Senior Outdoor Venue Manager

Senior Outdoor Venue Manager

Who We Are

As a charity, Gunnersbury Museum and Park Development Trust is responsible for all elements of maintaining Gunnersbury Park’s 72 hectares including emptying bins, mowing grass and sports pitches, maintaining the ponds, the flower beds and the paths. We are also responsible for Gunnersbury Museum: ensuring that thousands of children can learn about their local history, developing SEND programming and maintaining the collection and archive that tells the stories of the people of Ealing and Hounslow.

Gunnersbury Estate (2026) CIC was formed in 2015 to care for and develop Gunnersbury Park and Museum on behalf of Ealing and Hounslow councils. In 2025, it became the wholly owned subsidiary of Gunnersbury Museum and Park Development Trust, registered charity. Its vision is to be a place where stories and connections are created through community, nature, history and celebration.

Annually, the Trust welcomes over 1.5 million visits to Gunnersbury Park, and over 50,000 to the Museum. While the Trust receives financial support from Ealing and Hounslow councils, this covers only 20% of our overall costs. The rest is raised internally through donations, grants and crucially, the activities of the CIC which provide over 70% of the income needed to run the Park and Museum, enabling us to keep the Park and Museum accessible and free for everyone.

Outdoor Events in Gunnersbury Park

Each year we run a balanced programme of world-leading concerts, community fairs, theatre and fun runs. Previous events have included immersive experiences such as Secret Cinema, music concerts such as PAWSA and the Smashing Pumpkins, as well as family-friendly events. In 2025, 66% of all commercial income was raised through Gunnersbury’s extensive outdoor events programme, welcoming over 200,000 visitors to events held in the park. These events provide outstanding opportunities for Ealing and Hounslow residents to interact with world-class culture on their doorstep and showcases Gunnersbury Park as an international venue to 8% of outdoor event visitors.

We are beginning our next chapter at Gunnersbury Museum & Park Development Trust. In September 2026 we were granted planning permission to run 19 days of outdoor events with capacities of 3,500 to 29,999 each year for up to 5 years. This five-year planning application strengthens our ability to negotiate and secure lasting relationships with event providers, ultimately leading to better outcomes for event goers and local residents. It is therefore an exciting time for the Trust as we embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

Role Description

Overview

Job Title: Senior Outdoor Venue Manager

Hours: 37.5 hrs/week, over 7 days. Evenings/weekends/bank holidays required

Location: Gunnersbury Park Museum. Working from home and flexible working can be requested in line with organisational policy.

Salary: £45 - £50k p/a (a mix of overtime and TOIL will be agreed in advance for event days)

Responsible to: Head of Commercial

Responsible for: Outdoor Events Co-Ordinator, Seasonal staffing and contractors

Annual leave: 25 days + bank holidays

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Outdoor Venue Manager is responsible for the venue management and leading the operational planning, delivery, and commercial optimisation of large outdoor events at Gunnersbury Park, ensuring all activities are safe, compliant, financially successful, and aligned with the park’s strategic objectives.

The role oversees the full event lifecycle at Gunnersbury Park, from initial enquiry and contracting through to event delivery, compliance monitoring and post-event review. Working closely with residents, community groups and stakeholders, the role ensures events support commercial growth while protecting public access, the park environment and community interests.

This is a venue management rather than an event production role. The postholder will act as the venue's representative, facilitating, monitoring and overseeing externally organised events to ensure they are delivered safely, compliantly and sustainably, in accordance with approved plans, licencing and planning conditions, and stakeholder expectations. A strong understanding of outdoor event operations, licensing and event production is therefore essential.

Roles and Responsibilities

Operational Planning & Coordination

• Provide central timetabling and coordinating function for the full programme of events hosted by Gunnersbury Park
• Work with event organisers to co-ordinate the safe operational planning for all programmed events, ensuring compliance with licensing, planning, safety, environmental, and public access requirements
• Liaise with council departments (Licensing, Planning, Environmental Health) and communicate priorities to organisers as appropriate
• Ensure compliance of all events with Premises Licence and Planning conditions, and apply for TENs if required
• Review and collate all organisers’ documentation including Event Management Plans, contractor packs, and post-event reports
• Ensure that the event organisers’ Operations Manual is regularly updated and fit for purpose
• Coordinate attendance and take notes at LB Hounslow Safety Advisory Group (SAG) for all events required to attend and contribute as required on behalf of the licensee
• Appoint, brief and oversee contractors working directly to the licensee to deliver specific functions, including sound management

