General Manager - Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture

Job Title: General Manager

Location: Chicago, IL 

Terms: Full-Time

Requirements: Ability to work evening and weekend hours per events scheduled

About Us:

The Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture is a not-for-profit organization whose mission and principal activities are to promote and support fine arts, cultural programming, and spiritual development for Catholics and the general public in Chicago, Illinois. Our mission is to invite people into encounters with Beauty and to revitalize the great Catholic tradition of the arts from our location in one of Chicago’s most unique religious, artistic, and civic buildings. 

Our performing arts center was built in 1911 as part of St. Alphonsus parish in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, as a place for the spiritual, physical, and intellectual growth of parishioners and the community. The Center has multiple performance and event spaces, including our 950-seat Historic Main Stage Theatre. 

At ACTC, we believe that Beauty has the capacity to build up culture, transform society, and change lives. We hope to help our patrons contemplate, encounter, and delight in Beauty.

Job Overview:

We are seeking a dynamic and versatile individual to lead as the General Manager at our performing art center, specializing as a road house and rental facility. This pivotal role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including overseeing rental operations, managing teams, collaborating on in-house productions, and ensuring financial viability. The General Manager will be a key player in cultivating positive relationships with stakeholders, driving revenue, and fostering a vibrant arts community.

Objectives:

• Oversee daily operations
• Develop strategic plan for optimized productivity
• Review and improve organizational effectiveness by developing processes, overseeing employees, establishing a highly motivational work environment, and implementing innovative changes
• Adhere to company standards for excellence and quality
• Seek out opportunities for expansion and growth by developing new business relationships
• Provide guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas

Responsibilities and Duties:

General Facilities Management 

• Develop short- and long-term plans for the upkeep and improvement of Athenaeum Center’s building; implement procedures for monitoring and evaluating changing conditions that may affect the priority of needs. Initiate and manage capital improvement projects to address required issues in a timely, effective, and cost-efficient manner.
• Oversee all physical building operations, including programmed maintenance and repairs. This includes:
  • Overseeing competitive bidding for subcontracted services 
  • Soliciting bids
  • Editing and approving contracts
  • Ensuring certificate issuance 
  • Ensuring that work scheduling is consistent with permissible timings
  • Coordinating work activities of building services contractors, as needed
• Oversee special capital projects
• Provide management of all ongoing aspects of the facility’s operations, including janitorial, utility/HVAC systems, grounds, and building/workspace security.
• Provide supervision and guidance to the Front of House Manager in the management of front-of-house and stage door operations to ensure safe and efficient utilization of the facility and optimal patron and/or employee service conditions. Ensure all lobby signage and event cleanup is properly managed. 
• Establish policies and procedures for fire, health safety, disability access, and emergency evacuation that comply with applicable regulatory codes/standards. Conduct periodic inspections to detect existing or potential hazards and recommend preventative or corrective actions. Liaise with applicable enforcement agencies and interest groups to proactively address potential issues.
• Conduct insurance tours as they relate to policy renewals, safety inspections, and policy claims. Represent the departments on any Safety meetings. Consult with insurance policy representatives to protect Athenaeum Center property and staff at all times.
• Ensure that all necessary permitting for the facilities are obtained and up to date including liquor license.
• Supervise facility maintenance and coordinate with third-party vendors to ensure a safe and welcoming environment.
  • Ensure all spaces are clean, well-lit, and welcoming
  • Liaise with Fire Marshall regarding safety codes and required upgrades, create and implement evacuation plans, maintain all safety logs for entire facility
  • Troubleshoot all facility problems such as plumbing, electrical, etc.
  • Contract outside vendor/repair contractors as needed
  • Collaborate with Technical Director to organize approved theatre and equipment maintenance projects
  • Manage budget lines pertaining to maintenance of facilities
• Administer the Lease agreement with the owner of the property. Facilitate the execution of the agreement to insure proper use of the facility and its operations on behalf of Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture.
• In collaboration with the Executive Director, administer and maintain an active capital plan consistent with approved short-term and long-term needs. Update capital plan on an annual basis to reflect actual project work, impacting future year spends and timing. Facilitate capital projects, including scope definition, RFP development, and contractor selection and management. Interview and build the project team, including architects and other consultants, as the projects require. Facilitate public-financing where possible and efficient/timely project completion.
• Develop and administer seating and F&B format for the Paradiso room. Responsibilities include: contracting with the outsourced caterer, menu development and wine list selection consistent with the room’s format, establishing supplier relationships, maintaining licensing of the spaces, maintaining service standards all while ensuring margins are consistent with profitability projections and caterer relationship.
• Collaborate with the Events Management in the oversight of private receptions, galas, and other dining events. 

