AddressSalary: £32k per annum, plus discretionary bonus
The Castle Cinema is looking for an Assistant General Manager to join their team.
The Castle Cinema is an independent community cinema in Hackney, with two beautiful screens and a stunning bar. We’re passionate about great films, delicious refreshments and genuine service, and our values are: Honest and generous – Friendly and informal – Diverse and inclusive.
We endeavour to reach a broad range of audiences, and we’ve developed six Community Goals: Improve access for disabled guests | Develop underserved audiences | Support and enhance education locally | Nurture a diverse team | Maintain an inclusive and thought-provoking programme for all | Champion local suppliers & vegan options as part of our fight against the climate crisis
A diverse workforce benefits both our organisation and the community it serves, and we encourage candidates who reflect the local community, and those underrepresented in the arts. This includes the Global Majority, LGBTQ+ folk, and those who are neurodiverse or disabled.
Summary
Our Assistant General Manager (AGM) plays a vital role making sure our team is happy and successful and that our operations run smoothly, to ultimately ensure that guests have an outstanding experience.
They’re part of the Leadership Team – actively helping The Castle to improve and grow by participating in regular strategy meetings to identify goals and work towards them.
Working closely with the General Manager (GM), they focus on Three Key Responsibilities:
1. Nurture the team
- Recruit and retain a great team, recognise great performance and deliver considered feedback.
- Implement a programme of ongoing staff training to maintain outstanding customer service.
- Nurture a culture of trust, respect, shared ownership, and empowerment
- Manage the weekly & monthly rota, and develop a management cover rota
- Upkeep all staff admin, maintain staff records, and update the Cinema Handbook.
- Undertake regular shifts (inc. evenings and weekends) and provide emergency cover when needed.
2. Maintain operational excellence
- Take responsibility for the cinema, ensuring that all health & safety, food hygiene, security, licensing requirements and emergency procedures are complied with, and full records are kept.
- Deliver consistently high standards of housekeeping, and ensure waste is tidy and collected.
- Oversee all aspects of stock management – including ordering, deliveries, wastage & stock takes.
- Flawless projection – ensure cinema equipment is on point, schedules and playlists are correct, and be the first line of support.
- Ensure all ticket & web issues are resolved promptly, including liaising with service suppliers.
- Oversee events and hires to ensure they’re delivered to the highest standards, including the use of run-sheets.
- Organise & track maintenance and repairs, and manage contractors.
- Work with Finance to maintain a sound understanding of the financial and non financial data.
- Ensure costs are controlled, including adjusting staffing levels to reflect levels of business.
3. Deliver an outstanding guest experience
- Ensure staff are working well & feeling great, and the cinema is working well & looking great!
- Actively seek feedback from guests, and engage with direct comms (emails, DMs, etc) and public forums (Google reviews, etc), and use all available data to make adjustments and improvements.
- Ensure the team is sending great email replies via regular training, checking, and quality control.
- Stay up to date on all our events & products – including films, membership, F&B, private hires, and vouchers.
This is not an office based role: our AGM does regular Duty Management shifts, as well as emergency cover, and along with the GM will undertake the majority of laptop work in the cinema, enabling them to jump in and help during busy periods, etc
This is a guide to the nature of the work. It’s not restrictive and other responsibilities may be added.
Person specification
- Minimum of two years management experience in cinema, arts, hospitality and/or project management & production
- Exceptional people management skills
- Meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to work accurately at pace
- Comfortable being hands-on and leading by example
- Outstanding time management – prioritising a complex workload for yourself & others
- Reliable & organised – inspiring confidence that tasks & responsibilities won’t get forgotten
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Highly computer literate (eg Google suite) including spreadsheets
- Solid numerical and financial abilities
- Personal Licence and First Aid qualifications – training can be provided
- Available to work at key business times i.e. evenings and weekends
Terms & Conditions
Job title:Assistant General Manager
Reporting to:General Manager, Directors
Pay: £32k per annum, plus discretionary bonus
Working pattern: 5 days per week, with regular evening and weekend work
Holiday entitlement: 30 days / six weeks per year (pro rata) inc public holidays, plus one day for every full year worked
Other benefits: Complimentary tickets for you & two friends to anything at The Castle, complimentary tickets to other cinemas, free soft drinks, coffee & popcorn on shift, 50% off F&B for you + mates at any other time, cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme, late night working bonus, full pay sick pay (2 weeks pro rata)
Contract: Salaried, permanent, subject to a six month probationary period
Location: Homerton, East London
Start Date: Ideally July 2024, flexible for the right candidate. There will be training as part of the on-boarding.
How to apply
- Answer the application questions below. You don’t need a cover letter.
- Complete the application form – you can upload your CV and answers
- Complete our Diversity Monitoring Survey.
Application questions
- Why do you think you’re particularly suited to this role?
- What does success look like for a General Manager in a cinema?
- What would you prioritise during your first six months in this role?
- What’s been your biggest people management challenge and how did you deal with it?
- Where have you gained most satisfaction in current/past roles?
- How many tickets would you estimate we sell a year? Please show your workings.
If you’re shortlisted:
- We’ll arrange an initial interview, and may ask you to complete a skills based test prior to meeting.
- This may be followed by a second interview for finalists.
- The successful applicant will be required to provide proof they have the right to work in the UK, as well as two references from previous employers.
Please note: as a small team we may not be able to respond to every application. Thank you in advance for your interest.
Last updated: June 2024
The closing date for this position is 14/07/2024 at 23:59
