House Operations Manager

The UC Theatre; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The UC Theatre in Berkeley seeks a House Operations Manager to lead all front-of-house, bar, and facility operations for concerts, rentals, and community programs. You will hire, train, and supervise staff; coordinate day-of-show activities; and ensure safety, accessibility, and exceptional customer experience.

Responsibilities include overseeing maintenance, vendor coordination, and incident reporting while maximizing ancillary revenue and controlling labor costs, in line with venue policies

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams in live events and venues.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and guest-relations skills.
• Knowledge of safety, security, and accessibility procedures.

Responsibilities

• Oversee front-of-house, bar, and facility operations for events.
• Hire, train, schedule, and supervise event staff across departments.
• Maintain venue safety, cleanliness, and incident reporting.
• Manage maintenance, budgeting, and vendor coordination.
• Coordinate with production, Box Office, and Care Crew for day-of-show operations.
• Ensure compliance with alcohol service, safety protocols, and cash handling.

Skills

Leadership

Event coordination

Staff management

Customer service

Budgeting

Safety compliance

Tools

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

QuickBooks

Toast POS

Job description

Compensation:

Show Pay: $300.00-$350.00 flat rate (average shift: 10-12 hours)

Office Hours: Up to 24 hours per week as needed, preferably on non-show days

Admin Office Hours Hourly Rate: $22.00-$24.00 per hour

The House Operations Manager leads the customer experience across all front-of-house, bar, and facility operations, ensuring every concert, special event, rental, and community program is executed safely, efficiently, on time, and to the highest standards of hospitality.

Working closely with the FOH Manager, Production, Bar, Food Service, Box Office, Floor Staff, Care Crew, Facilities and Maintenance, and on-site medical teams, the House Operations Manager hires, trains, schedules, supervises, and supports event staff; coordinates day-of-show operations; resolves patron and staff concerns; and maintains a safe, accessible, inclusive, clean, and welcoming environment for patrons, artists, employees, and community partners.

The House Operations Manager is also responsible for maximizing ancillary revenue, controlling show-related labor and operating expenses, and ensuring compliance with venue policies, responsible alcohol service requirements, ADA standards, emergency procedures, staff-training requirements, and cash-handling protocols. The role oversees the readiness, appearance, cleanliness, security, repair, and maintenance of the venue, including its furniture, fixtures, systems, and equipment.

As a leader within an independent nonprofit music venue, the House Operations Manager advances The UC Theatre’s mission by modeling professionalism, equitable leadership, and community-centered hospitality. The position also mentors and supervises Concert Career Pathways participants, integrating young people from historically marginalized communities into real-world venue operations and helping them develop the skills, confidence, and experience required to build successful careers in the live music and creative industries.

Key Admin Office Duties & Responsibilities:

• Facility Maintenance: Maintain the building and office spaces in excellent condition, with close attention to repairs, preventive maintenance, safety, and cleanliness.
• Hire, schedule, budget for, and manage Floor Staff, Bar Staff, Box Office Staff, Care Crew, EMT Contractor, Facilities Staff, and Ushers for all shows.
• Ensure the venue looks its best, remains clean and safe, and delivers the best possible customer experience.
• Maintain the facilities project spreadsheet to track timelines and budgets for all projects.
• Schedule vendors for monthly maintenance and services.
• Obtain three competitive bids whenever practicable; oversee major repairs and special projects; follow up through completion; and inspect completed work before authorizing payment.
• Maintain accurate records of upcoming maintenance, cleaning, repairs, and vendors.
• Oversee all in-house maintenance and Care Crew operations before and after shows, as well as weekly general theatre and office cleaning.
• Obtain City parking permits, including requesting and collecting them from the City and installing them at the beginning of each month.
• Respond to escalated staff and guest inquiries or concerns related to shows. Manage artist meet-and-greet packages and guest amenities, including the VIP program and seat upgrades. Work with all staff to ensure service standards are consistently met.
• Coordinate annual inspections for fire and Alarm Systems (Fire & Alarm), Health Department requirements, the ADA lift, and other regulated systems.
• Keep current on all Standard Operating Procedures and be able to effectively communicate them to team members.
• Manage and coordinate the collection and return of all lost-and-found items.
• Order cleaning, kitchen, office, and maintenance supplies, and maintain an accurate inventory and purchasing list.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for general deliveries and distribute mail to the appropriate departments.
• Conduct required safety and emergency-procedure training for all staff and new hires.
• CCP Education Program: Mentor, train, and supervise Concert Career Pathways interns, supporting their development within the program and progress toward their long-term career goals.
• Complete incident reports and collect witness statements accurately and promptly.
• Manage and coordinate all ejection logs and incident-report documentation.
• Facilitate and work scheduled special events and rentals throughout the venue.
• Manage and reconcile general- maintenance petty cash and receipts for Accounting.

