Factory International – Hospitality and Retail Operations Manager
Manchester
The Hospitality and Retail Operations Manager will be the main point of contact for Factory International’s working relationship with our external food and beverage (F&B) and retail operators in developing and delivering the hospitality and retail offer and presence on the site.
Working closely with our operators to devise menus, brand and product listings, retail and merchandise plans, meeting client briefs, supporting food based events and bespoke retail offers and ranges linked to the venue’s artistic and music programme. Day-to-day relationship management and monitoring the commercial performance of our operators against approved KPIs will be a key part of the role.
Working as part of the Venue Operations team, they will manage the main F&B contract whilst developing innovative complimentary hospitality opportunities, with a focus on creating a ‘must visit’ destination and an exceptional experience for visitors and guests. The role will act as a conduit between the operations, commercial and programming teams across all food and beverage and retail needs.
Responsibilities for the Hospitality and Retail Operations Manager role are;
- To proactively manage the relationship with Factory International’s primary catering and bar partner, including refining and monitoring final KPIs and financial agreements and implementing a robust collaborative approach to achieving outstanding and sustained performance results
- To work with our primary F&B and retail partners to ensure their offer is flexed to support specific audience development aims and the broadening of our visitor demographic
- To support our F&B and retail partners in the recruitment and induction of permanent and casual team members to ensure Factory International’s values are upheld and there is consistency across the customer facing team
- To work along side the F&B operation in building a dynamic preferred suppliers list of innovative Food and Beverage specialist operators and ‘pop ups’ and to work with these secondary partners and the main F&B operator to shape an evolving and distinctive overall food and beverage offer that defines Factory International as a ‘buzzing’, relaxed but exciting social and cultural space
- To work alongside the retail operation in developing a product and merchandise range offer that includes both Factory International and MIF branded product, products and merchandise ranges that complement signature events, exhibitions and shows in our artistic programme, and oversight and delivery of our music merchandise operation linked to our commercial music programme. A key focus will be maximising revenue opportunities for artists, event organisers and for Factory International
- To manage our commercial relationships with key external partners and sponsors which may include breweries, drinks suppliers, merchandise operators and naming rights partners and ensure all of our obligations in agreements with them are upheld
- To assist our partners in curating exciting hospitality and retail propositions that complement the delivery of the primary F&B and retail partners, are inspired by the venue’s artistic and commercial events programme and working closely with the venue programmers and producers to make the venue and its public spaces a ‘must visit’ destination maximising the potential of the event spaces and the public realm
- To collaborate with the Public and Commercial Events teams, the wider Visitor Experience team, Technical and Producing to deliver food based events throughout the annual programme within the Factory International building and in the wider public realm, ensuring liaison with the F&B operator in all cases
- Act as the central liaison between external F&B and retail partners for Venue Operations, Technical or Event Management requirements
- Work with the Sustainability Manager to ensure sustainability is a guiding principle in both our food offer within our bars and hospitality operation and in our retail and merchandising offering within Factory International and its public realm
- To build and maintain excellent relations with other departments, internal and external suppliers and partners ensuring that Factory International is represented at relevant regional hospitality networks and events
The person specification for the Hospitality and Retail Operations Manager role include;
ESSENTIAL
- Strong leadership skills – capable of motivating a large disparate and diverse team
- Proven experience of a fast-moving contemporary customer facing environment
- Solution orientated and self motivated
- Experience in managing a food and beverage and/or retail operation in a similar environment
- Experience of Visitor/Customer Service
- Demonstrable commitment to increasing access to the arts, entertainment, hospitality and/or public space
- Experience of embedding disability access best practice in a customer facing service or operation
- Enthusiasm for, and understanding of, hospitality, retail and merchandising operations
- Proven experience of developing and leading staff training programmes
- Familiarity with Health & Safety legislation, guidance and practical implementation
- Understanding of trends within the food and beverage scene locally and nationally
- Experience of embedding environmental responsibility within a customer facing service or operation
- Budget management experience and track record of balancing cost control with service quality and high performance
- Commitment to championing representation and inclusion at every level of the organisation with a proven ability to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds
DESIRABLE
- Knowledge of EPOS systems
- Experience of event merchandising operations
- Experience of designing and procuring product ranges for retail
- Experience of working with volunteers
- NBOSH or IOSH Managing Safely qualification
- Personal Licence holder
- Entrepreneurial and creative
- Solution orientated and self motivated
- Digitally aware with high level of IT proficiency
- Enthusiasm for training, mentoring and support of emerging talent
For further details and to apply please visit: https://recruitment.factoryinternational.org/jobs/2381359-hospitality-and-retail-operations-manager