2026 has already been an exciting year for KERB Events, taking our food and hospitality expertise into some of the UK's biggest football stadia and creating vibrant fan zones and destination food and drink experiences for supporters.

We're looking for a proactive and ambitious Venue Operations Manager to lead the launch and day-to-day operation of the Manchester United Fan Zone. This flagship project will bring premium food, drink and hospitality experiences to fans before, during and after matchdays.

This is a role for someone who enjoys building things as much as running them. You'll take the lead on delivering brilliant matchday experiences, working closely with our traders, bar teams and venue partners to ensure everything runs smoothly on the ground.

Working closely with the Head of Stadia Operations, you'll take ownership of operational excellence across the venue, continually looking for ways to improve the customer experience, strengthen relationships with stakeholders and help shape the future of this exciting project. This is a rare opportunity to help establish and grow a flagship venue from the ground up, creating memorable food, drink and hospitality experiences for thousands of fans at one of the world's most iconic sporting destinations.

Responsibilities

Venue Operations

Lead the day-to-day operation of the Manchester United Fan Zone, ensuring every event is delivered safely, efficiently and to an exceptional standard.
Take ownership of matchday and event delivery, remaining visible on the ground and supporting the team wherever required.
Coordinate logistics, staffing, stock management, accreditation and operational planning.
Manage food and beverage operations across the site, ensuring high operational standards are consistently maintained.
Build excellent working relationships with traders, suppliers and operational partners.
Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, food safety and KERB operating procedures.
Drive continuous operational improvements to enhance efficiency, profitability and customer experience.
Monitor venue performance and identify opportunities to improve service, sales and operational effectiveness.
Collaborate closely with internal teams to ensure a consistent and high-quality experience across all touchpoints.
Support the successful launch and ongoing development of the Manchester United Fan Zone.
Foster a positive, collaborative culture across traders, suppliers and event teams.
Gather and review customer feedback to help inform operational improvements.
Stay informed on industry trends and best practice within hospitality, events and food & drink operations.
Support wider KERB projects and regional opportunities as the business continues to grow

Stakeholder Management

Act as the primary operational contact for Manchester United and key venue stakeholders.
Build trusted relationships with venue teams, partners and suppliers.
Attend planning meetings, operational reviews and post-event debriefs.
Anticipate stakeholder needs and proactively develop solutions that improve delivery.

Skills

Essential

Experience in venue operations, event operations, hospitality or food & drink environments.
Knowledge of bar operations and beverage service.
Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
A hands-on, proactive and solution-focused approach.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to build strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
Experience managing operational teams, suppliers or service partners.
Strong understanding of customer experience within events, hospitality or leisure environments.
Comfortable working in live event environments.
Willingness to learn new systems and processes, including EPOS systems / Kappture experience is a plus).
Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel to the Manchester United site at least 4 days per week.
Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and matchdays as required.
Enthusiasm for delivering exceptional food, drink and hospitality experiences.

Desired but not essential

Experience working with independent food traders.
Exposure to multiple event types, such as sports events, exhibitions, concerts or live events at Stadia

Benefits

• Generous F&B discount across KERB food and drinks

• 25 days holiday (excluding bank holidays) + birthday day off

• Health Cash Plan (Medicash)

• Personal Wellbeing Allowance (Juno)

• CODE App Membership

• Private Medical Insurance (Vitality)

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Cycle To Work scheme

• Annual season ticket loan

• Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave after 2 years

• A London Living Wage and Disability Confident Committed employer

• A Best Companies accredited employer