Head of Venue Operations

HARRIS HILL; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic arts and culture charity in London is seeking a Head of Venue Operations to oversee public-facing venues including cafés and event spaces. This role involves managing venue teams, ensuring operational compliance, and maintaining a high-quality guest experience. The ideal candidate has experience in managing complex venues or cultural spaces and a commitment to community and artistic values. The position offers a permanent contract with a salary circa £45,000, working 32 hours per week across multiple locations.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing complex venues or cultural spaces.
• Strong understanding of licensing and compliance.
• Experience in the arts, charity, or community sectors is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead Venue Managers and operational teams across multiple sites.
• Embed consistent operational systems and procedures.
• Oversee licensing, health & safety, and late-night compliance.
• Ensure excellent customer experience and welcoming venues.
• Manage budgets and financial reporting.
• Support live events and community programming.
• Play a role in opening new venues.
• Champion staff wellbeing and inclusive practices.

Skills

People management

Operational compliance

Budget management

Community engagement

Job description

Harris Hill is delighted to be working with a dynamic, values-led arts and culture charity to recruit a Head of Venue Operations.

Permanent | 32 hours per week (4 days) | London (multi-site)
Salary: Circa £45,000, with flexibility for exceptional candidates

This organisation is known for transforming spaces into vibrant, community-focused cultural venues, supporting artists, experimental programming and inclusive night-time culture across London. The Head of Venue Operations will play a critical role in ensuring these venues operate safely, sustainably and to a consistently high standard.

The role

Reporting to the senior leadership team, the Head of Venue Operations will have strategic and hands‑on responsibility for the organisation’s public-facing venues, including cafés, bars, event spaces and late-night cultural sites. Managing a team of Venue Managers, you will oversee day-to-day operations, compliance, staff leadership, financial performance and guest experience across multiple locations.

A key early priority will be leading the operational launch of a new venue, acting as interim Venue Manager during its establishment phase before transitioning to a permanent management structure.

This is a senior operational role requiring both strong systems thinking and an ability to lead from the front in busy, public environments.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and line‑managing Venue Managers and operational teams across multiple sites
• Embedding consistent operational systems, policies and procedures
• Overseeing licensing, health & safety, safeguarding and late-night compliance
• Ensuring excellent customer experience and inclusive, welcoming venues
• Managing budgets, staffing costs, stock control and financial reporting
• Supporting live events, performances, nightlife and community programming
• Playing a central role in opening and launching new venues
• Championing staff wellbeing, development and inclusive working practices

About you

You will bring significant experience managing complex venues, bars, cultural spaces or late-night operations, with a strong understanding of licensing and compliance. You will be a confident people manager, comfortable leading multi-site or large teams, and able to balance commercial awareness with community and artistic values.

Experience within the arts, charity or community sectors is highly desirable, as is a genuine commitment to accessibility, inclusion and grassroots culture.

For more information,

Please send your CV to [e-mail]

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp™, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.