Events & Venue Manager

OQS Media; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

OQS Media is seeking a Venue & Hospitality Operations Manager to launch a distinctive venue in New York. The role involves managing operations, presenting high hospitality standards, and coordinating various events.

Ideal candidates will have a strong background in high-end hospitality or event management, with a detail-oriented approach and the ability to work under pressure. This position offers significant autonomy and a chance to shape the venue's character and reputation.

Qualifications

• Experience in high-end hospitality or premium events.
• Familiarity with AV or podcast studio operations is advantageous.
• Strong organisational and operational skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operational running of the venue.
• Coordinate vendors for events including catering and AV.
• Ensure compliance with building regulations and operational policies.
• Oversee hospitality standards and guest experiences.

Skills

Hospitality management

Event coordination

Operational strategy

Vendor management

Budget management

Job description

Overview

This is an opportunity to help build a genuinely distinctive new venue in New York from the ground up.

Opening in September 2026 and based across the penthouse floors of 245 5th Avenue overlooking the Flatiron Building, the space will operate as a newsroom, salon, studio and events venue for The Spectator, UnHerd, Apollo and a wider network of cultural, political, artistic and commercial partners.

The venue will host everything from editorial conversations and live podcasts to private dinners, gallery events, brand activations and member-style receptions, bringing together media, culture, politics and hospitality in the heart of NoMad.

We are looking for an exceptional Venue & Hospitality Operations Manager to play a central role in launching and running the space.

This is not a traditional office management role, nor is it a purely creative or editorial position. We are looking for a highly capable operator: someone polished, organised and commercially minded, who is equally comfortable hosting a government official, coordinating a sponsor event, troubleshooting AV five minutes before guests arrive, resetting a terrace after a dinner, or managing a roster of freelance staff during a major event week.

The right person will care deeply about detail, atmosphere and execution. They should have strong hospitality instincts, excellent operational judgement, and the ability to make a space feel calm, elegant and exceptionally well-run under pressure.

For the right person, this is a chance not simply to manage a venue, but to help shape the character, standards and reputation of a new cultural and editorial institution from day one.

Role

You will be responsible for the operational running, presentation and hospitality standards of the venue, terrace and studio spaces, alongside the planning and delivery of events taking place within them.

You will work closely with editorial, commercial and leadership teams to facilitate ambitious events and partnerships, while helping establish the venue operationally from the ground up.

Responsibilities will include

• Managing the day-to-day operational running and presentation of the venue
• Ensuring the space is consistently maintained to a high standard across internal and external events
• Acting as the operational lead for receptions, dinners, talks, recordings, launches and private events
• Coordinating vendors including catering, floristry, AV, bar partners, cleaning, security and production suppliers
• Building and managing a roster of freelance and junior hospitality/event staff
• Working with commercial teams on private hire enquiries, partnerships and external bookings
• Supporting the venue's social media presence, newsletters and event communications
• Managing event budgets, invoicing, supplier payments and operational reporting
• Ensuring compliance with building regulations, licensing requirements and operational policies
• Overseeing guest experience and hospitality standards across all events
• Helping shape the overall atmosphere of the venue, including layout, lighting, music, food and drinks service
• Supporting studio and podcast recording logistics where required
• Acting as a calm, professional and highly capable point of contact for guests, partners and clients
• Taking ownership of operational issues directly and ensuring events run smoothly from start to finish

Requirements

The ideal candidate will likely come from a high-end hospitality, members club, cultural institution or premium events background.

Experience within private members clubs, luxury hospitality groups, boutique venues, gallery/event operations or culturally-led commercial spaces would be highly relevant.

You may currently be:

• a senior events manager
• deputy general manager
• hospitality operations lead
• venue manager
• club manager
• or a highly capable second-in-command ready to step into a broader leadership role

We are looking for someone who is

• highly organised and operationally excellent
• polished and confident with high‑profile guests and demanding commercial partners
• willing to be hands‑on and solve problems directly
• calm under pressure
• commercially aware
• detail‑oriented and aesthetically minded
• capable of managing multiple moving parts simultaneously
• comfortable building systems and operational processes from scratch
• flexible around evening and weekend events
• equally comfortable managing a VIP reception or physically resetting a room between events

Additional experience that would be advantageous

• AV or podcast studio operations
• luxury hospitality or members club operations
• event marketing and audience development
• newsletter or social media management
• vendor and contractor management
• liquor licensing or hospitality compliance coordination

The opportunity

This is an opportunity to help shape a genuinely distinctive New York venue from the beginning, working at the intersection of media, politics, culture, hospitality and events.

The role offers significant autonomy and scope for growth for the right person.

Salary negotiable depending on experience.