations across the Market Hall, bars and function spaces. You will develop the team, implement standards and ensure exceptional guest experiences during trade and private events.

Reporting to the Head of Precinct, you’ll manage beverage operations, training, rostering and supplier relationships while maintaining safety and profitability in a busy hospitality setting.

Qualifications

• Proven management experience in a busy hospitality venue.
• Strong knowledge of wine, beer, spirits and cocktails.
• Experience delivering events and functions alongside regular trade.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train and develop a capable team.
• Sound rostering, stock control, cost of goods, labour management and profitability.
• Confidence implementing procedures and holding the team accountable to clear standards.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work productively with vendors, suppliers, contractors and colleagues.
• Availability to work evenings, weekends and peak trading periods.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and support bar staff, supervisors and front‑of‑house teams.
• Oversee daily service across the Market Hall, bars and function spaces.
• Maintain standards in service, beverage preparation, cleanliness and venue presentation.
• Coordinate events with staffing, setup and service requirements.
• Manage booking systems and seating arrangements to balance capacity with quality service.
• Monitor costs, wastage and profitability; identify opportunities to improve margins.
• Develop and maintain procedures, checklists and training resources.

Skills

Hospitality management

Beverage knowledge

Event delivery

Team development

Roster planning

Cost control

Vendor coordination

Communication skills

Booking systems

Evening/weekend availability

Education

ACT RSA

First Aid

Food Safety Supervisor

Tools

POS systems

Rostering software

Stock management software

Job description

Lead the team. Shape the standards. Deliver exceptional hospitality.

Verity Lane Market brings together independent food vendors, bars and dedicated event spaces within Canberra’s historic Sydney Building.

We’re looking for an experienced, hands‑on Venue Manager to lead daily operations, develop our team and deliver consistently excellent experiences across regular trade and private events.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to an established hospitality destination. You’ll bring strong beverage knowledge, commercial awareness and the organization to keep a varied operation running smoothly.

About the role

Reporting to the Head of Precinct, you’ll oversee the bar and front‑of‑house team, working closely with our events sales and planning team, kitchen, independent food vendors and contractors.

You’ll be a visible leader during service, while also taking ownership of the training, systems and follow‑through that underpin a successful venue.

Team leadership and development

• Lead, motivate and support bar staff, supervisors and front‑of‑house teams.

• Manage recruitment, onboarding, rostering and timesheet approvals.

• Deliver structured training in beverage knowledge, service etiquette, upselling, presentation and complaint handling.

• Set clear expectations, provide regular feedback and address performance issues constructively.

• Build a team culture that values professionalism, product knowledge and pride in hospitality.

Service and event delivery

• Oversee daily service across the Market Hall, bars and function spaces.

• Maintain consistent standards in service, beverage preparation, cleanliness and venue presentation.

• Work with the events team to deliver confirmed functions, including staffing, setup, briefings, service and pack‑down.

• Attend weekly event meetings and ensure operational requirements are understood and actioned.

• Manage guest feedback and resolve service issues professionally.

• Oversee booking systems and seating arrangements to balance capacity with quality service.

Beverage operations and commercial performance

• Manage beverage ordering, stock rotation, stocktakes, par levels and wastage.

• Contribute to beverage lists, seasonal offers and product selection in line with each venue’s identity.

• Work with suppliers on pricing, sourcing and staff training.

• Maintain accurate POS pricing and product information.

• Monitor labour costs, beverage costs, sales trends and margins, and implement practical improvements.

• Identify opportunities to increase spend, improve efficiency and strengthen profitability.

Venue operations and standards

• Develop and maintain practical procedures, checklists and training resources, ensuring they are used consistently.

• Maintain regular communication with food vendors and monitor adherence to precinct operating, cleanliness, safety and security standards.

• Coordinate equipment and routine venue maintenance, follow up outstanding issues and elevate larger building matters to the Head of Precinct.

• Oversee consumables, equipment readiness and opening and closing procedures.

• Maintain responsible service of alcohol, food safety and workplace health and safety standards.

• Contribute operational ideas and support for promotions, entertainment and in‑house activations.

About you

You’re an experienced hospitality manager who combines confident floor leadership with strong organisation. You enjoy working across different spaces and teams, can prioritise competing demands and follow issues through to completion.

You’ll bring:

• Proven management experience in a busy hospitality venue, ideally spanning multiple bars, function spaces or a similarly varied operation.

• Strong knowledge of wine, beer, spirits and cocktails, and the ability to translate that knowledge into effective staff training.

• Experience delivering events and functions alongside regular trade.

• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train and develop a capable team.

• A sound understanding of rostering, stock control, cost of goods, labour management and profitability.

• Confidence implementing procedures and holding the team accountable to clear standards.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to work productively with vendors, suppliers, contractors and colleagues.

• Confidence using POS, rostering, stock management and booking systems.

• A current ACT RSA, with First Aid and Food Safety Supervisor qualifications well regarded.

• Availability to work evenings, weekends and peak trading periods.

Above all, you take hospitality seriously as a profession. You care about the details, lead by example and want to build a team recognised for its knowledge, service and professionalism.

What we offer

• A key leadership role in an established Canberra dining and events destination.

• A varied role across bars, independent food vendors and private functions.

• The opportunity to shape service standards, beverage operations and team development.