Visitor Team Lead
Full Time Permanent
On site
Closing Date: 22/05/2025
Company: Factory International
Location: Manchester
The Visitor Team Lead is a pivotal role, leading a vibrant team of Duty Managers, Supervisors, and Front of House Hosts, empowering them to deliver an outstanding and inclusive visitor experience at Aviva Studios. No two days are the same in our venue – which hosts a range of work from some of the world’s most inspiring artists, along with warehouse-sized music gigs, community events and commercial hires. We’re looking for a creative and adaptable leader who can organise and inspire our Visitor Team to ensure our audiences feel welcomed, safe and affirmed when they visit Aviva Studios.
You'll be a natural collaborator, working closely with departments across Factory International, helping embed accessibility, care, and community into everything we do. Working closely with operational teams including ticketing, security, volunteering, and wider venue teams, you’ll plan the visitor operations aspects for a diverse range of events and programming. You’ll have strong organisational and project management skills, and be able to work independently as well as part of a team. You’ll need experience of managing people, and an enthusiasm for creating a work environment in which others thrive.
You’ll also occasionally (once or twice a week) be on the rota as Venue Duty Manager at Aviva Studios, acting in a key operational role. This may involve some evening and weekend working.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Line management of the visitor team at Aviva Studios – including Duty Managers and Supervisors – supporting them to deliver a fantastic visitor experience and core venue and event operations
Working with the Visitor Team to manage a diverse and creative team of Front of House Hosts, supporting a culture of collaboration and care - as well implementing strategies for recruitment, training, communication and performance management
Occasionally (once or twice a week) fulfil the role of Venue Duty Manager in the operational structure of Aviva Studios - providing leadership to visitor-facing delivery teams; working with other operational teams on the ground to respond to incidents and motivating staff to deliver outstanding visitor experience
Collaborate with teams such as Public Engagement and Factory Academy to expand access to roles within our Visitor Team, helping to foster a diverse workforce and ensure Aviva Studios is a welcoming space for communities across Greater Manchester
Proactively involve volunteers in visitor-facing roles, working with our Venue Volunteering Lead to plan and support meaningful volunteer inclusion – enabling volunteers to contribute to our visitor welcome whilst having a valuable volunteering experience
Monitor and maintain the safety of visitors, artworks and colleagues by playing a leading role in the oversight, development and delivery of day-to-day risk management and mitigation procedures
Supporting the Head of Welcome, in scoping and advance planning visitor experience and operations across a range of artistic and commercial programming, ensuring this is aligned with other key operational team such as Security, Volunteering, Ticketing and Retail/F&B
Work with our Access Team to develop and deliver a high quality accessible experience at Aviva Studios
Champion Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility ensuring Aviva Studios provides sector-leading consistent experiences for staff and visitors
PERSON SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL
Knowledge of communities in Greater Manchester and an interest in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all
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
Experience of line managing a team of people working asynchronously – providing them with the tools and confidence needed to work independently
Excellent organisation, communication and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
Familiarity with Health & Safety legislation, guidance and practical implementation
Proven experience of delivering training and support for continued professional development to a team of employees
Experience of acting in the capacity of a duty manager (or similar role), leading a team in a complex operational environment
Good IT skills, including proficiency with Microsoft office programs and the ability to pick up systems quickly
Willing to get take relevant statutory checks eg DBS (Factory International can support with processing and payment)
DESIRABLE
Experience of considering and embedding disability access into a customer-facing service
IOSH Managing Safely and First Aid qualifications
Enthusiasm for training, mentoring and support of emerging talent
Experience and/or training in major incident or emergency planning procedures
Experience of working with and managing volunteers
You'll be a natural collaborator, working closely with departments across Factory International, helping embed accessibility, care, and community into everything we do. Working closely with operational teams including ticketing, security, volunteering, and wider venue teams, you’ll plan the visitor operations aspects for a diverse range of events and programming. You’ll have strong organisational and project management skills, and be able to work independently as well as part of a team. You’ll need experience of managing people, and an enthusiasm for creating a work environment in which others thrive.
You’ll also occasionally (once or twice a week) be on the rota as Venue Duty Manager at Aviva Studios, acting in a key operational role. This may involve some evening and weekend working.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Line management of the visitor team at Aviva Studios – including Duty Managers and Supervisors – supporting them to deliver a fantastic visitor experience and core venue and event operations
Working with the Visitor Team to manage a diverse and creative team of Front of House Hosts, supporting a culture of collaboration and care - as well implementing strategies for recruitment, training, communication and performance management
Occasionally (once or twice a week) fulfil the role of Venue Duty Manager in the operational structure of Aviva Studios - providing leadership to visitor-facing delivery teams; working with other operational teams on the ground to respond to incidents and motivating staff to deliver outstanding visitor experience
Collaborate with teams such as Public Engagement and Factory Academy to expand access to roles within our Visitor Team, helping to foster a diverse workforce and ensure Aviva Studios is a welcoming space for communities across Greater Manchester
Proactively involve volunteers in visitor-facing roles, working with our Venue Volunteering Lead to plan and support meaningful volunteer inclusion – enabling volunteers to contribute to our visitor welcome whilst having a valuable volunteering experience
Monitor and maintain the safety of visitors, artworks and colleagues by playing a leading role in the oversight, development and delivery of day-to-day risk management and mitigation procedures
Supporting the Head of Welcome, in scoping and advance planning visitor experience and operations across a range of artistic and commercial programming, ensuring this is aligned with other key operational team such as Security, Volunteering, Ticketing and Retail/F&B
Work with our Access Team to develop and deliver a high quality accessible experience at Aviva Studios
Champion Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility ensuring Aviva Studios provides sector-leading consistent experiences for staff and visitors
PERSON SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL
Knowledge of communities in Greater Manchester and an interest in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all
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
Experience of line managing a team of people working asynchronously – providing them with the tools and confidence needed to work independently
Excellent organisation, communication and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
Familiarity with Health & Safety legislation, guidance and practical implementation
Proven experience of delivering training and support for continued professional development to a team of employees
Experience of acting in the capacity of a duty manager (or similar role), leading a team in a complex operational environment
Good IT skills, including proficiency with Microsoft office programs and the ability to pick up systems quickly
Willing to get take relevant statutory checks eg DBS (Factory International can support with processing and payment)
DESIRABLE
Experience of considering and embedding disability access into a customer-facing service
IOSH Managing Safely and First Aid qualifications
Enthusiasm for training, mentoring and support of emerging talent
Experience and/or training in major incident or emergency planning procedures
Experience of working with and managing volunteers