Job Description – Bonar Hall Venue Operations Manager
About DUSA
Dundee University Students’ Association (DUSA) is a charity with over 18,000 members. Our vision is of a kinder, greener and more diverse global student community creating a lasting impact for generations to come.
We are the most successful Students’ Association in Scotland and one of the top five within the UK. We create welcoming, safe and valued physical and virtual spaces for students to come together and socialise. We encourage students to learn, volunteer, work and join clubs and societies. They can also access advice, guidance and support from our team.
The city of Dundee is prospering, currently undergoing £1billion regeneration. We aim to mirror that progress and fulfil our ambitious plans to become a kinder, greener and better connected place for all students at the University of Dundee.
The University of Dundee is one of the UK’s leading universities – internationally recognised for science, medicine and engineering, amongst many other disciplines. Conveniently located on the banks of the River Tay, the city campus is located in the heart of Dundee, a friendly and affordable city with a rich heritage in design and technology.
We currently employ around 200 staff across our organisation and operate facilities, hospitality, entertainment and support services 7 days a week.
About Bonar Hall
Built in 1977, Bonar Hall is a mid-sized event venue on the edge of Dundee City Centre in the Cultural Quarter. Managed by DUSA since 2019, the venue is currently being revitalised to deliver a broad and dynamic programme of student, corporate, and external events.
Purpose
The purpose of the Bonar Hall Venue Operations Manager role is to grow and develop the venue, working closely with our External Events Officer to build revenue and extend the programming to maximise the space to its full potential.
The right candidate will work closely with our F&B Manager and Senior Management on both long-term vision/strategic planning and increasing footfall and revenue of the current facilities. The postholder will use their commercial acumen to identify opportunities, improve efficiency & enhance the customer experience while keeping DUSA’s values as a charity central to their decision making.
The Role
Venue Management
- Managing event operations, optimising efficiency to help meet key budgetary controls
- Managing staffing profiles to guarantee the smooth running of operations
- Ensure the venue maintains excellent standards of service, quality & cleanliness
- Management of stock processes & systems, logistics & planning
- Working closely with our External Events Officer to develop pricing structure and manage bookings
- Oversee event logistics including room set-up, AV/technical requirements and coordination with external suppliers
Team Leadership & Management
- Managing relationships with key stakeholders both internal & external
- Collaborating with other members of the operations team to maximise company resource
- Lead from the front pushing training & development in all areas
- Conduct regular performance evaluation – offer constructive feedback, and identify development opportunities for direct reports with clear tangible KPIs
- Foster a positive work culture focused on collaboration & solution focused thinking
Growth & Development
- Tracking trends & identifying growth opportunities within the venue and capitalising on local and national events
- Design of venue budgets collaborating with other stakeholders to set targets and goals
- Identifying wastage of company resource and implementing systems and processes to minimise waste of resources
- Outreach to external business partners and clients to increase revenue for the venue
- Develop and manage a corporate and external hire programme, including venue viewings, contracts and post-event reconciliation
Compliance
- Fostering a culture where health & safety is considered a vital part of operations
- Ensuring financial reporting is tracked and demonstrable to internal & external stakeholders
- Adhere to & uphold company policies, procedures & processes regarding employment law
Customer Service
- Maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction by delivering exceptional service
- Address customer complaints promptly & effectively
- Monitor customer feedback and react proactively to make improvements where needed
- Promote a customer centric culture amongst staff
Marketing & Promotion
- Develop and implement marketing strategies to promote Bonar Hall
- Manage social media platforms to create a connection with customer bases
- Work collaboratively with the Marketing & Events Teams to create increased revenue and connection with key customer base
The Person
- Commercially minded
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to develop and grow a team
- Efficient & productive
- Solution focused with strong critical thinking
- Experience with multiple different service styles
- Strong administrative skills
- Experience in logistics and planning & delivery of events
- Willingness to learn
Qualifications / Knowledge / Experience
- Good IT skills and familiar with EPOS systems
- PLH desirable
- Minimum 2 years hospitality management experience
Hours of Work
The post is full-time, 40 hours per week with the hours worked each week varied in line with organisational requirements.
Salary
The role is remunerated at £29,744.00 per annum and is a Grade 5 role. No additional payments or allowances and no contractual entitlement to overtime.
DUSA operates a TOIL policy, and any additional hours would be managed under this policy.
