F&B Event Lead - Utilita Arena

Compass Group UK; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Wellbeing support

23 days annual leave

Employee discounts

Meal on duty

Pension scheme

Job summary

Compass Group UK in Birmingham is seeking an F&B Event Lead to plan, coordinate and deliver retail food and beverage operations for NEC and BP Pulse Live. You will own event forecasting, labour deployment, commercial performance and guest experience, ensuring safety, efficiency and profitability.

The role focuses on revenue delivery, SPH, and KPI achievement across multiple arenas, with leadership of casual and permanent teams and a strong emphasis on standards and compliance.

Qualifications

• Leadership or duty management experience in a high-volume hospitality, retail, stadium or arena environment.
• Experience managing large event operations delivering through teams.
• Strong forecasting, labour planning and budget management.
• Experience analysing sales performance and KPIs.
• Personal Licence holder desirable.

Responsibilities

• Forecast events using attendance projections and historical data.
• Manage budgets, labour plans and stock for events.
• Lead retail operations during assigned events.
• Monitor performance and maximise revenue and guest satisfaction.
• Ensure outlets are compliant and ready before doors open.

Skills

Leadership

Forecasting

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Excel

Education

Personal Licence

Tools

Excel

Job description

F&B Event Lead - NEC, Utilita Arena, Birmingham | Full-Time / Permanent

£31,995 + excellent benefits including healthcare, wellbeing support, 23 days' annual leave

ROLE PURPOSE:

The overall purpose of the role of an F&B Event Lead - Retail is to plan, coordinate and deliver retail food and beverage operations across Utilita Arena Birmingham and BP Pulse Live, ensuring events are executed safely, efficiently and profitably whilst delivering an outstanding guest experience. The role provides ownership of event planning, forecasting, labour deployment, commercial performance and operational delivery. The Event Lead is accountable for revenue, spend per head (SPH), revenue per available unit, labour productivity, guest satisfaction and compliance standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Event Forecasting & Commercial Planning

• Build detailed event forecasts using attendance projections, historical trading data, event type, audience demographics and customer behaviour trends.
• Forecast and manage event budgets, labour plans and stock requirements aligned to revenue expectations.
• Develop sales forecasts to achieve agreed revenue, SPH, revenue per available unit and profitability targets.
• Analyse event demographics to optimise outlet mix, staffing levels, product ranges and promotional opportunities.
• Review event performance against forecast and implement improvements to forecasting accuracy.

Event Delivery & Operational Leadership

• Lead retail food and beverage operations during assigned events across both arenas.
• Act as the primary operational contact for retail delivery before, during and after events.
• Monitor trading performance throughout events and make real-time decisions to maximise revenue and guest satisfaction.
• Ensure all outlets are operationally ready, appropriately staffed and fully compliant prior to doors opening.

Financial Performance & KPIs

• Deliver agreed commercial KPIs including revenue, SPH, revenue per available unit, labour percentage and profitability.
• Monitor outlet productivity and identify opportunities to increase sales and operational efficiency.
• Analyse event reports and provide recommendations to improve future results.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, inspire and support casual and permanent teams across both arenas.
• Support training, onboarding and development of Team Leaders, Supervisors and event-day teams.
• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.

Guest Experience

• Champion exceptional guest experiences across all retail food and beverage operations.
• Monitor guest feedback and implement improvements to service standards.
• Resolve guest complaints effectively and professionally.

Compliance, Safety & Standards

• Ensure all retail operations comply with food safety, health & safety, licensing and company policies.
• Maintain SOP standards across all assigned areas.
• Promote a strong safety culture and complete venue audits and compliance checks.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Experience & Knowledge

• Leadership or duty management experience in a high-volume hospitality, retail, stadium or arena environment.
• Experience managing large event operations and delivering through teams.
• Strong understanding of event forecasting, labour planning and budget management.
• Experience analysing sales performance, SPH and commercial reporting.
• Personal Licence holder desirable.

Skills & Behaviours

• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of revenue, SPH and profitability drivers.
• Excellent forecasting and analytical skills.
• Strong organisational and planning capability.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Advanced Excel capability and reporting skills.

ACCOUNTABLE FOR:

• Event revenue performance
• Revenue per available unit performance
• Labour budget and productivity targets
• Retail operational readiness
• Guest experience standards
• Compliance with food safety and health & safety requirements

Benefits:

• Medicash - Healthcare benefits, including dental, optical and therapy treatments (includes up to 4 dependent children)
• Aviva Digicare - Free annual healthcare check
• Exclusive Benefits & Wellbeing site (Perks at Work)
• Entertainment discounts - up to 55% off cinema tickets
• Health & Wellbeing discounts - Discounts for Nuffield Health (20%) and Pure Gym (10%)
• Travel discounts - Discounts with holiday companies such as TUI and Expedia
• Shopping discounts - Save up to 15% at high street and online stores by purchasing Shopping Cards
• Meals on duty
• Vodaphone discounts
• Pension scheme and Life Assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 23 days + BH's and additional day off for your birthday
• 2 days additional leave, following return from Maternity leave during first year back
• Competitive and supportive family benefits
• Day off for baby's first birthday
• Holiday purchase scheme
• On-going training & development and career pathways
• Professional subscriptions paid
• Financial wellbeing programme and preferred rates on salary finance products

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/2809/43422001/52836369/SU #Levy UK

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, e