Front of House Manager

University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious university in Oxford is seeking an exceptional Front of House Manager to enhance the visitor experience at its performance venues. This hands-on role requires strong leadership and customer service skills, overseeing a team to ensure high-quality and accessible front-of-house operations. Candidates should possess significant experience in cultural or public venues, with an ability to manage operations flexibly, including evenings and weekends. The position promises various benefits, contributing to employee wellbeing.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

38 days annual leave

Family leave schemes

Cycle loan scheme

Discounted travel loans

Membership to social and sports clubs

Qualifications

• Proven staff supervision skills including training and rota planning.
• Significant experience managing front-of-house operations.
• Strong understanding of health and safety and accessibility standards.

Responsibilities

• Co-ordinate the visitor experience across multiple venues.
• Manage a team to deliver high-quality front-of-house operations.
• Work closely with programming and operational teams for events.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Flexibility

Job description

About the role

We are looking for an exceptional individual to join our building operations team for the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities as a Front of House Manager. They will be responsible for co-ordinating the visitor experience across the Schwarzman Centre's performance and public venues. The postholder will manage a team to deliver high-quality, safe, accessible, and welcoming front-of-house operations across a year-round programme of arts, academic, and public events.

This is a hands-on role requiring strong leadership, customer service skills, and the ability to manage operations across multiple concurrent venues including theatres, cinemas, and exhibition spaces. The Front of House Manager will work closely with colleagues from programming, academic, technical and operational teams to ensure seamless delivery of events and performances.

About you

The role is ideal for an experienced leader with proven staff supervision skills, including training and rota planning. You will have significant experience managing front-of-house operations in a cultural or public venue. Committed to high-level customer service, you will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure and resolve issues efficiently.

You will have experience of acting as a Duty/Event Manager with responsibility for audience safety, and demonstrate a good understanding of health and safety, safeguarding, and accessibility standards. You will have the ability to work flexibly including evenings and weekends.

The duties and skills required are described in further detail in the job description.

What we offer

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days’ annual leave
• Family leave schemes and a comprehensive range of childcare services
• Cycle loan scheme and discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports club

Application process

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via www.recruit.ox.ac.uk and Vacancy ID 183048 or via this link direct to the advertisement link, where the job description and access to the online recruitment system can also be found.

Applications should be submitted online and include a CV and a supporting statement.

As part of your application you will be asked to provide details of two referees and indicate whether we can contact them now.

For further details, please refer to the How to apply section of the job description. Any further enquires may be directed to [e-mail].

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on Wednesday 21 January 2026. Only applications received before this time can be considered.

Shortlisting is expected to take place the following week. Interview dates to be confirmed.

Please quote Vacancy ID 183048 on all correspondence.

We welcome applications from a broad and diverse range of applicants: if you have any access needs or requirements to make your application journey more accessible, please let us know and we will do our best to facilitate.

Committed to equality and valuing diversit