Show Responsibilities – House Manager (Show Pay)

• Manage bar staff, opening banks, cash reconciliation, and deposits in accordance with approved cash-handling procedures.
• Perform opening/running/closing (closing optional and/or delegate as needed) duties according to The UC Theatre’s policy.
• Order food for sale at shows and ensure timely delivery (e.g., pizza for audience purchase).
• Manage day-of-show operations with the Floor Manager and Floor Supervisors while ensuring a high level of service and safety for all patrons, staff, and artists.
• Create pre-show communications and relay information from management directly to staff.
• Manage and oversee the Floor Manager, Floor Supervisors, Ushers, Care Crew, Assistant Bar Manager, and Customer Service Staff.
• Monitor lines, ingress, and egress for safety and efficiency. Ensure that staff maintain clear lines of sight at all guest-contact points and protect the security of back-of-house areas.
• Work directly with Production, Box Office, Floor Staff, Ushers, and Bar Staff to perform day-of-show duties.
• Work with Floor Supervisors to oversee the setup and breakdown of lobby merchandise and registration tables.
• Work with the Floor Manager and Floor Supervisors to conduct all Floor Staff pre-shift meetings.
• Manage guest concerns and complaints involving the Bar, Floor Staff, or other customer-service matters.
• Maintain line of sight/atmosphere control by circulating through the work area and reporting any issues encountered.
• Work with the Floor Manager and Floor Supervisors to resolve guest issues, consulting senior management when a situation escalates.
• Coach the Floor Manager and Floor Supervisors to resolve potentially negative situations constructively.
• Work with the Floor Manager and Floor Supervisors to anticipate and plan routine operational tasks.
• Work with Care Crew to ensure floors and aisles remain free of debris.
• Work with the Floor Manager and Floor Supervisors to ensure all bottles and confiscated items are properly disposed of at the end of the night and that the Box Office area is left clean.
• Compile all show-related incident documentation and file it in the physical and digital show folders.
• Manage and verify shift sign-in sheets as needed.
• Work with the Floor Manager and Floor Supervisors to schedule show and post-show Care Crew shifts.
• Manage keys, alarm codes, phone systems, security cameras, computer backups, networks, and other critical security and infrastructure systems.
• Closing Venue Manager as needed.

Required Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must demonstrate the following competencies and be able to perform the essential functions of the position.

• 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 Venue 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: Proficient in key operational systems—including Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, Toast POS, and generative AI (ChatGPT, Gemini)—to streamline daily administration, analysis, and communication.
• Operations & Service: Working knowledge of high-volume nightclub operations, responsible alcohol service, and guest relations.
• Customer Experience: Strong guest-and staff-relations skills, including the ability to assess and anticipate guests’ needs.
• Prioritize: Strong prioritization, organization, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and issues simultaneously while maintaining a constructive, professional attitude.
• Customer Centered: Empathy and emotional intelligence. Ability to read guest cues and anticipate service or accessibility needs.
• Communication: Communicate effectively with team members and managers and foster a collaborative, supportive workplace.
• Customer Service: Manages difficult customer situations, responds promptly to customer needs, seeks feedback to improve service, and meets commitments.
• Problem Solving: Conflict resolution and team-building skills. Identifies and resolves problems promptly and gathers and analyzes information effectively.
• Strategic Thinking-Planning and Organization: Prioritizes, plans ahead, anticipates work activities, and uses time efficiently.
• Quality Control: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, monitors work quality, and applies feedback to improve performance.
• Productivity: Meets performance standards and completes work on time.
• Adaptability: Adapts to changing conditions, manages competing demands, and responds effectively to delays and unexpected events.
• Dependability: Maintains reliable attendance and punctuality, follows instructions, responds to management direction, and seeks feedback.
• Safety and Security: Observes safety and security procedures and uses equipment and materials properly. Must be able to climb stairs and lift up to 50 lbs., with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Managing Projects for Cost-Effective/Timely Completion - The ability to oversee and guide a project from its inception to its completion within the stipulated budget and time frame, ensuring that all objectives are met without unnecessary expenditures or delays.
• Basic Accounting: Maintains accurate invoice, receipt cash-handling, deposit, and reconciliation records.

