Venue Operations Manager - The Liar Bar in Dundee

Full-time Permanent Associate

Posted 28 Jul 2026

Description

About DUSA

Dundee University Students’ Association (DUSA) is a charity with over 18,000 members. Our vision is of a kinder,greenerand more diverse global student community creating a lasting impact for generations to come.

We are the most successful Students’ Association in Scotland and one of the top five within the UK. We create welcoming,safeand valued physical and virtual spaces for students to come together and socialise. We encourage students to learn, volunteer, work and join clubs and societies. They can also access advice,guidanceand support from our team.

The city of Dundee is prospering, currently undergoing £1billion regeneration. We aim to mirror that progress and fulfil our ambitious plans to become a kinder, greener andbetter connectedplace for all students at the University of Dundee.

The University of Dundee is one of the UK’s leading universities – internationally recognised for science,medicineand engineering, amongst many other disciplines. Convenientlylocatedon the banks of the River Tay, the city campusis located inthe heart of Dundee, a friendly and affordable city with a rich heritage in design and technology.

We currently employ around 200 staff across our organisation andoperatefacilities, hospitality,entertainmentand support services 7 days a week.

About Liar

The Liar is DUSA’s studentcafé-bar, sitting at the heart of the Students’ Association and serving as the main hub forearlyevening entertainment,quiet coffees,and sit-down foodthroughout the academic year.It’sa fast-paced, high-volume venue with a loyal student customer base, and is currently the focus of an operational reset to sharpen standards and grow trade.

Purpose

The purpose of the Liar Bar Venue Operations Manager role is to grow and develop the venue, working closely with our F&B Manager to build revenue in the existing strong areas, and to build up the night-time programming,external events offer, and food offering.

The right candidate will work closely with senior management on both long-term vision/strategic planning and increasing footfall and revenue of the current facilities. The postholder will use their commercial acumen toidentifyopportunities, improve efficiency & enhance the customer experience while keeping DUSA’s values as a charity central to their decision making.

The Role

Venue Management

• Managing day to day operations, optimising efficiency to help meet key budgetary controls
• Managing staffing profiles to guarantee the smooth running of operations
• Ensure the venuemaintainsexcellent standards of service, quality & cleanliness
• Management of stock processes & systems,logistics& planning
• Working closely with our External Events Officer to develop pricing structure and manage bookings
• Managing relationships with stakeholders both internal & external
• Collaborating with other members of the operations team to maximise company resource
• Lead from the front pushing training & development in all areas
• Conduct regular performance evaluation - offer constructive feedback, andidentifydevelopment opportunities for direct reports with clear tangible KPIs
• Foster a positive work culture focused on collaboration & solution focused thinking

Growth & Development

• Tracking trends & identifying growth opportunities within the venue and capitalising on local and national events
• Design of venue budgets collaborating with other stakeholders to set targets and goals
• Identifyingwastage of resource and implementing systems and processes to minimise waste
• Outreach tostudent societies, sports teams,external businesspartnersand clients to increase revenue for the venue
• Own the drinks andfoodoffer, keeping pricing and promotions competitive with the local market

Compliance

• Fostering a culture where health & safety is considered a vital part of operations
• Ensuring financial reporting is tracked and demonstrable to internal & external stakeholders
• Adhere to & uphold company policies, procedures & processesregardingemployment law
• Maintain a thorough working knowledge of licensing law and ensure all statutory requirements for the sale of alcohol aremet at all times

Customer Service

• Maintaininghigh levelsof customer satisfaction by delivering exceptional service
• Address customer complaints promptly & effectively
• Monitor customer feedback and react proactively to make improvements where needed
• Promote a customer centric culture amongst staff

Marketing & Promotion

• Develop and implement marketing strategies to promote Liar Bar
• Manage social media platforms to create a connection with customer bases
• Work collaboratively with the Marketing & Events Teamsto create increased revenue and connection with key customer base

The Person

• Commercially minded
• Strong communicationskills
• Ability to develop and grow a team
• Solution focused with strong critical thinking
• Experience with multiple different service styles
• Experience inlogisticsand planning & delivery of events
• Willingness to learn

Qualifications / Knowledge / Experience

• Good IT skills and familiar with EPOS systems
• Strong coffee knowledge
• Hospitality management experience

Hours of Work

The post is full-time, 40 hours per week with the hours worked each week varied in line with organisational requirements.

The role is remunerated at £29,744.00 per annum and is a Grade5role. Noadditionalpayments or allowances and no contractual entitlement to overtime.

DUSA operates a TOIL policy, and anyadditionalhours would be managed under this policy.

Company Overview

Dundee University Student's Association (DUSA) is a charitable organisation , devoted to providing support to the students of Dundee University. We are committed to creating an environment in which all staff, volunteers and members are supported to continuously develop their talents, skills and knowledge.