General Manager in Newcastle upon Tyne

Salary: £60,000 - £65,000

Location: Freight Newcastle, Eldon Square, NE1

Working week: 45 hours per week over 5 days, by way of rota - weekends and evenings required

Start date: February / Early March 2026

Freight Island is one of the most exciting, forward-thinking and disruptive food markets in the world - it’s a game changer and most importantly, it has a soul. Blurring the lines between a food hall and a festival, Freight’s unique set up reflects the times. An urban oasis where guests can enjoy delicious food, great drinks and live entertainment. We specialise in curating an evolving calendar of residencies and menus that span emerging local talent and nationally recognised names, keeping the experience fresh and engaging.

The Role

Freight Newcastle (expected to open late Spring 2026) is seeking a commercially astute, senior General Manager to take full ownership of the venue’s performance. As the most senior leader on site, you will have end-to-end accountability for the venue’s P&L, including revenue growth, margin delivery, cost control and overall commercial performance. This is a true leadership role: setting strategy, making decisions, and leading the venue to deliver both exceptional guest experience and sustainable profitability.

Reporting into the Managing Director, you will define and execute the site strategy, translating business objectives into clear commercial and operational direction for your leadership team. You are not here to manage day-to-day tasks – you are here to own outcomes.

Key Responsibilities (but are not limited to):

• Commercial Performance & P&L Ownership
  • Full P&L ownership for Freight Newcastle, with accountability for revenue, margins, labour, stock and operating costs.
  • Set, own and deliver against revenue targets and margin expectations.
  • Lead budgeting, forecasting and financial planning, ensuring strong commercial visibility and control.
  • Identify and deliver new revenue opportunities across events, programming, partnerships and commercial initiatives.
  • Act with authority and confidence in commercial decision-making as the senior leader on site.
• Strategy & Senior Leadership
  • Own and deliver the site strategy, aligned to Freight’s wider vision and tailored to the Newcastle market.
  • Provide clear leadership, direction and pace to the senior management and leadership team.
  • Act as the final decision-maker for operational, commercial and people matters at site level.
  • Build a culture of accountability, high standards and commercial ownership across the venue.
• Operations & Guest Experience
  • Ensure Freight Newcastle consistently delivers a high-quality guest experience.
  • Oversee complex, multi-department operations through strong leadership rather than micromanagement.
  • Maintain full compliance with licensing objectives, food safety, health & safety and legal requirements.
  • Ensure operational excellence supports, rather than constrains, commercial performance.
• People, Culture & Performance
  • Build, lead and retain a high-performing senior management and leadership team.
  • Set clear expectations and hold leaders accountable for delivery, standards and engagement.
  • Own workforce planning, labour strategy and rota efficiency to ensure performance within budget.
  • Champion Freight’s culture, creating a positive, inclusive and high-energy working environment.
  • Develop internal talent while addressing performance issues decisively and fairly.

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• Full ownership of the site P&L, delivering against agreed revenue, margin and cost targets.
• A confident, capable leadership team operating with clarity, autonomy and accountability.
• A clear, embedded site strategy balancing guest experience, commercial growth and operational control.
• Improved forecasting accuracy and commercial insight across labour, stock and revenue.
• Freight Newcastle recognised as a market-leading food, drink and events venue in the region.

Skills & Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ senior venue management experience within hospitality, food & beverage or event-led environments.
• At least 3 years’ bar operations experience.
• Proven experience managing full site budgets and P&L responsibility.
• Strong commercial acumen with confidence in senior decision-making.
• Natural leader with presence, credibility and the ability to influence at all levels.
• Personal Licence holder with strong knowledge of licensing and compliance.
• Comfortable operating autonomously as the senior leader on site.
• Experience launching a new venue.

Interview Process:

• 1st Stage - Video call with our Head of People
• 2nd Stage – Video call with our Associate Director of Marketing and General Manager of Freight Island Manchester
• 3rd Stage – In-person interview with our Directors