Front of House Manager

Help lead the planning and delivery of Front of House (FOH) operations across Brisbane Festival 2026!

About Us 

Queensland’s premier arts festival, Brisbane Festival lights up the city each September with extraordinary art, installations, and live performances from home and across the world. We are Boldy Brisbane – we reflect the diversity and unique voice of our river city. Our people make the impossible possible through passion, hard work, and care. 

Position Summary 

The Front of House Manager leads the planning and delivery of Front of House (FOH) operations across Brisbane Festival, with primary responsibility for overseeing all FOH services at the Festival’s hub. This role ensures that Brisbane Festival operates to the highest standards of service, presentation and patron experience, while also providing strategic leadership and operational support to FOH teams across all festival venues and sites. 

The Front of House Manager is responsible for the recruitment, onboarding and rostering of FOH staff in alignment with program and site requirements. They provide strong on-the-ground leadership, supervising teams in venue to ensure consistent, professional and welcoming service for patrons, clients, artists and stakeholders. Through proactive management, clear communication and a focus on excellence, the role ensures a seamless and high-quality audience experience across the Festival footprint. 

This is a fixed term contract commencing at 0.6FTE (three days per week), before increasing to full-time from 17 August 2026 until the end of the contract in October. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

Front of House Leadership and Service Delivery 

• Lead and oversee Front of House (FOH) services for Brisbane Festival, with primary operational focus on the Festival hub.  

• Ensure the Festival delivers exceptional patron experiences through strong leadership, service standards, presentation and operational excellence. 

• Provide strategic oversight and operational support for FOH services across all Festival venues and program areas. 

• Develop, implement and continuously refine FOH training materials and briefing documentation to ensure consistent service standards across the Festival footprint. 

• Provide comprehensive briefings and ongoing communication to FOH staff to ensure clarity of expectations, event requirements and customer service standards. 

• Work closely with Producers to understand and respond to event-specific FOH requirements and audience needs. 

Recruitment, Rostering and Workforce Management 

• Lead the recruitment, scheduling and contracting of FOH staff in alignment with program requirements and operational needs. 

• Utilise Airtable and Employment Hero systems for recruitment, contracting and rostering in accordance with Festival processes. 

• Develop and manage FOH rosters across the Festival hub and other Festival sites, ensuring adequate coverage and efficient deployment of staff. 

• Allocate FOH staff across multiple program teams where scheduling permits, ensuring flexibility and resource optimisation. 

• Collaborate with event teams (including Brisbane Serenades, Riverfire, and Opening Night) during the rostering phase, noting these teams will manage on-site supervision following initial recruitment and induction. 

Program and Event Delivery 

• Recruitment, Scheduling and Contracting of FOH Staff for:    
  • Opening Night
  • Riverfire (Ticketed Event)
  • Festival hub
  • Brisbane Serenades
  • Other events as required.  

• Management and Supervision of FOH Teams for the Festival hub and other events as required.  

• Provide on-the-ground leadership and supervision at event sites to ensure high service standards, patron safety and operational efficiency. 

• Support other event teams as appropriate, ensuring consistency in FOH approach and audience experience. 

Stakeholder and Departmental Coordination 

• Maintain close communication with Producers, Production, Operations and key stakeholders to ensure FOH services are aligned with event objectives. 

• Contribute to the integration of sponsor, partner and stakeholder requirements within FOH operations across all sites as required. 

• Foster positive working relationships with artists, patrons, corporate guests and Festival partners through professional and proactive service leadership. 

Budget, Administration and Systems 

• Reconcile FOH budget on a weekly basis.   

• Provide a final financial reconciliation for FOH budget post-festival.   

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date staffing, rostering and contractual records. 

• Utilise organisation-wide systems in accordance with policies and procedures provided. 

• Ensure documentation, briefing notes and operational records are stored and maintained appropriately. 

• Complete a final report on FOH service delivery.   

Systems 

• Utilise organisation-wide systems in accordance with policies and procedures provided. 

WHS 

• Take an active role in effectively implementing Brisbane Festival’s WHS policy. 

• Promote safe work practices across all FOH operations, including during planning, installation and live delivery phases. 

• Ensure FOH staff are appropriately briefed on safety procedures and emergency protocols relevant to all assigned sites. 

Selection Criteria 

Essential 

1.    Demonstrated leadership in Front of House operations Proven experience leading FOH teams within live events, festivals or large-scale public environments, including responsibility for service standards, patron experience and on-site delivery across single or multiple venues. 

 2.   Workforce recruitment and rostering expertise Experience recruiting, contracting, rostering and supervising casual event staff, with the ability to allocate resources effectively and respond to changing operational requirements.  

3.    Strong communication and stakeholder management skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to brief teams clearly, collaborate with Producers and Production staff, and maintain positive professional relationships with patrons and stakeholders.  

4.   High-level organisational and operational capability Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent events, maintain accurate staffing and operational records, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced festival or event environment.  

5.    Commitment to customer service excellence Strong understanding of best-practice customer service principles and the ability to embed consistent, welcoming and safe audience experiences across diverse teams.  

6.   Knowledge of WHS requirements in live event environments Practical understanding of Work Health and Safety obligations within public event settings and the ability to implement and communicate safe work practices. 

Desirable 

1.    Experience overseeing operations at a flagship or high-profile site.

2.   Proficiency in workforce and project management systems (such as Airtable, Employment Hero or similar platforms).

3.    Qualification in arts management, event management, hospitality, theatre or related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant training and professional experience.  

Apply Now 

Visit brisbanefestival.com.au/jobs to download the Position Description and submit your application.  

Applications will remain open until 5:00PM ON WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2026, unless the positions are filled prior.   

Early applications are encouraged. Applications are strictly confidential. 

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised folks tend to only apply when they check every box. So, if you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every single point above, please still get in touch. We would love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit. 

Brisbane Festival is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. Our vision is to have a team which reflects the breadth and diversity of Brisbane’s population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, LGBTQIA+, culturally and linguistically diverse applicants and people with a disability are encouraged to apply.