Operations Staff & CCP Program-Managing People for Success and Professional Growth

Definition: The ability to lead, guide, and support a team or individual in such a way that not only are organizational objectives met, but team members also experience personal and professional development. This skill involves recognizing and nurturing the potential in each individual, creating a positive and inclusive work environment, and providing opportunities for growth, feedback, and advancement.

About The UC Theatre:

The UC Theatre is a premier independent nonprofit music venue with culturally diverse music programming advancing equitable economic opportunity on and off the stage within the live music and creative economy.

Since 2016, The UC Theatre has thrived as a community-minded independent live music venue with culturally diverse music programming featuring emerging, local, national, and international touring artists, as well as tuition-free workforce-development programs. We create equitable access to music industry and creative economy careers for young people who are often excluded from traditional pathways.

Concert Career Pathways (CCP) is a scalable blueprint for creative-workforce equity.

CCP is not simply a training program; it is an employer-connected pathway that removes systemic barriers to entry and advancement in the live music and creative economy. The program combines tuition-free, hands-on paid internships and externships with strategic planning, leadership development, budgeting and P&L analysis, transportation support, meals, mentorship, and holistic wraparound services tailored for young people from historically marginalized communities.

CCP is about investing in yourself. A participant’s greatest investment is not in a degree, a job, or a paycheck— it is in themselves. CCP is designed to help participants discover their strengths, build confidence, develop professional skills, think strategically, expand their networks, and learn how to leverage emerging technologies like AI to accelerate their careers. Through hands-on experience, mentorship, and real-world opportunities, participants gain the tools to build meaningful futures in the live music industry and creative economy.

CCP turns inclusive opportunities into measurable outcomes. On average, CCP graduates are 48% women, 10% non-binary, 77% BIPOC, 35% LGBTQ+, 10% people with disabilities, and 54% living below the poverty line. Many participants arrive with talent and ambition but limited access to paid experience, professional networks, and industry mentors. CCP closes that gap. Each year, at least 80% of graduates secure career-path employment within 3-6 months of completing the program.

Professional Partner Network- 80% Job Placement. From training through job placement, we collaborate with industry professionals who teach, train, and mentor participants in the nuanced, hands-on skills required for successful careers. These partners also participate in our Professional Partner Network to advance job placement. In many cases, CCP opens doors for graduates that a college degree alone could not.

Next Generation of Music Industry & Creative Economy Leaders- Our CCP Management & Leadership Program advances CCP graduates who demonstrate initiative, leadership potential, and a commitment to investing in themselves, the business, and the team. Building on The UC Theatre’s principles of experiential learning, strategic thinking, financial literacy, professional networking, and real-world accountability, the program supports, mentors, and equips emerging Bay Area leaders to move from entry-level opportunity into career-level compensation and long-term advancement. These leaders are helping reimagine the music industry—and the broader creative economy—through intergenerational, multicultural leadership rooted in inclusion, equity, and lived experience.

BMG Presents, Powered by CCP Graduates- BMG Presents is a vertically integrated artist-development and concert-promotion platform managed by CCP graduates, with current interns gaining hands-on experience alongside them. The program creates sustainable career pathways for both emerging music professionals and emerging artists. By programming across 250- 500- 750- and 1,350-capacity rooms, BMG Presents builds a structured growth ladder that helps artists move from early-stage rooms toward headline opportunities within an independent venue ecosystem. The platform curates, develops, and promotes culturally diverse genres, scenes, local artists, and emerging national talent, demonstrating how small, mid-size, and larger venues can work together to support artist growth, audience development, and a more equitable music industry.

Equal Opportunity and Diversity

The UC Theatre is committed to equity and to creating opportunities for people of color, women, nonbinary people, LGBTQ+ people, veterans, and people with disabilities. We are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful environment for staff and patrons in which meaningful conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility can continue. The UC Theatre prioritizes DEIA initiatives, advances best practices in the live-performance industry, and provides staff to relevant resources and professional-development opportunities.

This job description summarizes the duties an employee is expected to perform and is intended as a broad guide rather than an all-inclusive list. The description may be modified as organizational needs evolve. At management’s request, an employee may be assigned additional duties, responsibilities, or projects consistent with applicable law.