General Manager

Whalar; Venice (AR); On-site; USD 140,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

PTO + Sick Time

401k with Employer Matching. No Vest

Company Paid Life & Disability

Job summary

Whalar’s The Lighthouse campus in Venice Beach, CA seeks a General Manager Campus Leader to shape creator experience, hospitality, and operations. You will lead strategy, revenue, memberships, studios, events, and partnerships to build a thriving community where creators can Learn, Make, Belong.

As a leader you’ll cultivate a culture of energy, curiosity, and collaboration, overseeing cross-functional teams and ensuring exceptional experiences for members and partners alike.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years leading complex, multi-functional businesses.
• Experience in hospitality, media, experiential or creator businesses.
• Proven track record of revenue, profitability, and financial planning.
• Experience leading senior leaders and building teams.
• Strong commercial acumen balancing creativity, hospitality and performance.
• Exceptional communication, coaching, and relationship skills.
• Comfort in fast-paced, evolving environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall strategy, operations, and performance of the campus.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, and financial performance through budgeting and forecasting.
• Grow and retain a thriving creator membership and elevate the campus experience.
• Maximize the performance of studios, events, meeting spaces, hospitality, and revenue offerings.
• Build partnerships and identify new commercial opportunities.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing cross-functional leadership team.
• Create operational excellence by improving systems and member experience.
• Stay connected to creator economy trends and evolve the campus.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Hospitality knowledge

Financial acumen

People management

Communication

Curiosity about creators

Job description

Job Title: General Manager

Location: Venice Beach, CA

Department: Operations

The Lighthouse is a first-of-its-kind campus for creators and their teams, with locations in Venice, CA, and Brooklyn, NY.

We are a studio system and creative playground designed for creators to Learn, Make, and Belong creating a more frictionless path from idea to production to publication.

Our mission is to assemble and inspire the Creator Generation, helping creators build sustainable careers while shaping what's next for the Creator Industry.

About the role:

The Lighthouse wasn't built simply to house creators—it was built to help them thrive.

As the GM Campus Leader, you'll be the steward of that experience.

You'll shape the culture, energy, and community that creators walk into every day, ensuring every interaction, event, space, and team member contributes to an environment where creativity flourishes.

This isn't a traditional General Manager role. It's a unique leadership opportunity at the intersection of creator experience, hospitality, operations, events, studios, community, and commercial growth. You'll lead far more than a building—you'll lead one of the most exciting creative communities in the world.

You don't need to be a creator yourself, but you should be endlessly curious about the people, platforms, and ideas shaping what's next. You'll stay connected to the creator landscape, build authentic relationships throughout the community, and continually evolve The Lighthouse to meet creators where they're going—not just where they are today.

Success in this role isn't measured only by revenue or occupancy. It's measured by whether creators genuinely feel that The Lighthouse is the best place in the world to build their careers.

Here's what you'll do day-to-day:

• Lead the overall strategy, operations, and performance of the campus.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, and financial performance through effective budgeting, forecasting, and commercial decision-making.
• Grow and retain a thriving creator membership while continually elevating the campus experience.
• Maximize the performance of studios, events, meeting spaces, hospitality, and other revenue-generating offerings.
• Build meaningful partnerships and identify new commercial opportunities that strengthen the business.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing cross-functional leadership team.
• Create operational excellence by continuously improving systems, processes, and the overall member experience.
• Stay closely connected to the creator economy, identifying emerging trends and evolving the campus experience to meet the needs of the next generation of creators.

Here's what we're looking for:

• 7-10+ years of leadership experience running complex, multi-functional businesses.
• A genuine curiosity about creators, emerging technology, media, and the future of the creator economy.
• Experience within hospitality, media, experiential, membership, creator businesses, or similarly customer-centric industries.
• A proven track record of owning business performance, including revenue, profitability, operations, and financial planning.
• Experience leading senior leaders and building high-performing teams.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance creativity, hospitality, and business performance.
• Exceptional communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills.
• Comfort operating in fast-paced, evolving environments where continuous improvement is expected.

What Leadership Looks Like To Us:

• Think like owners and make decisions with the long-term success of the business in mind.
• Build leaders, not dependency, by coaching others to grow and succeed.
• Lead with presence, optimism, accountability, and integrity.
• Balance hospitality with high standards and clear expectations.
• Bring energy, urgency, and calm confidence to every challenge.
• See complexity as an opportunity to innovate and continuously improve.
• Foster an inclusive culture where creators and team members feel welcomed, supported, and inspired.
• Are endlessly curious about creators, culture, technology, and what's next, and are excited to build something meaningful.

The Perks:

The Lighthouse provides flexible benefits and collaborative work environments and experiences so employees can work productively in a setting that best and uniquely suits their needs:

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• PTO + Sick Time
• HSA, FSA, and Commuter + Parking Benefits
• Company Paid Life & Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance Policy
• Voluntary Hospital and Critical Illness Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401k with Employer Matching. No Vesting Period.

Our values:

At The Lighthouse, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) isn't just a statement, it's our collective strength. Our people are our superpower. A diverse team and inclusive leadership have shaped Whalar since our inception in 2016, fueling a constant evolution of growth. We champion a culture of respect and empathy, fostering a sense of belonging that transcends demographics. We hire individuals of all backgrounds and empower them to thrive, challenge stereotypes, and actively break societal barriers.

The Lighthouse provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including hiring, promotions, training, working conditions, compensation, and benefits.

The salary range for this role is $140,000 - $165,000 and serves as a general guideline for the potential compensation. The final salary offer will be determined based on a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as the candidate's experience, expertise, alignment with the position's requirements, and, ultimately, budget approvals.