Full Job Description

Event Operations Manager (Freelance)

Pay: £220-£240 per day DOE
Location: London venues & event sites (UK-wide festivals in summer).
Start date: June 2026
Working hours: To be agreed on a show-by-show basis. Due to the nature of our industry, hours will be long/irregular based on show needs and include weekends and late nights.

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] are a Festival, Venue and Event Bar Operator, delivering the likes of Boomtown, Kendal Calling, and Silverworks Island, as well as iconic London venues including Drumsheds, Magazine and Exhibition. We’re looking for an experienced Event Operations Manager to support the delivery of our London venues and oversee large-scale bar projects across festivals and pop-ups; ensuring smooth builds, live show days and de-rigs.

You’ll be based at our London sites, with UK travel during the summer season. Your role covers build, delivery and de-rig; working closely with clients, suppliers and local authorities to ensure seamless events. On site, you’ll oversee and be part of bar builds, uphold licensing and service standards, and manage teams of up to 25 managers and crew — plus up to 500 bar staff on show days. Post-event, you’ll manage de-rigs, paperwork and the return of vehicles, tools and stock, liaise with suppliers and clients alike.

You take pride in high-quality delivery, excel under pressure, and bring a confident, calm and collaborative approach.

Main Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Proactively identifying and resolving on-site issues as they arise, addressing both operational and infrastructure-related challenges
• Taking a hands-on role in the construction of bar structures, ensuring festival crews deliver builds to a consistently high standard.
• Collaborating with our Festivals & Events team pre show
• Overseeing bar operations on-site alongside the Project Manager, including infrastructure and staff welfare
• Maintaining consistent and professional communication with stakeholders to ensure a smooth delivery and sign-off

Pre-Event / Planning

• Liaising with clients and suppliers to shape operational delivery
• Supporting stock planning, counts, and movements
• Coordinating with staffing, ops, and stock teams to ensure readiness

Build & Setup

• Assisting and leading on-site builds—managing crew and equipment
• Coordinating vehicles, plant, and tools (and keeping track of them!)
• Ensuring safe use of all equipment and adherence to H&S policies
• Managing admin such as crew hours, sign-ins, and reporting
• Supporting stock deliveries and movements where needed

Live Event Delivery

• Acting as a key point of contact for bar managers and site teams
• Running daily briefings and coordinating across departments
• Managing stock flow and supplier deliveries on-site
• Ensuring licensing laws and operational standards are upheld
• Keeping sites safe, secure, and running smoothly throughout

De-Rig & Post-Event

• Leading de-rig operations and pack-down
• Managing timelines and adapting to changes (hello, British weather)
• Coordinating returns of stock, equipment, and vehicles

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience delivering operations at festivals, large venues, or events
• Confident leading large teams (including managers and high-volume staff)
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail
• Calm under pressure and solutions-focused
• Great communicator—clear, professional, and approachable
• Willing to travel and stay on-site when required

Essential:

• Full, clean driving licence
• Personal Licence Holder
• Excellent spoken and written English
• Strong working knowledge of excel-based systems and EPOS systems (e.g. Square / Lightspeed / Weeze)
• Experience managing high-volume bar operations

Desirable:

• Telehandler / forklift licence

Pay: £220.00-£240.00 per day

Application question(s):

• Do you have access to your own vehicle?
• How many years' experience do you have in a similar Event Ops Management role?
• Was this experience in festivals, stadiums, greenfield events or large-scale event venues? Tell us about it!

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (required)
• Personal Licence (required)
• Forklift Licence (preferred)
• Telehandler Licence (preferred)

Work authorisation: United Kingdom (required)

Willingness to travel: 75% (required)

Work Location: In person