Head of People jobs

Who are we?

We are Shack Events, a leading bar & confectionery operator. We operate at some of the UK’s largest stadia and sporting venues, specialising in serving alternative drinks such as our own kegged spirit & mixers and cocktails, as well as heavily supporting with mainstream draught beer, craft beer and real ale. As of 2023 we also offer confectionery support, including pick & mix, doughnuts, ice cream and popcorn.

However, we haven’t always been in the world of Stadia. Just over 10 years ago we were a small business, ran by two brothers, selling bottled apple juice at farmers markets. Through determination, commitment and ambition from not only the owners of the business, Rich and James, but also through the growing team, we have built a business we are incredibly proud of. And we aren’t going to stop there.

We are an incredibly passionate business, who are always eager to take on a challenge and tackle a new opportunity head on. We see our resilient and dedicated team as our foundation, and our aim is to help guide each and every team member and build their skillsets and confidence. We all work together, from the bar staff to the directors, to get the job done and everybody is willing to get their hands dirty when the time calls for it!

We are proud of our roots and are looking to expand our team with likeminded people, who want to embed themselves into the business and help us grow.

What’s the Role?

We are recruiting for a Head of Staffing to join our growing and ambitious Venue Concessions business. The role will take ownership of our casual staffing operation, nation-wide and with a strong presence on site. The role will lead on the people management of our casual staffing pool and planning & hitting recruitment targets. The onboarding, scheduling, training & compliance KPIs of our event staff will also be overseen by your department. You’ll closely collaborate with our Venue Management, Warehouse & Logistics and Event Operations departments to understand their staffing requirements and implement strategies to fulfil them, to budget.

You will oversee the day-to-day operation with the support of an experienced and talented team of Staffing Managers who are well established in their roles. It’s fundamental you have experience in managing both full time and casual staff and that a passion of yours is people. For Shack, our people, their growth, welfare and harnessing their potential and ambition is a key part of our business, and this role must also share this passion! Above all, personality is key. This role is looking for someone to take this team and operation, empower the people, grow the business, consistently seek innovation and embrace projects, and have fun whilst doing it.

Who are we looking for?

The right fit: Personality is key for us and you must be able to thrive in high pressure and fast paced situations whilst maintaining a smile and sense of humour; this is one of our founding principles. 

Team Management: A crucial aspect of this role is the day-to-day management & development of your team, ensuring we are always getting the best out of our talent. Our staffing team have grown with us from bar staff roles, and your management style must focus on coaching and progression of your team. You must have shown extensive experience in leading and training multiple teams consisting of both full time, casual & seasonal roles. You will be solely responsible for managing your full time teams’ time and calendar. Leading by example, setting high standards and having a granular attention to detail are crucial. At least 3 years’ experience managing a full time team of their own

Experience within high volume recruitment: Over the summer months we have over 1000 casuals working across different venues, experience managing high volume staff across multiple venues is vital. This includes their progression, onboarding and welfare.

Due Diligence & Compliance: Compliance, due diligence and Health & Safety are core components to the role, and you will need to be heavily involved in the onboarding element of compliance. This goes from risk assessments and manual handling being managed correctly, through to an understanding of right to work and an understanding of employment law for our casual workforce.

Communication: Excellent communication and collaboration skills with both your team and across the wider business, with a proactive can do approach and willingness to support the team operationally when required.

Hands on approach: The candidate must show excellent communication, collaboration and team player mindset. It’s key you must have a “can do” attitude and are happy to step in and help the team when needed, supporting and guiding them, by being present and hands on. We do not have a strict operational hierarchy, and all senior management are expected to help their team however necessary, even if this means a more hands-on approach than usual.

Looking forward: It’s fundamental the candidate is always looking forward and planning ahead, focusing on long term strategy to maintain, grow and upskill the team, as well as using data to create smart recruitment decisions and strategy.

How we will measure success?

Putting our team first, and our people first will always being a key principle of our business. Therefore increasing staff retention and job satisfaction is a fundamental part of this role. We are big believers in supporting progression and growth within our team, and building a strong talent pool of casual managers and crew from our existing team is a huge measure of success. Being driven to grow the team whilst maintaining quality is key to this role, and accountability for the challenges not just to wins is a quality we will look for in the success of this role.

Who will you be working with ?

You will report directly to the Venue Director and will be responsible for managing your own team. Your full time team currently consists of a Senior Staffing Manager and a Staffing Manager, both responsible for fulfilling their own sites. Alongside our full time staffing team, you will be responsible for not only the management, but the development of our casual staffing team who help with admin during peak season, You will also work closely with the Event Operations, Venue Managers and the businesses Logistics & Warehousing Teams who rely heavily on our casual workforce.

Where & when will you be working?

The role will be based in our London office (Fleet Street) with regular visits to our venues. This is to ensure the day-to-day staffing operations are being managed efficiently, correctly and to the high standards we expect. You will also be required to execute the staffing operation from start to finish at sites if required. The role is more office based during the winter months, but will require heavy site presence for events during the peak Summer. You will be required to regularly work weekends, bank holidays and will be able to take limited holiday between the months of May and September.