Operations and Events Management

• Coordinate and lead relationship management between Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture and major rental clients, act as the primary liaison on all matters related to the rental agreement, and provide exemplary service on all matters. This includes, but is not limited to, contract management, move-in day management, weekly or event settlements, and other servicing and support.
• Collaborate with touring productions, oversee day-to-day operations, and ensure a seamless experience for both rental and in-house productions.
• Lead teams responsible for rental sales, talent buying, event management, house management, and food & beverage inventory.
• Provide supervision and guidance to Events department in all related activities including solicitations, marketing of spaces and services, scheduling, estimating, contracting, insurance certificate receipt and verification, performance marketing, production coordination, event-day execution and final settlement for all public and private events. Ensure the accurate application of amusement tax and relative exemption where applicable on in-house and third party events. Advocate for and facilitate corrections with the City Department of Revenue as needed. Facilitate relationships with all regional promoters and potential partners. Book of business of approximately $300k per year.
• Oversee day-to-day operations. Assign individual and departmental weekly performance goals and ensure their completion.
• Negotiate contracts with rental customers; budget and manage rental events, and interface/contract with caterers and other third-party vendors, as needed, to provide desired services. Coordinate planning with other Athenaeum Center managers to minimize the impact of conflict/interruption on other business operations. 
• Coordinate with the Production Manager for the successful execution of in-house productions.
• Act as primary liaison with Production Manager on shared/overlapping responsibilities on Athenaeum Center in-house produced or presented events, including expense sharing/pass-through, security, and communication relating to operations, personnel, and building maintenance/services.
• Provide solutions to issues (e.g. profit decline, employee conflicts, loss of business to competitors).

Budget Development and Management

• Responsible for the annual facilities operating expenses budget. In collaboration with the Executive Director and third party contractors, prepare annual budgets and financial operating reports; exercise significant financial control by monitoring monthly financial results against budget and managing staff and third-party service contracts; monitor purchasing and vendor contracts to ensure cost-effectiveness and anticipated service delivery.
• Manage and ensure prudent spending and execution of the Rental & Booking Operation budgets, including Front of House, Box Office, and Marketing Sales. Budget and ensure prudent spending in the Front of House.
• Oversee all payroll activities for employees in Facilities, Operations, and Sales to ensure accuracy and budget adherence.
• Collaborate with Bookkeeper to approve and code all accounts payable to ensure the timely and accurate payment of invoices as well as the accurate general ledger event coding to ensure budget adherence.
• Supervise financial management systems and personnel.
• Oversee the preparation of accurate financial reports for the Executive Director.

Legal and Government

• Manage insurance and legal affairs for the theater.
• Ensure compliance and prepare year-end reports for various stakeholders.
• Consult with legal counsel on behalf of Athenaeum Center on all matters concerning sales tax, property tax, and amusement tax, as needed.
• Establish all licensing for property with State and City including Business, PPA, Liquor, Health, Flame, and other special use. Anticipate and facilitate adjustments as the business model changes to ensure adherence to ordinances and laws.
• Ensure that all applicable operating permits/licenses are obtained and kept up-to-date and that rental insurance requirements are appropriately covered.

Administrative Management

• Provide direct supervision to three functions: Facilities, Front of House Management, Events Management. 
• Represent all department activities to the Executive Leadership Team.
• Delegate responsibilities to the best-qualified employees and enforce all policies, procedures, standards, specifications, guidelines, training programs, and cultural values

Customer Service and Front of House

• Oversee all FOH operations, including: box office, security and safety, ushering, all food and beverage amenities, merchandising, and janitorial. This includes policy development and execution, personnel training and counseling, product offerings and pricing and sub-contractor administration.
• Oversee all customer service policies and initiatives to insure the best customer experience for Athenaeum guests. Develop and modify customer service policies as needed. Train and inform all FOH staff on policies.
• Oversee hiring, training, and supervision of Facilities, Events, and Operation department staff, including full-time and seasonal (House Management, Ushers, Concessions, FOH/BOH Security, Box Office, Custodial) personnel.

Requirements:

• Proven success in a managerial role
• Strong decision-making ability
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and delegation skills
• Proven ability to develop and achieve financial plans
• Ability to motivate and lead employees, and hold them accountable
• Strong working knowledge of operational procedures
• Experience in planning and budgeting

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business or a related management discipline, and 5-7+ years’ experience managing performing arts venues or other commercial real estate properties to include demonstrated success in:
• Planning and execution of capital projects involved multiple/overlapping deadlines
• Strong financial acumen, budget development, and reporting experience.
• Negotiation of contracts and vendor/supplier management
• Hiring and supervision of staff (full-time, temp/seasonal, and contract employees)
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in theater management, with a focus on road house or rental facilities.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with technical aspects of theatrical production and equipment.
• Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts.
• Experience in conducting performance evaluations
• Working knowledge of human-resources processes