Most of us have been to a live concert or play. These events usually take place at some kind of venue which hosts a plethora of events throughout the year. The operation of the concert or theater space is usually left to the venue manager. The venue manager is responsible for all aspects of the space including staffing, booking and financial accounting.
Operations
The primary duty of the venue manager is to oversee all operations of the venue. This includes the management of all staff, the oversight of all procedures and the troubleshooting of any problems. A venue must operate year round, so the venue manager must keep the space in good working condition not only during a performance, but on off nights as well.
Booking
While some venues have events booked by promoters, the venue manager ensures those promoters are aware of the venue and will use it for their events. A venue makes money when there is an event on its stage and the manager is responsible for keeping the venue booked on as many nights as possible. In some cases, he interacts with talent agents directly to bring events into the space.
Marketing
The venue manager is often responsible for marketing the venue to the community. Her job is to make sure that the populace is aware of the venue and knows what events are coming up. While getting talent in to perform opens the door to profit, the venue needs paying patrons to come to the shows. The venue manager must get the venue into the consciousness of the public.
Financial
The venue manager is responsible for setting a yearly financial budget and then sticking to it. He must be aware of all costs and revenues that affect the way that the space does business. He must also use periodic financial updates to readjust the operations of the venue to maximize the profit by the end of the year.
Education and Salary
For a venue manager to be successful, she generally needs some sort of degree in business and experience working in a similar capacity somewhere else. Usually, a venue manager starts at a small space and then moves to a larger one with bigger events. According to Entertainment Management Online at MSU, the venue manager can expect to make anywhere from $20,000 per year at a small venue to $90,000 per year at a larger one.
