Venue Manager

About the role

The Venue Manager is the person who makes the floor feel like The Freehouse every single shift and the person building what The Freehouse becomes beyond a standard trading week. This role carries end-to-end operational responsibility for the venue and sits alongside an epic ground-up build of The Freehouse's events program. The Venue Manager is the GM's eyes, ears, and standard-setter on the floor, it is guest-first, floor-first, and people-first. The right person for this role actively builds the culture of our space, notices when something isn't quite right, and holds the team to a standard without making it feel like a rulebook, while also thinking commercially and creatively about what this venue can become.

Key responsibilities

• Own the guest experience through the team and yourself on the floor and behind the bar as the number one priority, every shift

• Ensure standard day-to-day service runs smoothly and consistently

• Own bar operations tracking to COGS, with wastage monitored and managed

• Own FOH training, onboarding, systems, and ensuring the team is genuinely set up to deliver

• Build The Freehouse's events program, in close collaboration with the GM and Head Chef

• Develop and deliver private dining experiences, and full and half venue book outs

• Develop community-facing activations and supplier-led experiences that bring the local area into the space

• Lead, support, and develop all casual floor and bar staff day-to-day, with the Assistant Venue Manager and Bar Lead supporting delivery

• Own rostering and team scheduling day-to-day, in line with labour targets against forecasted revenue

• Always maintain a safe and compliant venue in partnership with the GM

About you

• Proven experience as a Venue Manager, Senior Event Manager, Senior Restaurant Management, F&B Operations Leadership role

• Demonstrated experience building or restructuring an events, private dining, or function program from scratch

• Strong guest-facing presence, warm, confident, and genuinely people-driven

• Working knowledge of tap bar operations, beverage products, and RSA requirements

• Experience leading and developing casual or junior hospitality teams, including managing another supervisor/manager

• Strong financial acumen and reporting abilities in line with GP targets

• Experience with rostering against forecasted revenue targets

• Experience in reporting up to a General Manager

• Comfortable working across an integrated tech stack

About us

The Freehouse is a brand new venue in Collingwood and boy have we opened with a bang! We are proudly Victorian-first; we champion the local producers and suppliers we operate alongside. We are a naturally gluten-free venue, with South American influence running through the food. We are backed by TWØBAYS, and we have big plans. This role carries genuine future scope: the opportunity to grow from an on-the-ground venue role into broader operations and event planning across a wider group down the track, as the business expands.

Benefits

• An opening team of legends who are committed passionate hospitality people and have been here since day 1 and actively champion everything The Freehouse stands for

• Genuine input into the culture, standards, and identity of the venue, not just executing someone else's vision

• Upskilling and training opportunities, supporting your own product knowledge and career development

• Direct exposure to some of Victoria's best producers and suppliers, including planned visits to their land as part of our staff perks and annual team building calendar

• A staff perks program built around real experiences, not just discounts that you are a part of developing

• A genuine leadership pathway as the business grows beyond The Freehouse

www.thefreehouse.com.au