Assistant Venue Manager

Launched in 2020 and featured in Vogue, The Design Files, The AFR and more, Sense Of Self (SOS) is a contemporary bathhouse and spa with beautiful design, a big mission, and world-class customer service at its heart. We exist to be a local watering hole for our guests, our team, and our community – a place where everybody is welcome to experience the connection, communion, and deep rest that comes from communal bathing.

We live by our values: setting a new standard for wellness, fostering belonging, balance and agency and never selling BS. Living our organisational values is an inherent part of this role.

Our new Surry Hills venue in Sydney is opening in early September, and we’re seeking an experienced Assistant Venue Manager to join the team and play a key role in bringing the experience to life.

The Assistant Venue Manager oversees the venue in ensuring the end-to-end running of the space, including customer service, leading a team whilst on shift, and smooth operations of the bathhouse and massage studio. In addition, this role supports the Venue Manager in keeping the facility fully staffed, stocked, maintained, and operating at a high standard.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Venue Manager with the end-to-end guest experience across the venue, ensuring every touchpoint reflects SOS brand values, care standards, and service excellence.
• Set the tone for service leadership on the floor, leading by presence, intentionality and warmth.
• Act as the escalation point for complex guest concerns, complaints and VIP requests, resolving matters with confidence, empathy and commercial awareness.
• Continuously assess guest feedback and experience data, translating insights into meaningful service improvements and team coaching.

• Champion and embed Sense of Self people and culture initiatives within the venue.
• Promote accountability, collaboration, and positive contribution to team culture.
• Maintain up-to-date onboarding and training documentation in line with Sense of Self standards.
• Collaborate with the Venue Manager on recruitment, identifying resourcing gaps, coordinating recruitment including informing and making hiring decisions.
• Coordinate and deliver onboarding for new team members.
• Collaborate with the Venue Manager to design, document, and lead training initiatives for Front of House and Supervisor teams.
• Monitor training completion and capability uplift across the team.

• Oversee proactive management of venue stock, including ordering, rotation, and stocktakes.
• Maintain effective working relationships with suppliers to ensure continuity of supply and quality standards.
• Monitor stock levels and usage to minimise waste and support efficient operations.Support the Venue Manager in ensuring the venue is fully staffed, stocked, organised, and operational at all times.
• Provide operational coverage and support to the HQ and Duty Management teams as required.
• Stay informed of and actively engage with company-wide communications, using the Sense of Self tone of voice.

• Develop, manage and maintain rosters for Front of House in line with business needs and operating hours.
• Approve leave requests and plan forward rosters to ensure adequate coverage during leave periods.
• Manage personal leave and unplanned absences, coordinating coverage to prevent understaffing.

• Contribute to the venue’s financial performance through effective in-venue revenue optimisation across all business units, cost control and operational efficiency.
• Support the development of operational budgets, ensuring labour, stock and event costs are tracked and aligned as budget targets are established.
• Work with HQ to analyse financial and performance reports to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with HQ on pricing strategies, packages and offers to maximise revenue and guest value.

• Own venue compliance across health, safety, aquatic, employment and licensing requirements.
• Ensure all team members are trained, compliant and confident in safety procedures.
• Conduct regular venue inspections and risk assessments, addressing hazards promptly and thoroughly.
• Stay informed of regulatory changes and ensure timely implementation across the venue.

• Collaborate closely with HQ teams including Operations, Reservations, Marketing and People & Culture to implement initiatives and strategies on the ground.
• Represent the venue in internal communications and leadership forums, providing insights on performance, trends and opportunities.

• When required, prepare and submit accurate, timely reports on performance, guest experience, team metrics and operational health.
• Maintain strong administrative standards across rostering, payroll, staffing records, incidents, feedback and compliance documentation.
• Use data and insights to inform decision-making, continuous improvement and strategic recommendations.

This role requires flexibility in working across weekends and public holidays as required, or during periods of leave coverage.

This role may be required to undertake additional duties from time to time that are reasonable and consistent with the purpose and level of the position.

• Proven experience with rostering across large multi-disciplinary teams
• A current CPR and First Aid Certificate

• Minimum 2-3 years experience in a leadership role, in either venue, spa, hospitality, or wellness operations leadership.
• Demonstrated ability using digital systems for bookings, team communication and stock management

• Service focus
• Communication
• Self awareness
• Self development
• Relates to others