Director of Operations and Commercial

HACKNEY EMPIRE-1; City Of London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent cultural venue in London seeks a senior leader to manage all operational areas, ensuring high-quality visitor experiences and maximizing revenues. The ideal candidate will have a people-focused approach, strong commercial skills, and the ability to empower a diverse team. This role plays a key part in enhancing the venue's profile nationally and ensuring a safe and welcoming environment. Applications are encouraged from under-represented groups to promote inclusivity in leadership roles.

Qualifications

• Experience leading operational areas such as visitor experience and IT.
• Commercial awareness to maximize revenues.
• Ability to empower and manage teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage operational areas and ensure high-quality visitor experiences.
• Maximize income and improve service standards.
• Work with leadership to build the organization's profile.

Job description

This new role, as part of Hackney Empire's senior leadership team, will lead on and be responsible for all operational areas, including visitor experience, bars, catering relationships, stage door, cleaning, IT and Technical. The role involves being people focused and commercially astute, maximising revenues whilst delivering exceptional service to all visitors and ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.

The role will lead and empower a team of skilled managers to ensure smooth, high-quality operations, visitor and visiting company experiences; maximise income and improve service standards; ensure technical infrastructure is appropriate to our ambitions and industry expectations; maintain a secure and effective IT infrastructure, suitable for the needs of our business; ensuring the building is welcoming, safe and compliant.

They will work with the Chief Executive, and colleagues across the organisation, to champion the Hackney Empire brand, building our profile and reputation locally, and nationally, as we become ever more central to the UK theatre ecology and narrative.

Hackney Empire encourages applications from anyone from the global majority and those with disabilities, including but not limited to deafness and sight, especially where we consider we are under‑represented at this level in our organisation, as we are for the level of this role. If you identify in any of these ways and can demonstrate you have the essential experience, knowledge, skills and abilities for the role in line with the person specification, we offer a guaranteed first‑round interview.

To apply: Please send your CV and a covering letter (no more than two sides of A4) setting out your interest in the role and examples of how you meet the person specification to with the reference 'HEDOOAC' as the subject line.