Event & Festival Manager – Summer 2026 and Beyond
Chickenish is looking for an experienced Event & Festival Manager to join our growing leadership team for the 2026 festival season and beyond. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives in the fast-paced world of festivals and events and wants to play a key role in the continued growth of an ambitious independent business.
We trade at some of the UK's most recognised festivals and events, including Glastonbury, Reading Festival, Download Festival, All Points East, British Summer Time, and many others. As a fully plant-based food business, we operate the Chickenish brand alongside several other plant-based concepts, delivering high-quality food experiences to thousands of customers throughout the season.
Working closely with the owner and senior management team, you will oversee event operations from initial planning through to on-site delivery, ensuring every event runs efficiently, profitably, and to the highest standards. This is a hands-on role requiring strong leadership, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to remain calm and solutions-focused under pressure.
We're building a long-term team of high performers and are looking for someone who shares our ambition, attention to detail, and commitment to operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Planning staff rotas and coordinating event teams
- Managing festival and event operations from setup through to breakdown
- Maintaining food safety, hygiene, and operational compliance standards
- Managing stock levels, ordering, and supplier relationships
- Coordinating stock movements between suppliers, production facilities, and event sites
- Ensuring equipment is maintained, cleaned, and prepared for future events
- Acting as the primary point of contact with festival organisers and site management teams
- Overseeing opening and closing procedures at events
- Managing daily cash reconciliation and operational reporting
- Supporting the ongoing development and improvement of systems and processes
Requirements
- Proven experience managing festivals, events, food operations, or large-scale hospitality environments
- Strong leadership and team management skills
- Excellent organisational and problem-solving abilities
- Ability to perform effectively in high-pressure environments
- Strong understanding of operational standards and food hygiene practices
- Full UK driving licence preferred
What We Offer
- Starting pay from £18.00 per hour
- Approximately 40 hours per week across the main festival season, with peak activity between May and September
- The opportunity to work at some of the UK's biggest festivals and live events
- A positive, ambitious company culture with a strong focus on teamwork and mutual respect
- A wellbeing programme that reflects our belief that high performance and staff wellbeing should go hand in hand
- Long-term career opportunities as the business continues to expand
- The chance to help shape and grow one of the UK's leading plant-based festival food operators
Many of our team members return season after season, and we're looking for someone who can become a key part of that culture while helping lead our next stage of growth.
If you're passionate about festivals, operations, leadership, and delivering exceptional customer experiences, we'd love to hear from you.
Pay: From £16.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Health & wellbeing programme
Work Location: On the road
