Senior Operations Manager

Great British Farm Fest
FarmFest LTD

Senior Operations Manager
Salary: up to £50,000 per annum
Location: Hertford - Full time, based, 5 days per week in the office

About
We're looking for someone who loves the buzz of live events, enjoys being part of a busy team and isn't afraid to get stuck in! You'll be highly organised, commercially aware and experienced in delivering complex outdoor events from the early planning stages right through to being on site and making it all happen.
Experience working within music festivals and large-scale outdoor consumer events is essential, along with the confidence to juggle lots of moving parts, solve problems as they arise and keep a sense of humour when event life inevitably throws something unexpected your way.

The Role
Reporting directly to the Head of Operations and Event Director, you'll take the lead on bringing a major outdoor consumer event to life. From the early planning stages through to build, live days and breakdown, you'll be at the heart of making sure everything comes together.
You'll work closely with contractors, suppliers, venues and the wider event team, overseeing everything from infrastructure and compliance through to the day-to-day realities of delivering the event on site.
We're looking for someone who is proactive, positive and loves finding solutions. You'll be comfortable juggling lots of moving parts, making decisions when plans inevitably change, and keeping a cool head (and ideally a sense of humour!) when things get busy.

Key Responsibilities
- Lead the operational planning of an annual large-scale outdoor consumer event
- Develop and implement comprehensive event operations plans, timelines, and delivery schedules.
- Manage and oversee all event infrastructure, logistics, site operations, and contractor delivery.
- Lead relationships with suppliers, contractors, venues, local authorities, and key external stakeholders.
- Be the main point of contact for the venue and SAG meetings and dealing with local authorities.
- Review, create and contribute to Event Management Plans, Event Risk assessments, crowd management and traffic management plans.
- Conduct site visits, contractor briefings, operational planning meetings, and stakeholder reviews.
- Lead onsite event operations, including build, live event management, and breakdown phases.
- Ensure all events are delivered in compliance with health & safety legislation, licensing requirements, and industry best practice, including the Purple Guide.
- Manage operational budgets, monitor expenditure, and identify opportunities for cost efficiencies.
- Develop risk assessments, operational documentation, contingency plans, and event procedures.
- Lead real-time problem-solving and decision-making during live event delivery.
- Support the development and mentoring of Event Operations Managers and Coordinators within the team.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and event delivery standards.
- Collaborate closely with commercial, marketing, exhibitor, and event teams to ensure seamless event execution.

About You
- Significant experience in live event operations, event logistics, or outdoor event delivery.
- You should be practical and solutions-focused.
- Is confident enough to challenge operational decisions where necessary
- Essential experience delivering music festivals and/or large-scale outdoor consumer events.
- Proven track record managing complex event operations across festivals, outdoor events,
exhibitions, sporting events, or similar live environments.
- Strong understanding of event infrastructure, site management, crowd management, logistics, and contractor management.
- Strong health & safety knowledge and confident with preparation of event safety files.
- Experience managing operational budgets and multiple concurrent projects.
- Strong leadership skills with experience mentoring or managing event operations teams.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
- Effective time management: able to work in a fast-paced environment, meeting deadlines, events
- Please note applicants without direct experience delivering music festivals or large-scale outdoor will not be considered for this role.

Benefits

- Private healthcare following probation
- Company-wide annual incentive trips