About the role

The Venue Manager is the person who makes the floor feel like The Freehouse every single shift and the person building what The Freehouse becomes beyond a standard trading week. This role carries end-to-end operational responsibility for the venue and sits alongside an epic ground-up build of The Freehouse's events program. The Venue Manager is the GM's eyes, ears, and standard-setter on the floor, it is guest-first, floor-first, and people-first. The right person for this role actively builds the culture of our space, notices when something isn't quite right, and holds the team to a standard without making it feel like a rulebook, while also thinking commercially and creatively about what this venue can become.

Key responsibilities

- Own the guest experience through the team and yourself on the floor and behind the bar as the number one priority, every shift

- Ensure standard day-to-day service runs smoothly and consistently

- Own bar operations tracking to COGS, with wastage monitored and managed

- Own FOH training, onboarding, systems, and ensuring the team is genuinely set up to deliver

- Build The Freehouse's events program, in close collaboration with the GM and Head Chef

- Develop and deliver private dining experiences, and full and half venue book outs

- Develop community-facing activations and supplier-led experiences that bring the local area into the space

- Lead, support, and develop all casual floor and bar staff day-to-day, with the Assistant Venue Manager and Bar Lead supporting delivery

- Own rostering and team scheduling day-to-day, in line with labour targets against forecasted revenue

- Always maintain a safe and compliant venue in partnership with the GM

About you

- Proven experience as a Venue Manager, Senior Event Manager, Senior Restaurant Management, F&B; Operations Leadership role





- Demonstrated experience building or restructuring an events, private dining, or function program from scratch

- Strong guest-facing presence, warm, confident, and genuinely people-driven

- Working knowledge of tap bar operations, beverage products, and RSA requirements

- Experience leading and developing casual or junior hospitality teams, including managing another supervisor/manager

- Strong financial acumen and reporting abilities in line with GP targets

- Experience with rostering against forecasted revenue targets

- Experience in reporting up to a General Manager

- Comfortable working across an integrated tech stack

About us

The Freehouse is a brand current venue in Collingwood and boy have we opened with a bang! We are proudly Victorian-first; we champion the local producers and suppliers we operate alongside. We are a naturally gluten-free venue, with South American influence running through the food. We are backed by TWØBAYS, and we have big plans. This role carries genuine future scope: the opportunity to grow from an on-the-ground venue role into broader operations and event planning across a wider group down the track, as the business expands.

Benefits

- An opening team of legends who are committed passionate hospitality people and have been here since day 1 and actively champion everything The Freehouse stands for

- Genuine input into the culture, standards, and identity of the venue, not just executing someone else's vision

- Upskilling and training opportunities, supporting your own product knowledge and career development

- Direct exposure to some of Victoria's best producers and suppliers, including planned visits to their land as part of our staff perks and annual team building calendar

- A staff perks program built around real experiences, not just discounts that you are a part of developing

- A genuine leadership pathway as the business grows beyond The Freehouse

www.thefreehouse.com.au

📌 Venue Manager (Collingwood)
🏢 118 Rokeby
📍 Collingwood