General Manager - Backstage

Department/Team: Backstage

Responsible to: Head of Food & Beverage Operations

Contract: Permanent

Location: Backstage, The Old Vic, 103 The Cut, London, SE1 8NB

Hours: Full-Time - 45 hours per week, on a shift basis across Monday-Saturday initially, but we may open on Sundays as the operation develops

Salary: £37,000 -£40,000 per annum

Direct reports: Waiting Staff, Bartenders, Baristas, Shift Leads

Benefits:

• 28 days holiday including bank holidays
• Access to interest free travel schemes including Cycle 2 work and Season Ticket loans after your probation period
• Free therapy from our therapy partner Self Space
• Mental health support via our in-house Mental Health Champions
• Two complimentary tickets to a preview performance per production
• Pension scheme with The People’s Pension
• Enhanced sick pay
• All staff social events
• Staff discount The Old Vic bars, in Backstage as well as discounts in local bars and restaurants
• Opportunities to get involved with staff clubs and working groups such as the Inclusion Working Group
• Commitment to learning, education and development

Backstage

Backstage is a project for the future – a five‑storey space for creativity, education and community right next door to our historic building.

Together with award‑winning architects Haworth Tompkins, we have built a low‑carbon building that includes:

• A welcoming public cafe and workspace during the day, which evolves into a vibrant bar and restaurant at night
• A Clore Learning Centre for our award‑winning outreach work
• A Writers’ Room where creatives can work
• A free to use Script Library
• A modern and flexible rehearsal room which can transform into a studio theatre
• An event space and terrace

We believe Backstage creates a stronger Old Vic for the future, providing a welcoming space for our generation and the next.

Within Backstage, the F& B offer is primarily centred around the ground floor and first‑floor café and bar space – but also extends to event catering provision and a potential grab‑and‑go offer for the theatre.

With an overall capacity of 181 (73 covers) across the two floors, Backstage will be open initially 6 days a week for breakfast, lunch, pre‑show, dinner and post‑show (until midnight Thursday‑Friday).

A socially inspired café bar celebrating cultural diversity, vibe and buzz in a stylish and comfortable environment couple with a strong sense of place in the Waterloo area.

Featuring a combination of engaging counter service supported with table served local food cooked fresh for guests.

Aspirational yet accessible for a broad range of users with everyone feeling welcomed and comfortable.

A café bar with wide customer appeal for daytime and evening dining, snacks and refreshments.

A cultural hub for the Old Vic, a convivial space to share, meet and relax.

A chameleon offer transforming from daytime to evening.

Your Team

The Backstage F& B team is responsible for all Food & Beverage related activity within Backstage and The Old Vic theatre itself. The team includes the Operations Director, Head of Food & Beverage Operations, Head Chef, Sous Chef, Chef de Parties, KPs, Duty Managers, Bartenders, Baristas and Waiting staff.

Areas of responsibility

The Backstage F& B Manager will be responsible for:

Management

• Line managing the Backstage F& B team, including Baristas, Bartenders, and Shift‑Leads whilst supporting and overseeing the kitchen and commercial events teams.
• Supporting the Head of Food and Beverage Operations with managing the F& B offer, in all respects. Including assisting with managerial responsibility in the Theatre F& B spaces when required.
• Liaising with the relevant teams to ensure prompt delivery of the Backstage Waiting, Bar and Kitchen team rotas on our scheduling platform.
• Leading on recruitment of the Backstage F& B team.
• Ensuring consistently high standards across the Backstage F& B operation; and that the team meets all predetermined KPIs, as set by the Head of Food and Beverage Operations.
• Undertaking appraisals and probation management as required for the Backstage F& B team.

Restaurant Operations

• Leading on the management of The Backstage F& B operations as a whole, including daytime café, pre theatre dinner, evening restaurant, and…