Floor Manager

The UC Theatre; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The UC TheatreFloor Manager position seeks a dynamic Front-of-House leader to oversee safety, guest experience, and staff operations for daily shows. This role manages FOH team members, ushers, Care Crew, medics, and interns, ensuring smooth, professional, and ADA-compliant venue operations in a 1,400-capacity space.

The role requires excellent customer service, de-escalation skills, collaboration with Box Office, Production, Bar, and Facilities, and a commitment to safety during emergencies.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of leadership in high-volume live events, music venues, theaters, hospitality, or public assembly environments.
• Strong working knowledge of FOH operations, responsible alcohol service, guest relations, and crowd control.
• Proven ability to de-escalate tense situations and handle guest conflicts calmly under pressure.
• Experience supervising, coaching, and motivating diverse, fast-moving teams.
• Ability to stand for long periods, move quickly through crowds, climb stairs, and lift/move up to 50 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Supervise FOH personnel, hire, schedule, train, and evaluate staff.
• Lead pre-shift briefings and post-show debriefs; distribute assignments and safety notes.
• Mentor and supervise Concert Career Pathways interns working in FOH and venue operations.
• Serve as primary contact for patron inquiries, accessibility needs, seating upgrades, lost and found, and complaints.
• Manage entry flow, queue lines, ticket scanning, and bag checks for timely doors opening.
• Complete post-show FOH reports detailing attendance, incidents, staff hours, and improvements.
• Coordinate with Box Office, Production, Bar, and Facilities to ensure unified event flow.

Skills

Leadership

De-escalation

Adaptability

Customer service

Communication

Stamina

Tools

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

Spreadsheets

Scheduling tools

Job description

The Floor Manager is a key Front-of-House, facilities, safety, and customer experience leader responsible for ensuring that The UC Theatre provides the best customer experience and operates smoothly, safely, professionally, and in alignment with the organization’s mission. This position requires expertise in live-event operations, guest experience, crowd management, staff leadership, bar operations, safety, de‑escalation, and cultural competency.

This position manages day-of-show floor operations, supports facility readiness, and supervises FOH staff, ushers, Care Crew, medics, and other guest-facing teams.

The Floor Manager must maintain calm and sound judgment in a fast‑paced, densely populated environment, communicate clearly across departments, and anticipate issues before they affect guest safety, venue operations, or show timing.

Additionally, the Floor Manager supports The UC Theatre’s Concert Career Pathways (CCP) program by mentoring, training, and supervising youth interns and workforce development participants.

Core Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Supervise & Schedule: Hire, schedule, train, and evaluate FOH personnel, including floor staff, ushers, Care Crew, and medics. Coordinate staffing plans across departments for shows, rentals, and special events.
• Lead Shifts: Conduct pre‑shift briefings and post‑show debriefs. Distribute assignments, show protocols, safety notes, and guest‑service expectations,
• Mentor Interns: Actively mentor and supervise Concert Career Pathways interns working in FOH and venue operations, providing real‑time coaching and constructive feedback.

Customer Experience, ADA & Accessibility

• Service Excellence: Act as the primary point of contact for patron inquiries, accessibility needs (ADA compliance), seating upgrades, lost and found, and customer complaints.
• Inclusion & Safe Spaces: Help implement and reinforce the venue's policies, ensuring an environment free from discrimination, harassment, and hate speech.
• Entry & Flow: Manage queue lines and entry points to ensure doors open on time and ticket scanning and bag checks move efficiently and professionally. Manage & measure safe entry for ticket holders in minutes, to expedite short waiting times.

Safety, Crowd Management & De‑escalation

• Crowd Monitoring: Maintain active visual monitoring of crowd density, entry/egress points, barriers, and ADA sections in our 1,400‑capacity room.
• De‑escalation & Enforcement: Identify, de‑escalate, and document guest conflicts, intoxication issues, and code‑of‑conduct violations. Execute safe guest ejections when necessary.
• Emergency Readiness: Ensure all staff understand emergency procedures (evacuation, active‑threat, shelter‑in‑place, and medical response). Serve as a primary leader during emergency situations.
• Compliance & Security: Ensure fire lanes, emergency exits, and ADA paths remain completely unobstructed. Partner with security, medics, and local agencies to maintain compliance.

Event Operations & Logistics

• Venue Setup & Strike: Coordinate the physical setup and breakdown of the theater (chairs, tables, barricades, stanchions, signage, and merch areas).
• Cross‑Departmental Coordination: Collaborate with Box Office, Production, Bar, and Facilities teams to ensure a unified event flow.
• Food Operations: Manage the ordering, delivery, and sales coordination of show‑day food items (e.g., pizza) for audience purchase.
• Administration & Reporting: Complete post‑show FOH reports, detailing attendance notes, incidents, staff hours, intern evaluations, maintenance‑needs, and recommended improvements.

Required Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum 2+ years of leadership experience in high‑volume live events, music venues, theaters, hospitality, or public assembly environments.
• Operations Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of FOH operations, responsible alcohol service, guest relations, and crowd control.
• De‑escalation Skills: Proven ability to defuse tense situations and handle guest conflicts calmly under pressure.
• Leadership: Experience supervising, coaching, and motivating diverse, fast‑moving teams.
• Adaptability: Comfort working in a fast‑paced, loud, and densely populated environment with competing priorities.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to stand for long periods, move quickly through crowds, climb stairs, and lift/move up to 50 lbs. Ability to work late nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with Google Workspace or Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, email, and digital scheduling tools.

Preferred Qualifications & Certifications

• Valid Security Guard License.
• ABC LEAD, TEAM, or equivalent responsible alcohol service certification.
• First Aid, CPR, AED, Narcan, or Stop the Bleed training.
• Experience supervising youth interns, volunteers, or early‑career staff.
• Deep familiarity with ADA compliance and accessible event planning.

Key Competencies

• Customer Service Excellence: Resolves difficult guest situations with diplomacy and turns negative experiences into positive ones.
• Crowd Management: Understands egress dynamics, bottlenecks, and atmosphere control in a 1,400‑capacity room.
• De‑escalation & Emotional Intelligence: Uses active listening and calm communication to resolve conflict before it escalates.
• Operational Dependability: Punctual, highly organized, and disciplined with administrative follow‑through and incident documentation.
• Inclusive Lens: Genuinely committed to fostering a welcoming, accessible, and diverse environment for staff, artists, and patrons.

Equal Opportunity, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

The UC Theatre is committed to equity in its support and advocacy and seeks to create opportunities for people of color, women, non‑binary individuals, LGBTQ+ communities, veterans, people with disabilities, and historically underrepresented groups. We prioritize DEI initiatives, continuously seek industry best practices, and provide professional development resources to cultivate a safe, respectful environment for all.

Job Description Disclaimer

This job description is a summary of typical duties and is not an all‑inclusive list. Responsibilities may be modified or added at any time by management to meet the operational needs of the venue.