The Role
We are looking for an experienced, energetic and commercially minded Floor & Events Manager to join the Senior Management Team at Ormskirk Food & Drink Market.
Reporting directly to the General Manager, this is a key operational leadership role with responsibility across two core areas of the business:
- Venue Management – leading the day-to-day operation of the food hall and delivering an outstanding customer experience.
- Events Management – taking ownership of the planning and delivery of our programme of events and private hire bookings.
The role will operate in many respects as an Assistant General Manager, providing visible leadership across the venue, supporting the General Manager and ensuring consistently high standards of service, presentation, safety and operational delivery.
You will be supported by two Floor Supervisors and will work closely with our Marketing function and Business Development Manager (BDM) to develop, plan, promote and successfully execute events that drive footfall, revenue and the reputation of the Market.
This is a hands-on role. We are looking for someone who enjoys being on the floor, leading from the front and creating a venue that customers want to return to.
Key Responsibilities
1. Venue Management & Customer Experience
- Take a leading role in the day-to-day management of the food hall, ensuring the venue operates smoothly, safely and professionally.
- Act as the senior manager on duty as required, taking ownership of the venue and making confident operational decisions.
- Lead the Floor Supervisors and wider front-of-house team, setting clear expectations and maintaining high standards of performance.
- Ensure an exceptional customer experience throughout the venue, from arrival through to departure.
- Maintain consistently high standards of cleanliness, presentation, atmosphere and customer service.
- Be highly visible and approachable on the floor, proactively engaging with customers and responding quickly to issues.
- Manage customer feedback and complaints professionally, identifying opportunities to improve the overall guest experience.
- Support effective opening and closing procedures and ensure operational standards and checklists are consistently followed.
- Work collaboratively with food and drink traders/operators to maintain standards and resolve day-to-day operational issues.
- Monitor customer flow, seating, venue capacity and service pressure points, adapting the operation as required.
- Support the General Manager with venue procedures, team development and continuous operational improvement.
- Ensure appropriate compliance with venue policies, licensing requirements, health & safety procedures and other relevant operational requirements.
- Take ownership of incidents and operational issues when acting as the senior manager on duty, escalating appropriately where required.
2. Events & Private Hire
- Take overall operational ownership of events and private hire bookings within the venue.
- Manage events from initial planning and handover through to successful on-the-day execution and post-event review.
- Work closely with the BDM on private hire enquiries, client requirements, proposals and event planning.
- Build strong relationships with private hire clients, event organisers, performers, suppliers and other external partners.
- Develop detailed event plans covering timings, layouts, staffing, security, entertainment, suppliers, technical requirements and customer experience.
- Ensure clear communication of event plans to all relevant internal teams and venue partners.
- Coordinate event set-up, delivery and breakdown, ensuring events are delivered safely, professionally and to a consistently high standard.
- Act as a key point of contact for clients and organisers during events.
- Manage multiple upcoming events simultaneously while maintaining clear timelines, actions and responsibilities.
- Ensure events are appropriately staffed and operational requirements are planned well in advance.
- Conduct post-event reviews where appropriate, capturing feedback and identifying opportunities to improve future events.
- Help develop repeatable event formats and operational processes that allow the Market's events programme to grow efficiently.
3. Events Programme & Commercial Development
- Work closely with Marketing, the BDM and General Manager to develop an engaging forward programme of events.
- Contribute ideas for events that increase footfall, dwell time, customer engagement and spend.
- Help identify opportunities around seasonal events, live entertainment, family activities, community events, themed events and other programming.
- Ensure the operational feasibility of proposed events is considered early in the planning process.
- Work with Marketing to ensure upcoming events are communicated with sufficient lead time and that operational details align with advertised customer expectations.
- Support the commercial performance of events and private hire, including monitoring costs, staffing requirements and overall event performance.
- Identify opportunities to improve event profitability and generate additional revenue from the venue.
- Build relationships with relevant local organisations, suppliers, performers and partners where these can strengthen the Market's events programme.
Leadership & People Management
- Directly manage, coach and develop the two Floor Supervisors, enabling them to take ownership of day-to-day floor operations.
- Provide clear leadership to the wider front-of-house team while on duty.
- Lead by example, demonstrating high standards of professionalism, customer service and attention to detail.
- Support recruitment, induction and training of floor team members as required.
- Provide regular feedback, recognise strong performance and address performance or conduct issues appropriately.
- Help create a positive, accountable and customer-focused culture across the venue.
- Work collaboratively as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing beyond the immediate responsibilities of the role where required.
- Deputise for and support the General Manager on operational matters as appropriate.
What We're Looking For
We are looking for someone with strong hospitality or venue management experience who combines excellent operational instincts with the organisation required to deliver successful events.
You are likely to have:
- Previous management experience within hospitality, food halls, bars, restaurants, hotels, events or a similarly fast-paced customer-facing venue.
- Experience managing a busy front-of-house operation and leading teams during high-volume periods.
- Strong people management and leadership skills.
- Experience planning and delivering events, functions or private hires.
- Excellent organisation and the ability to manage multiple events and priorities simultaneously.
- A genuine passion for customer experience and hospitality.
- Strong communication skills and confidence dealing with customers, clients, suppliers and internal stakeholders.
- Good commercial awareness, with an understanding of how operational decisions affect revenue, costs and profitability.
- The confidence to make decisions and take ownership when acting as the senior manager on duty.
- High standards and strong attention to detail.
- A practical, hands-on approach and willingness to get involved wherever required.
- The ability to remain calm and solution-focused in a busy, constantly changing environment.
Experience working with live entertainment, large-scale events, venue hire, licensing or event safety would be particularly advantageous.
What Success Looks Like
Success in this role means:
- Customers consistently receive a welcoming, enjoyable and memorable experience.
- The food hall is well managed, well presented and operates smoothly even during peak periods.
- Floor Supervisors and front-of-house teams are confident, engaged and clear about the standards expected of them.
- Events are planned thoroughly and delivered professionally, safely and on time.
- Private hire clients receive excellent service and want to return or recommend the venue.
- Marketing, Business Development and Operations work from a coordinated forward events plan.
- Events contribute positively to footfall, revenue and the wider profile of Ormskirk Food & Drink Market.
- The General Manager has a trusted operational deputy who can confidently take ownership of the venue.
Working Pattern
This is a full-time role of 45 hours per week.
As a senior operational role within a hospitality and events venue, flexibility is essential. The working pattern will include a combination of daytimes, evenings and weekends, reflecting the needs of the venue and its events programme.
Pay: £34,000.00-£38,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
