Operations Manager
Salary: £30,406 per annum, pro rata Hours:
Full time - 35 hours per week
Reporting to: Head of Membership Services
Accountable to: CEO/Students/Trustees
Responsible for: Operations Teams
About the Students’ Union
Edge Hill Students’ Union works with students to make their University experience all they want it to be.
Whatever a students’ needs, situation or background; we empower them through partnership.
We deliver events, empower societies, and support individuals with whatever they need to have a great experience whilst fulfilling their ambitions.
We bring creativity, innovation and freedom to the student community, and work with Edge Hill to bring about our shared goal of enabling every student to be the best version of themselves.
About You
You are an experienced and dynamic operational leader with a passion for delivering outstanding customer experiences across diverse service areas. Whether managing a bustling bar, a welcoming helpdesk, or a busy retail outlet, you know how to create spaces that are safe, efficient, welcoming and enjoyable. You’re commercially minded, able to balance quality service with financial performance, and you have a proven track record of improving operations, leading teams, and driving innovation.
You thrive in fast-paced, multi-functional environments and bring strong leadership and organisational skills to everything you do. You know how to build, motivate, and develop high-performing teams and are just as comfortable managing the day-to-day as you are thinking strategically about long-term improvements. Health and safety, compliance, and operational excellence underpin all of your operations, and you're proactive about maintaining high standards in every area you oversee.
Above all, you care about the student experience. You understand the unique environment of a Students’ Union and are passionate about creating inclusive, vibrant spaces that reflect and support a diverse student community. You're collaborative, student-focused, and committed to making a positive impact through the work you lead.
About the Role
As our Operations Manager, you will play a central role in shaping the experience students, staff, and guests have when engaging with our spaces and services. You’ll oversee the day-to-day running of all operational areas including our Students' Union venues, retail outlets, helpdesk, conferencing and events services, and bars. Your focus will be on ensuring these services run efficiently, profitably, and to the highest standards of customer care and safety.
You’ll lead a multi-disciplinary team, providing strong management and support while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. From developing new commercial opportunities to maintaining excellent health and safety practices, you will ensure that every part of our operation aligns with our values and serves the needs of our members. You’ll lead on diversifying income, coordinating end-to-end event management support for private bookings and events, managing EHSU internal space booking systems and licensed venue diaries, supporting all stakeholders with the event logistics and hands-on operational management of hosted events and activities.
This is a hands-on, strategic role where you’ll be empowered to make meaningful changes, develop services, and contribute to the wider leadership of the Students’ Union. If you’re ready to bring your energy, expertise, and ideas to a purpose-driven environment that values community and student voice, we’d love to hear from you.
Main Responsibilities
Leadership and People Management
• Lead, manage, and develop operational teams across multiple service areas including bars, retail, helpdesk, conferencing and venues.
• Create a positive, inclusive, and high-performing team culture, fostering staff engagement and professional growth.
• Ensure effective rota planning, recruitment, training, and performance management to maintain excellent service delivery.
• Champion staff wellbeing and promote a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Use workforce management tools and data to monitor performance and identify development opportunities.
Operational Activity
• Oversee the day-to-day running of all Students’ Union facilities, ensuring services are delivered efficiently, safely, and to high standards.
• Manage health and safety compliance, risk assessments, licensing, food hygiene, and relevant legal requirements across all areas.
• Ensure physical and relevant online spaces are maintained to a high standard, liaising with contractors and facilities management teams as necessary.
• Lead on income generation from retail, venue hire, conferencing and events, ensuring financial targets are met.
• Proactively seek out and manage new business opportunities for private hire and events to diversify income opportunities, balancing student needs with optimising the occupancy rates of all spaces in innovative ways.
• Work alongside third-party providers to ensure opportunities and leads are converted into bookings. Provide pre-event briefs to the team and conduct post-event reviews to evaluate the profitability per event.
• Lead on the development and review of private hires, maintaining hire tariffs, venue specifications and hospitality packages.
• Implement and monitor systems and procedures to drive operational effectiveness, using IT tools and systems for reporting, stock control, and facilities management.
• Ensure that accurate and efficient stock control procedures are implemented, maintaining records, and providing information on request by internal and external auditors.
• Ensure all deliveries are accurately recorded, checked, and stored with strict adherence to FIFO and compliance with HACCP.
• Regularly review and monitor sales, making changes to product range and promotions to ensure stock loss is mitigated.
• Ensure compliance with approved purchasing consortia agreements, engaging with schemes, and promotional programmes and activities which enhance the venue experience across campus.
Customer Focus
• Champion a culture of excellent customer service across all Union services, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive experience for all users.
• Develop and implement customer service standards and feedback mechanisms to continuously improve user satisfaction.
• Respond to and resolve customer complaints and service issues effectively and in a timely manner.
• Use data and feedback to monitor customer experience trends and drive service enhancements.
Strategic Thinking
• Contribute to the strategic development of Students’ Union commercial and operational services, identifying growth areas and improvement opportunities.
• Work closely with the senior leadership team to align operational activity with organisational strategy and student needs.
• Develop and deliver plans that support sustainability, innovation, and long-term financial viability.
• Use performance data and KPIs to inform decision-making and measure the success of initiatives.
Communication and Relationship Building
• Foster strong working relationships with internal teams, student leaders, University departments, suppliers, and external partners.
• Act as a key point of contact for operational queries, representing the Students’ Union professionally and effectively.
• Communicate clearly and consistently with internal and external colleagues to ensure alignment on priorities and expectations.
This list is not exhaustive and other duties commensurate with the role may be assigned at the discretion of Senior Management.
Close date for applications: Midnight, 15th June 2025
Interview Date: TBC
To view the Job Pack, click here
To view the full Job Description & Person Specification, click here
