Technical Manager

Salary: £25,000

The Chiswick Cinema is looking for an experienced Duty/Technical Manager to join the team at this exciting time.

The wait is nearly over! Bringing the big screen experience to Chiswick for the first time since 1934, Trafalgar Cinemas are thrilled to present The Chiswick Cinema. The brand-new, luxury venue will boast five screens and a private Members’ bar and terrace, along with a café and restaurant. A 16-seat screening room with private dining room attached will be a unique private hire venue.

The eagerly anticipated cinema will be an inviting place to meet friends and see films and the Members’ Club, with its unique benefits and access to areas, will be an important business driver. Programming will include a mix of mainstream and arthouse current releases, documentaries, family screenings and an array of event cinema. The venue is currently slated to open Spring 2021.

The Chiswick Cinema is part of Trafalgar Entertainment Group (TE), a live entertainment business founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire, and home to Trafalgar Studios, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Trafalgar Releasing, Stagecoach Performing Arts, London Theatre Direct, Luke Shires Marketing and Jonathan Church Theatre Productions.

The role

Chiswick Cinema is looking for an experienced Duty/Technical Manager to join the team at this exciting time. We are looking for people who are customer focused and want to give exceptional service to our members and customers in this exciting new offering, with the chance to help shape the cinema and team and deliver outstanding experiences.

Full time, 40 hours per week – over seven days

Key responsibilities

• Provide projectionist services in formats and show other content as required for screenings, private hires and conferences, in accordance with the cinema’s timetable.
• Prepare films and other content for screenings in a timely manner, with due care to avoid damaging material; secure films and other content to avoid opportunities for film theft; prepare films and other content correctly for onward transport and co-ordinate transport to and from the Regent Street Cinema.
• Maintain and care for projection, sound and other audio visual equipment to ensure that it is operating safely, to its optimum technical capacity and provide advice on necessary upgrades or replacement of equipment.
• Repair the projection equipment when able to do so; notify the GM when an external repair or maintenance is required and co-ordinate the repair.
• Communicate effectively with the cinema team to support and ensure the cinema operates efficiently.
• Ensuring the safety of employees and guests by complying with all statutory Health & Safety requirements, including maintaining a current Emergency First Aid At Work certificate.
• Keep updated with new film releases and when we will be showing them so we can plan for relevant business levels for the cinema and the F&B areas within the cinema.
• Report any relevant information to the General Manager about building maintenance and operational issues.
• Securely opening and closing the building, being a keyholder and contactable in the case of emergency
• Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to multi-task
• Able to work early and late shifts on a rota basis across all 7 days of the week
• Leading and managing the FOH staff – providing direction, training and feedback to ensure everyone is equipped to meet customers’ expectations. Feeding back to the
• General Manager on the performance of all FOH staff, including monitoring attendance and lateness. Involvement in disciplinary procedures where needed.
• Upholding the highest standard of customer service, including in person and via email / phone. Responding to queries and complaints in a timely and friendly manner.
• Ensuring that high standards of cleanliness are met in the bar, Founder members bar, screening rooms, toilets and back of house at all times. Managing daily cleaning duties. Ensuring all area of the Cinema are H&S compliant.
• Finalize any reports at the end of the trading day, and as required during shifts.
• Cash control – ensure cash is handled and stored securely, and reported accurately
• F&B – assist with stock count, ordering, and deliveries. Adding new products to tills. Inputting invoices into spreadsheets and other software.
• F&B Keep updated on our food and wine offerings.
• Events and hires – running events and being the key staff member on site.
• Contributing to the overall success and development of The Chiswick Cinema as a member of the Management team.
• Be aware of the controllable costs for the business to ensure we are on budget (eg Payroll, petty cash etc)
• To undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required by the General Manager.
• Ensuring we hit company KPI’s and have a commercial mind-set with experience of using reports to make business decisions

Essential skills

• Experience of working as a projectionist or previous responsibility for projection area(s).
• Experience of receiving and ingesting DCP content and KDMs, and building shows in film system
• Excellent technical skills
• Maintenance experience of all cinema equipment
• Previous experience in a management, supervisory or leadership role within an entertainment venue.
• Excellent customer service skills, with a calm and polite demeanour
• Experience and knowledge of Health and Safety practice
• Friendly and positive attitude, and able to work well in a team
• Punctual, presentable and reliable
• A proactive approach to solving problems, a can do attitude.
• Demonstrable excellent customer service skills
• Strong and effective communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with customers, employees and senior people within the group.
• Confident with Windows and Excel.
• Experience working with and counting stock
• Experience of supervising and motivating team members.
• Drive, enthusiasm and a good sense of humour are a must!
• The Duty/Technical manager will be required to do some duty manager shifts throughout the week, so you must be confident in dealing with customers.

Desirable skills

• Experience of working with 35mm projection, including changeover and in digital formats.
• Experience in managing front of house activities within an entertainment Venue.
• Previous bar / cafe work
• Personal licence for alcohol sales
• Experience in using Vista
• Current Emergency First Aid at Work certificate
• Food Hygiene certificate
• Restaurant experience
• Cinema experience
• Experience opening a new venue.

To apply

If this sounds like you – we’d love to hear from you. Please send CV and covering letter to cinemarecruitment@trafalgarcinemas.com.

The Chiswick Cinema is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

The closing date for this position is 21/05/2021 at 23:59