ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Head of Visitor Experience will effectively manage the day-to-day running of Lightroom’s Visitor Experience at our Kings Cross venue. They lead a team of three full time Visitor Experience Managers overseeing the Visitor Experience team during events, hires and our core repertory of shows. They ensure the proactive and successful delivery of a welcoming, clean, safe, and comfortable environment for all visitors, guaranteeing Lightroom delivers an exceptional visitor experience for all. They will work closely with the Retail Manager and the Bar & Events Manager to support these areas of the business.

This role oversees all policy and procedures for the department, ensuring the safe and compliant running of Lightroom. The post holder will be commercially minded, understand budgets, stock management, quality control and proactively drive income opportunities.

The role leads the recruitment, onboarding, performance management and offboarding processes for the Visitor Experience department.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Administration & Management

• Line manage Visitor Experience Managers and Duty Managers
• Line manage Operations Assistant
• Ensure smooth running of the Front of House team including bar, retail, access, security, stage door, duty managers
• Manage company wide administrative systems and processes
• Effectively communicate and implement new procedures to all venue staff
• Manage relationships with third party companies as required
• Manage the relationship with the wider estate

Events and Hires

• Work alongside Bar & Events Manager to provide adequate staff, as well as ensuring health and safety documentation for each event is produced
• Work with the Operations Director & Operations Coordinator to manage space booking across the venue

Health and safety

• Oversee and review organisation wide health and safety policies and procedures
• Ensure staff qualifications are kept up to date (First Aid, Personal Licences, SIA, Safeguarding training, MHFA)
• Follow up on reported incidents, accidents and near misses ensuring they are reported and investigated within the relevant department and at the monthly Health and Safety meeting
• Identify and mitigate risk
• Create Event Safety Plans and risk assessments dependant on activities

Finance and Budgeting

• Effectively manage the staffing budget for the Visitor Experience department, ensuring adequate and appropriate levels of staffing
• Working alongside the Operations Director to oversee the departmental spend
• Report on budgets managed, providing analysis when needed

FOH/General

• Ensure all Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) are created and reviewed in line with the current shows, upcoming events and projects
• Work to continuously develop and improve the visitor experience
• Lead on encouraging good communication throughout the organisation
• Lead on maintaining relationships with key external stakeholders on the KX estate

HR/Recruitment

• Implement and maintain all HR policies, including responding to information regarding
• Equal Opportunities, committing to a more diverse staff body
• Co creation and annual review of the company handbook
• Curate team of Mental Health First Aiders and manage ongoing wellbeing initiatives
• Support the wider HR function escalating HR concerns and providing support appropriately in grievance and disciplinary procedures for the Visitor Experience team
• Oversee the onboarding and induction of all new starters for Visitor Experience
• Manage and maintain HR record keeping systems for the Visitor Experience teams

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Operations

• Knowledge and understanding of the operational workings of a public facing venue and the practical requirements to deliver a successful visitor experience
• Experience of managing visitor experience teams
• Knowledge and understanding of health and safety and building operations legislation, for a multi-purpose venue
• Experience in managing contracts for suppliers, including working to KPIs
• Ability to learn new processes, workflows and develop a good understanding of the key requirements and deliverables
• Strong strategic planning skills and the ability to assess workload and capacity for self and team to manage deadlines
• Experience of managing budgets and delivering within budget
• Commercially driven with a proven track record of maximising potential income streams
• Track record in delivering consistent quality work, while working with multiple workflows
• A proactive problem solving approach and ability to troubleshoot, when required
• Resilient, working calmly under pressure, and able to deal effectively with the unexpected
• Ability to exercise critical thinking and improve service and the departmental procedures

Relationship Management

• Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written and an ability to convey complex and detailed information clearly, coherently and in an orderly fashion
• Ability to lead by example with a high standard of customer care and responsiveness
• Ability to build positive working relationships with internal and external contacts
• Experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams with a diverse range of staff and visitors
• Experience of team management with the ability to support team development, coaching, feedback reviews and rota management.

Continuous Development / Continuous Improvement

• Ability to foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Commitment to managing own learning and continuous professional development

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your CV and Cover Letter via the link contained within this advert, or under the advert for this role on the Lightroom Website. Your covering letter should detail how you meet the criteria within the person specification and why you would like to be considered for the role.

We also kindly request that you fill in the Equal Opportunities Form via the web page.

Should you wish to reach out for an informal conversation about the nature of the role, please contact our Stage Door team via 0330 500 2148 who will direct your call accordingly.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications for this opportunity will close on October 7th, 2024 at 12 noon.

Should you require any special assistance with your application, please reach out via email to or call 0330 500 2148.

We look forward to receiving your application.

We are an equal opportunities employer and value diversity. We encourage applicants from different backgrounds and different experiences.