Blackpool Grand Theatre
Front of House Manager
Job Summary The Front of House (FOH) Manager is key to ensuring smooth theatre operations, overseeing over 150 performances annually. Job Description You'll provide a welcoming experience for all visitors while maintaining the historic Grade II* listed building. Key duties include leading a team of theatre assistants, managing volunteers, overseeing bar operations, and ensuring compliance with safety and licensing regulations. You will also drive revenue through bar sales, identify new income streams, and help develop hospitality packages. Collaborating with the Creative Learning team, you'll…
Job Summary
The Front of House (FOH) Manager is key to ensuring smooth theatre operations, overseeing over 150 performances annually.Job Description
You’ll provide a welcoming experience for all visitors while maintaining the historic Grade II* listed building. Key duties include leading a team of theatre assistants, managing volunteers, overseeing bar operations, and ensuring compliance with safety and licensing regulations. You will also drive revenue through bar sales, identify new income streams, and help develop hospitality packages.
Collaborating with the Creative Learning team, you’ll support community engagement and educational events, creating an inclusive environment for workshops and outreach programmes. As the FOH Duty Manager, you’ll manage audience flow, ensure accessibility, and resolve operational issues during performances. You’ll be responsible for cashing up, preparing reports, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
This role requires strong leadership, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to anticipate challenges. You must maintain a visible presence during performances, delivering exceptional customer service and resolving complaints and handling emergencies effectively. Your ability to manage both paid staff and volunteers in a fastpaced environment, while consistently exceeding customer expectations, will be crucial to your success in this role.
Job Requirements
What We’re Looking For A warm and welcoming presence that reflects the theatre’s values, creating a positive experience for visitors, staff, and volunteers. A confident decision-maker with the ability to assess situations quickly and take responsibility under pressure. Strong leadership and people management skills, able to inspire and engage both paid staff and volunteers. A proactive approach, anticipating challenges and planning for contingencies to ensure smooth operations. A commitment to customer service excellence, with a natural ability to delight and surprise customers. Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple events and priorities, while paying attention to detail.
Job Responsibilities
The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about creating exceptional experiences for visitors, with a warm and welcoming presence that reflects the theatre’s brand. You will be confident in decision-making, able to assess situations swiftly, and take immediate action when needed. Strong leadership skills are essential, as you will manage a team of paid staff and volunteers to ensure efficient FOH operations. Experience in hospitality or the arts, particularly in revenue generation and bar operations, is required, with a proven track record of driving commercial initiatives. You must be able to anticipate challenges, plan for contingencies, and maintain smooth operations during unexpected events or emergencies. Excellent organisational skills are key, enabling you to manage multiple events and priorities with attention to detail. As a role model for customer service excellence, you will go the extra mile to delight customers.
