Hospitality & Events Operations Manager

About the role

We’re excited to be recruiting for two newly created Operations Manager roles within our Trading Company, One focused on Retail, and this one dedicated to Hospitality & Events responsible for developing and leading our vibrant and distinctive events portfolio.

Based across four stunning, listed gallery buildings in the heart of Edinburgh, this role offers a unique opportunity to lead the growth of our events business. You’ll recognise the commercial potential of our unique venues, and know how to unlock and grow revenue, while enhancing our visitor offer.

With a strong commercial mindset, you’ll bring solid hospitality and events experience with the ambition to grow profit through exceptional delivery, innovation and creative thinking. You will already be comfortable in a strategic leadership role with proven experience in managing change and delivering measurable results.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping and supporting our dedicated events team, embedding clear performance metrics and a culture of continuous improvement. You’ll be at the forefront of integrating hospitality and events into our visitor experience, working closely with colleagues across the organisation to ensure alignment with our brand and long-term strategic ambitions to grow self-generated income. 

Reporting to the Director of Audience & Development, you'll be responsible for driving our commercial success through the development of an efficient and effective hospitality and events service. As part of a team committed to building our financial resilience, you will help recognise its importance in meeting our purpose: we make art work for everyone. 

The difference you’ll make

You’ll work collaboratively with Trading Company colleagues to support the delivery of the overall business plan and achieve profit targets. Your duties will include:

- Leading on the development and delivery of a successful events strategy.
- Alongside the Director of Audience & Development and Trading Company management colleagues, contributing to the overall Trading Company business plan including producing reports for Leadership Team and the Trading Company Board as required. 
- Leading, motivating and developing the Hospitality & Events team, promoting collaborative working to deliver a world class experience for visitors and clients alike. Ensuring the agreed strategy and profit targets are met alongside the delivery of exceptional standards of service.
- Leading the team through change management and driving continuous improvement of processes. Inspiring and motivating the team to deliver Trading Company ambitions and goals.
- Developing plans for future progress and optimising opportunities in hospitality and events promoting our venues including our cafes. Providing creative input into the development of hospitality and events products and services; from promotion to pricing and delivery.
- Building successful relationships with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure and promote the success of the hospitality and events offer.
- Taking the role of ‘Contract Manager’ to lead and manage the contract relationships with concession partners, café and event catering suppliers ensuring shared success. You’ll be responsible for this relationship from procurement and contract negotiations through to ensuring performance measures and quality standards are met.
- With the Director of Audience and Development managing the performance of all catering suppliers including our cafes. Resolving any issues arising between the concession holders, the event catering suppliers and the galleries as they may arise.
- Collaborating with Estates & Facilities Management colleagues and concession holders to ensure the catering and events areas are working efficiently and effectively to deliver a great visitor experience in accordance with the responsibilities defined within the concession holder’s service level agreement(s).
- Establishing key performance indicators to measure and evaluate customer satisfaction of the hospitality and events services. You’ll use the findings to champion continuous improvement to meet the Trading Company’s ambitions and goals. 
- Contributing to the management and monitoring of the Trading Company budget with devolved responsibility for budgets allocated to the department and any relevant project activity. 
- Working with the Director of Audience and Development and colleagues across the organisation to collaboratively develop new initiatives and projects, exploring which spaces could be best utilised to grow events and income. You will participate in all stages from idea generation, business case development and resource planning through to implementation.
- Working with the Marketing & Communications team colleagues to develop an effective marketing strategy for hospitality and events activities.
- Responsibility for ensuring compliance with all related legal/statutory, regulations, professional duties, responsibilities and obligations in relation to hospitality and event services delivery.
- Represent the Trading Company at internal or external working groups or project teams as agreed.

Please see the full Job Description on our website and apply directly via our careers portal. Applications via email will not be accepted.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday, 18 August 2025.

Museum Website: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/careers