Senior Racecourse Operations Manager in Chester

Join our team as Senior Racecourse Operations Manager! The Senior Racecourse Operations Manager is an exciting opportunity for a proactive and detail-oriented individual to join the Operations Team. This permanent role is central to delivering seamless, safe and high-quality race days and major events across Chester and Bangor-on-Dee. Acting as the operational lead, you will oversee end-to-end planning and delivery, including site design, crowd management, presentation standards and guest experience.

Working closely with internal teams and external partners, you will ensure events are well-coordinated, clearly communicated and delivered to the highest standards. You will support continuous improvement, uphold brand and commercial objectives, and play a key role in the growth of CRC Live by helping deliver high-quality, profitable non-race day events.

General responsibilities include:

• Lead the delivery of a safe, inclusive and high-quality guest experience across all race days, major events and non-race day activity.
• Oversee end-to-end operational planning and execution, including site readiness, crowd management, admissions, security and presentation standards.
• Champion Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and accessibility, ensuring facilities, services and communications meet the needs of all guests.
• Drive continuous improvement through guest feedback, performance insights and proactive issue resolution.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, security and regulatory requirements, supporting audits, inspections and event safety planning.
• Maintain consistently high standards of site presentation, cleanliness and waste management across both racecourses, on race days and non‑race days.
• Act in senior operational roles (including Duty Manager/Event Bronze).
• Support the planning and delivery of major events and CRC Live activity.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams, external partners and governing bodies.
• Lead, manage and develop the Racecourse Operations team.

Essential Requirements:

• Proven experience leading guest-facing operations within sports, events or visitor attractions.
• Strong experience in event and major event delivery.
• Ability to plan and manage multiple events simultaneously.
• Experience in budget management and analysing guest feedback.
• Excellent communication, presentation and organisational skills.
• Proactive, hardworking and highly organised approach.
• Strong team leadership skills, with the ability to support and mentor others.
• IOSH Managing Safely qualification.

Desirable Requirements:

• Experience within racing, live events or entertainment industries.
• Experience creating and delivering live entertainment.
• Ability to manage incidents and crisis situations.
• Experience developing new event concepts and entertainment ideas.
• Relevant qualifications such as Safeguarding Level 3, Agile Project Management, and Level 4/5 Spectator Safety Management.

About Chester Race Company:

Chester Race Company Ltd is one of the North West’s best-known and most-admired brands. It is an evolving organisation with a broad portfolio but retaining Horseracing at its core. The Company operates three racecourses, Chester, Bangor-on-Dee and Musselburgh, in Scotland. At Chester, we also own and operate a hotel, a vibrant pub and have other property interests in the city. Not to mention our in-house caterers, Horseradish and our staffing brand – Thyme People. With that much diversity in our business, no two days are the same.

What we offer:

CRC offer a great selection of benefits, from Race Day tickets to enhanced pension contributions. Salary £55,000 - £60,000 per annum. Hours of work 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. CRC is an event company; you will be required to work some weekends and evenings. Any work beyond the contracted hours will be eligible for time off in lieu. CRC has a flexible approach to working hours, which should be agreed with your line manager.