Managing Director | Values Led Live Events Business | Bristol

Harmonic are delighted to be working on a retained basis alongside an extremely well respected, values first organisation within the live festival and event space, in the search for a Managing Director. This opportunity has arisen prior to an exciting new era of change, with huge amounts of influence and autonomy on offer to the successful candidate. Accountable to the Board and working within a collaborative and employee-owned context, the MD will hold full delegated authority for operations, finance, people and commercial activity, with a focus on enabling the organisation and its people to perform at their best through support, clarity and collaboration.

The Business:

Led by a fantastic team of live event specialists, our client has held a strong presence in the industry for circa 25 years. Offering a range of services across event consultancy and industry training, to producing green-field music arts festivals and large scale city events of up to 25,000 attendees, there is a clear sustainability first approach within the business. The team offer a complete 360 degree service from inception to execution: from event design, creative programming, branding, marketing, through to ticketing systems and financial management.

As such, they have become known as one of the leading organisations within their space, and are looking for a similarly values led individual to continue their fantastic work into a new era of growth. With a headcount of 18, this role will combine a hands on approach with a real seat at the senior table, impacting decision making and future strategic growth plans.

Having reached a stage of organisational maturity, the business are now transitioning into employee ownership, moving from founder-led management into an independently led structure. As such, the MD will work closely alongside the board, as well as in partnership with employee ownership governance arrangements, emphasising the common goal culture of the business.

The Role:

As the senior leader of the team, the MD will hold responsibility for the day-to-day leadership, management and performance of the organisation. There will be a range of targets and deliverables that will be set in accordance with the goals and objectives of the business. Fundamentally, the requirement will be set against festival attendee satisfaction, employee performance and future growth as the business potentially pivots into new verticals / festivals. There will also be a definite requirement to operate in accordance with the company’s culture and values, ensuring these are protected especially while scaling.

Headline duties:

• Act as the organisation’s senior operational executive, responsible for the smooth running of the business.
• Lead and coordinate the Senior Leadership Team (Creative, Marketing, Production/Event Delivery, Finance and others as applicable).
• Overall responsibility for the organisation’s financial health and sustainability.
• Oversee cashflow, forecasting, management accounts and financial reporting to the Board.
• Lead business planning, risk management and performance tracking.
• Lead the organisation’s commercial strategy and income diversification, including developing partnerships in line with the company’s ethos.
• Identify and develop new income streams aligned with the company and festival’s brand and audience.
• Overall responsibility for office operations, IT systems, digital infrastructure and business processes.
• Lead on organisational risk management, health & safety, licensing and insurance frameworks.
• Work closely with the Head of Production to ensure festival plans are operationally feasible and financially sustainable.
• Oversee major supplier and production contracts and support negotiations and risk management.
• Work with the Head of Marketing to align marketing plans with brand and commercial and revenue objectives.
• Support annual reporting, strategic planning cycles and governance processes.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, contractual and funder requirements.
• Ensure appropriate resourcing and workforce planning across festival cycles.
• Champion an inclusive, supportive and high-performance working culture.

What we’d like to see (essential):

• Live events background
• Strong business and commercial acumen
• Clear and defined values led approach to work

What we’d like to see (bonus):

• Both SME and large organisation experience
• Previous entrepreneurial background

Salary: up to £70k

Location: Bristol

If you are interested in this opportunity, please feel free to reach out on 0203773350 or email on matt.horsfall@harmonicfinance.com

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation.