January 29, 2023

Goal Statement

The Bar and Front of House (FOH) Supervisor will ensure a welcoming environment, attractive presentation and smooth operation of the Whitehorse Performing Arts Centre (WPAC) Front of House areas.  They will ensure a high quality customer experience is maintained for visitors, patrons, hirers and stakeholders of the venue. 

Key Responsibilities

Position Specific Responsibilities

Bar & Front of House

• Supervise the planning and operation of the Bar and Front of House (theatres) areas to meet visitor expectations and venue service standards.
• In consultation with the Visitor Services Team Leader develop sales and marketing strategies to increase hospitality trade and return for the centre.
• Negotiate with suppliers and coordinate stock requirements in a cost effective manner.
• In consultation with the Visitor Services Team Leader develop Bar and FOH procedures to ensure a customer and client focused service exists for all stakeholders
• Create a culturally inclusive environment with accessibility and outreach to community members including CALD, LGBTQIA+ and First Nations communities.
• Respond to client and patron services issues and requests in a timely manner.
• Responsible for responding, diffusing and resolving complaints.
• Liaise with production staff to ensure that performances start on time.
• During performances and functions ensure Bar and FOH procedures and practices are effectively delivered including staff coordination, bar is stocked and well-presented, sale strategies adopted, income reconciled and the venue is tidy, accessible and clean at all times.  
• Ensure all access requirements are in place to support people of all needs to attend the centre.
• Ensure content warnings are communicated and displayed appropriately where required. 
• Ensure a high level of cleanliness and hygiene of the FOH and bar areas is maintained and cleaning is done while shows are in session.
• Set up mobile bars and/or provide a roving food and beverage service as required.  
• Provide information to customers about current and forthcoming shows and exhibitions.  
• Close the venue at the end of each shift, ensuring there are no members of the public in the venues, doors are locked, financials are reconciled and reports are completed. 
• Out of hours work is required for this role to deliver services and events.

People & Teams

• Supervise and roster the Deputy Bar and FOH Supervisors and Front of House staff in an efficient manner.
• Supervision of front of house staff and volunteers, liaising with staff and crew attached to productions or functions, ensuring staff are across all relevant information including show warnings and accessibility considerations.  
• Ensure staff are complying with all aspects of the Responsible Service of Alcohol and Venue Liquor License. 
• Ensure staff are complying with all aspects of Food Safety and Handling Standards.  
• Ensure all Deputy FOH Supervisors, Staff and Volunteers make customers feel welcomed and attend to the needs of patrons in a friendly and courteous manner at all times.
• Provide on the job training to the team to ensure a high quality customer service experience and identify other development opportunities.

Safety & Emergency Management

• Ensure a safe environment for all centre staff, users and patrons and ensure OH&S requirements are met.
• Ensure the security of the venue in accordance with the FOH Procedures and OH&S Manuals.  
• Supervision of public safety during shifts, acting as Chief Warden, calling an evacuation or an ambulance as required.

Corporate Responsibilities

• Ensure adherence to all Corporate Policies, Procedures and the Organisational Goals and Values Principles in the current Whitehorse City Council Collective Agreement by all staff under supervision.
• Ensure the organisation is aware of and compliant with relevant statutes and legislation.
• Identify and develop changes to policy and procedure in areas of responsibility.
• Ensure that risk management principles are adopted in all decision-making processes within the team.
• Undertake identification, reporting and resolution of risk management activities (including that staff are appropriately trained) and ensure that all relevant operating procedures provide for a safe working environment.
• Apply sound financial management techniques to team budget processes.
• Provide equitable and sound supervision of staff, (including ensuring appropriate training, development and motivation) to ensure that team KRA’s are met and contribute to the strategic objectives of the team.
• Ensure appropriate care and use of assets and equipment.
• Support, enable and encourage strategies and actions identified in Council’s Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) to improve workplace gender equality.
• Champion a safe environment for children and young people in accordance with Council’s commitment to Child Safety

Authority

Budget:  N/A

Staff responsibility:

• The position is responsible for the supervision of the Deputy Bar & FOH Supervisors, Front of House Attendants and Volunteers.

Decision Making:

• This position works within clear objectives and within existing policies and procedures for the WPAC.
• The position must ensure that the team works within in the requirements of the Venues Liquor License and practices Responsible Service of Alcohol.
• The position must ensure that the team works within in the requirements of Food Handling and Safety
• The ability to problem solve using the application of professional knowledge and associated policies, procedures or guidelines.
• The position will occasionally encounter problems that are more complex in nature and may need to use creativity and discretion to resolve them.
• Guidance and advice would usually be available within the time required to make a choice.

Key Relationships

• Excellent verbal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with staff, customers, artists and hirers with ability to gain their cooperation when required.
• Ensuring customers receive a high quality experience.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a range of different cultural and social groups.
• Sound written skills and the ability to prepare reports and documentation in relation to key issues such as financial information, customer complaints safety matters.

Skills and Attributes

Qualifications/Certificates/Licences and Experience

• A relevant degree or diploma with some relevant work experience or lesser formal qualifications with relevant work skills.
• Knowledge and skills in providing a high quality customer experience in a theatre and/or hospitality environment
• Demonstrated ability to supervise staff.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve problems and the ability to remain calm in a fast paced environment.
• Sound working knowledge of the performing arts.
• A valid Victorian driver’s licence.
• Satisfactory National Criminal History Check.
• Working with Children Check.

Technology

• Demonstrated ability in MS Office suite.
• Ability to work with Point of Sale Technology and online digital venue based technology.

Interpersonal

• Excellent verbal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders and the ability to gain their cooperation, when required.
• Ability to liaise effectively with key stakeholders from a range of different cultural and diverse backgrounds.
• Ensure customers feel welcomed, and attend to the needs of patrons in a friendly and courteous manner.
• Sound written skills and the ability to prepare reports and documentation in relation to key issues such as financial information, customer complaints safety matters.

Leadership/management:

• Supervise staff in the provision of Bar, Ushering and Front of House services.
• Ability to manage and prioritise workloads effectively and to equitably distribute to a number of staff.
• Provide on the job training on providing a high quality customer experience and identifying development opportunities to improve staff skills.

Key Selection Criteria

1. A relevant degree or diploma with some relevant work experience or lesser formal qualifications with relevant work skills.
2. Knowledge and skills in providing a high quality customer experience, preferably in a performing arts and hospitality environment.
3. Demonstrated ability to supervise staff.
4. Excellent verbal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with staff, customers, artists and hirers with ability to gain their cooperation when required.
5. Demonstrated ability to resolve problems in a fast paced environment .