Key Responsibilities

• Staffing Strategy: Devise & execute on all staffing strategies to ensure adequate coverage for all events & our operations while optimising resource utilisation and minimising costs. You will work closely with the Staffing Manager/s to ensure they are meeting targets and be responsible for the ultimate success of the casual staffing operation.
• Recruitment and Onboarding: Oversee the recruitment process for all casual staff, including sourcing candidates, conducting interviews, and managing the onboarding process to ensure a smooth transition for new hires. You will schedule in all interview days to ensure metrics & KPIs are consistently hit. This, however, will not be at the sacrifice of quality of staff. Management of all job boards will lie solely with you and to adhere to a given budget, making the most of financial parameters.
• Training, Development & Progression: Coordinate training opportunities to enhance the skills and capabilities of our event staff, ensuring they are equipped to deliver exceptional service with a key focus on candidate quality and nurture a pipeline talent and superstars. You will spear head the mission to develop our staff during their journey with Shack.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments to ensure alignment and integration of staffing processes with broader organisational goals and initiatives. Creating a loop of consistent feedback to make fast, actionable changes and execute efficiently on further training and development opportunities.
• Performance Management: Adhere to performance metrics and conduct regular performance evaluations for casual staff. Provide feedback, coaching, and support to help employees meet their goals and improve their performance. The focus on quality and development is paramount.
• Budget Management: Plan ƒ& control casual staffing budgets related to socials, training & upskilling, recruitment and onboarding.
• Casual Staff Engagement and Retention: Implement initiatives to boost morale, engagement, and retention. Foster a positive work environment and address any issues or concerns raised by staff members. The culture of Shack should extend from the Office through to the casual staff, creating a positive experience for every new member, regardless of their role or time spent at Shack.
• Compliance and Legal Requirements: Ensure everyone on site receives the necessary training in order to undertake their role, and that evidence of this training is appropriately documented, with the support of Event Operations Supervisors on site to lead on the training.
• Payroll: Responsible for ensuring accurate records each month for payroll; correct pay rates, all hours accounted for and minimising missed shifts. You will be the main point of contact to confirm any payroll issues and ensure the Staffing Managers are accurately and efficiently solving any queries for casual staff members.
• Agency Relations: Fostering & managing relationships for agencies providing outsourced staff. However, this must only be actioned when necessary. Ability to reduce/remove the requirement of agencies is of paramount importance.
• Data Analysis and Reporting: Utilise data analytics and reporting tools to track key staffing metrics, analyse trends, and generate insights that inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement in staffing strategies and practices; including but not limited to fulfilment, shift regularity, training & development.
• IT Skills: Our system, including our booking system, is bespoke to our business which we are continuously developing. It’s important the candidate is confident in their IT skills and their ability to help develop/tweak and improve our system to ensure the team have what they need. Confidence and experience in Microsoft is also essential.

Event Day Responsibilities:

• On-Site Management: Be present at event venues to oversee the deployment of event staff, ensuring that they arrive on time, meet all uniform & presentation standards are properly and are equipped to fulfil their roles effectively.
• Problem Resolution: Act as a point of contact for event staff regarding any issues or concerns that arise during events, providing timely and effective solutions to ensure smooth operations.
• Quality Assurance: Conduct spot checks and evaluations of event staff performance throughout the event to ensure that service standards are being met and to identify any areas for improvement. Creating a feedback loop to the venues assigned Staffing Manager.
• Team Support: Provide support and assistance to event staff as needed, demonstrating leadership, teamwork, and a willingness to pitch in wherever necessary to ensure the success of the event.
• Post-Event Review: Conduct a debriefing session with the Venue Operations and Staffing Managers to review staffing operations, identify lessons learned, and make recommendations for improvement in future events.

Key Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft
• Managing cross-departmental budgets
• Empathetic leader
• Excellent time management
• Thrives under pressure and loves the rush of working an event
• Managing a full-time team
• Strong sense of humour, resilience and ability to maintain a positive team culture.
• Proficient and confident in training your team
• Experience overseeing workforce scheduling, team calendars and resource planning
• Experience developing talent and improving team performance.
• Experience managing large-scale events or hospitality operations.
• Comfortable working within a non-hierarchical environment where senior leaders are actively involved in day-to-day operations.

Package & Benefits:

• £50,000-£55,000
• Generous Performance Bonus
• Private Health Care with gym membership discounts
• Generous Performance Bonus
• Laptop & work phone
• Bi-annual Company-wide events
• Budget for your team socials, rewards & recognition
• Toil Scheme
• Life Gives You Lemons Day: support and flexibility when it’s needed most.
• 1 Paid Charity Day Per Year
• And additional long service benefits

Pay: £50,000.00-£55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Private medical insurance
• Sick pay
• Work from home

Application question(s):

• Are you prepared to work evenings and weekends, this is an onsite role covering all of our London venues.
• Have you line managed a team of full time employees?
• Have you managed a team of over 100 casual staff, and have the ability to spot, train and nurture talent from casual to full time employees?

Work Location: In person