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

• Implement community and stakeholder engagement requirements and activities as outlined in the Outdoor Events Community Engagement Strategy. This includes arranging and taking notes at in-person and online community and stakeholder meetings
• Keep residents, stakeholders, and park users informed about forthcoming events through updates to websites, booking systems, newsletters, and direct communications
• Act as a conduit between the local community and event promoters to identify opportunities for collaborative working
• Set-up, maintain the seasonal-wide enquiries and complaints log and support the wider Gunnersbury Park team to provide timely responses to enquiries and public concerns
• Build relationships with key stakeholders and delivery partners including Transport for London, e-bike providers, and resident business including local schools, businesses, and Brentford Football Club

Commercial Development

• Work with the Head of Commercial to grow a commercially successful events portfolio, including festivals and cultural events
• Identify new commercial opportunities based on London market trends and park suitability
• Provide Gunnersbury Park senior management with advice on the operational feasibility of new event proposals

Outdoor Event Delivery

• To manage all staffing for the venue management of events including booking casual and agency staff and supervise their work throughout event days
• Attend regular event-day multiagency briefing meetings. Observe and report any issues or concerns, sharing/escalating information as required
• Monitor event set-up and delivery to ensure licensing and planning compliance, including sound management, resident liaison and communications, maintaining good records including date-stamped photographs
• Monitor waste and traffic management, including taxi drop-off and e-bike operations
• Monitor visitor ingress and egress to ensure adequate signage, barrier and security/steward placement
• Provide Event Leadership Team support in case of an emergency

Financial Duties

• To keep detailed records of goods or services delivered, or other commercial activity to enable the appropriate charges and invoices to be compiled
• To ensure that all financial paperwork including invoices, purchase orders and payroll information is processed in a timely and accurate manner
• To ensure that Gunnersbury’s Financial Procedures are adhered to at all times
• Monitor and manage any required grounds reinstatement bonds and damage charges to the event site

Other

• To attend meetings and undertake training as required
• Line management seasonal (zero-hours) staff and potential Outdoor Events Co-Ordinator
• To attend networking events and conferences to build connections and keep up-to-date with sector knowledge
• To undertake any other duties appropriate for the grade and responsibilities of the post that may from time to time be reasonably requested
• To demonstrate a flexible approach to work to accommodate business needs, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays

This role will involve frequent evening/weekend working as the events and public meetings take place during this time

Person Specification

Requirements: Candidate/post holder will be expected to demonstrate the following Essential E , Desirable D

Qualifications

Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience in events management, venue management, or a related discipline E

Relevant Health and Safety qualification (e.g. IOSH Managing Safely, NEBOSH General Certificate, or equivalent) or willingness to obtain E

Project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, APM, PMP or equivalent) D

Qualification in Event Management or a related field D Personal Licence Holder D

Experience

5 years’ experience of planning/delivering/venue management of outdoor events, festivals, community events or large-scale public gatherings with capacities over 5,000 E

Experience delivering or venue managing complex outdoor events with capacities of over 20,000 D

Experience managing events/venue management in London parks or heritage/public realm settings D

Strong operational planning skills, including site plans, safety documentation, event management plans and multi-agency liaison E

Proven experience working with a wide range of stakeholders, including event organisers, contractors, residents, local authorities, emergency services and statutory bodies E

Experience liaising with Licensing, Planning, Environmental Health, and other statutory bodies D

Experience in handling complaints, community concerns and stakeholder issues D

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Good understanding of event licensing, health and safety legislation, crowd management and safeguarding requirements E

Strong stakeholder management skills, including political awareness and community engagement E

Excellent project management and organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously E

Strong financial and commercial awareness E

Ability to prepare high-quality reports, presentations and briefing papers E

Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced operational environment E

Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion E

Strong commitment to collaboration, partnerships and continuous improvement E

Flexible approach to working hours, including evenings and weekends E

Pay: £45,000.00-£50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Bereavement leave
• Casual dress
• Company events
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• Free flu jabs
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Private medical insurance
• Sick pay
• Store discount
• Work from home

Work Location: In person