Venue Manager

Job Code: C-316/001/074
Industry: Leisure & Entertainment

Job Brief:
A leading leisure and entertainment venue in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Venue Manager to oversee day-to-day operations, deliver safe and joyful experiences for families, and drive commercial success. The role involves team leadership, operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and positioning the venue as a premier family destination.

Job Responsibilities:
Strategic & Commercial:

• Manage the venue’s P&L and ensure alignment with financial targets.
• Drive revenue growth across ticketing, café, merchandise, and events/parties.
• Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
• Track and deliver KPIs such as attendance, revenue per visitor, café and merchandise sales per head, and repeat visitation.
• Collaborate with corporate sales/partnership teams to develop B2B sales channels, targeting at least 15% of revenue in year one.
• Prepare monthly reports covering guest experience, operations, and financial performance.

Guest Engagement & Satisfaction:

• Ensure families and children have a joyful, memorable experience.
• Collect, analyze, and act on guest feedback from multiple channels.
• Address complaints and systemic issues proactively.
• Monitor online reviews and respond as needed.
• Adapt galleries, programs, and content based on guest insights.
• Equip frontline staff to handle group visits, field trips, and parties effectively.

Leadership & Team Management:

• Build, lead, and motivate a guest-first-oriented frontline team.
• Recruit and develop high-performing facilitators.
• Foster a positive team culture through recognition, coaching, and team-building activities.
• Provide continuous feedback and conduct performance evaluations.
• Design and implement a training calendar; bring in external experts when required.
• Promote transparent communication and address team concerns empathetically.

Marketing & Community Engagement:

• Execute marketing initiatives in line with central brand guidelines (campaigns, activations, offers).
• Position the venue as a hub for parents and families by hosting workshops, talks, and discussions (minimum 1 event every 6 weeks).

Program Implementation:

• Create execution frameworks for the venue’s creative calendar.
• Plan and deliver quarterly programming activities.
• Collaborate with colleges to build a pool of part-time facilitators.
• Take a hands-on approach during larger events and activations.
• Prepare post-event debriefs to identify improvements.

Physical Infrastructure & Operations:

• Ensure the venue is always safe, clean, and well-maintained.
• Oversee exhibits, equipment, and facilities maintenance.
• Manage staff scheduling and payroll review.
• Ensure compliance with child safety, food safety, and mall safety guidelines.
• Optimize POS, booking, CRM, and reporting systems.
• Oversee merchandise operations, including stock, pricing, and visual merchandising.
• Supervise café operations, including menu, quality, suppliers, and hygiene.
• Maintain strong relationships with mall management for smooth operations.