General Manager / Venue Operator

Tailor Your Resume for this Job

RocHaus is not just a building with a stage.

It is a 116-year-old theater on the river, a restored live music venue, a downtown anchor, and a place where strangers become a crowd, a crowd becomes a community, and music does what music has always done best: brings people together.

We are preparing for the next chapter of RocHaus and are looking for the right person to help lead it.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands hospitality, live entertainment, team building, guest experience, financial discipline, and the controlled chaos that comes with running a high-energy venue. The right person will bring professionalism without killing the vibe, structure without strangling the soul, and leadership that earns respect from staff, artists, guests, vendors, and the community.

This is not a desk job. This is not a “watch from the balcony” position.

This is a front-of-house, back-of-house, lights-on, doors-open, problem-solving, people-leading role for someone who knows how to make the show happen.

Role Overview

The General Manager / Venue Operator will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership, operations, staffing, guest experience, financial performance, and overall execution of RocHaus as a live music venue, bar, and private event space.

This person will work directly with ownership to restore operating standards, rebuild systems, strengthen the brand, and help shape the future of the venue.

Key Responsibilities

Venue Operations

- Oversee day-to-day operations of the live music venue, bar, and event spaces.

- Ensure the venue is clean, safe, organized, properly staffed, and show-ready at all times.

- Manage opening and closing procedures, event checklists, cash handling, inventory controls, and operational standards.

- Maintain a strong floor presence during shows and events.

- Solve problems quickly, calmly, and professionally when the unexpected walks through the door wearing boots.

Live Event Execution

- Coordinate with production teams, artists, promoters, security, bartenders, box office, and hospitality staff.

- Ensure each show runs smoothly from load-in to last call.

- Support ticketing, guest entry, artist hospitality, green room coordination, merchandise setup, and settlement processes.

- Maintain a strong understanding of show flow, crowd management, guest safety, and artist needs.

- Help create an experience that makes artists want to return and guests want to tell their friends.

Staff Leadership

- Recruit, hire, train, schedule, supervise, and hold accountable venue staff.

- Build a team culture based on professionalism, urgency, hospitality, respect, and pride in the room.

- Set clear expectations and enforce standards consistently.

- Coach team members in real time and address performance issues directly.

- Create an environment where people enjoy working hard because they believe in what they are building.

Guest Experience

- Protect and elevate the RocHaus guest experience.

- Ensure guests are welcomed, served efficiently, treated respectfully, and kept safe.

- Handle guest concerns with maturity, fairness, and good judgment.

- Maintain high standards for bar service, security interaction, cleanliness, music presentation, and overall atmosphere.

- Understand that every show is someone’s night out, someone’s first concert, someone’s favorite band, or someone’s memory in the making.

Bar and Hospitality Management

- Oversee bar operations, beverage inventory, ordering, cost controls, pricing, and service standards.

- Monitor pour costs, waste, theft prevention, product mix, and revenue opportunities.

- Ensure compliance with all liquor laws, responsible service practices, health regulations, and safety procedures.

- Work with bartenders and staff to improve speed, consistency, upselling, and guest satisfaction.

Financial and Administrative Responsibilities

- Manage labor costs, operating expenses, inventory costs, and event profitability.

- Review sales reports, staffing levels, show performance, and key financial metrics.

- Support budgeting, forecasting, vendor management, and purchasing decisions.

- Provide regular updates to ownership on operations, opportunities, challenges, and financial performance.

- Treat the business like a business, while never forgetting that the product is an experience.

Community and Brand Stewardship

- Represent RocHaus professionally with guests, artists, local businesses, village officials, vendors, and community partners.

- Help strengthen RocHaus as a keystone of downtown West Dundee.

- Support marketing efforts, promotions, private events, partnerships, and community engagement.

- Protect the reputation, history, and future of the venue.

- Understand that RocHaus has a voice, a story, and a stage worth caring for.

Required Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

- 3+ years of management experience in live music, hospitality, bar, restaurant, theater, entertainment, event, or venue operations.

- Proven experience leading teams in a fast-paced public-facing environment.

- Strong understanding of bar operations, guest service, staffing, scheduling, and cost control.

- Experience managing events, live entertainment, or high-volume service nights.

- Ability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and the wonderfully strange hours that come with live music.

- Strong communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.

- Comfort making decisions under pressure.

- A working knowledge of liquor service laws, safety procedures, and responsible alcohol service.

- Basic financial literacy, including labor cost, inventory, sales reporting, and expense management.

- A genuine respect for musicians, guests, staff, and the culture of live performance.

Preferred Experience

Additional experience that would be valuable:

- Live music venue management experience.

- Talent buying, booking, or promoter relations experience.

- Private event sales or event coordination experience.

- Experience with POS systems, ticketing platforms, bar inventory systems, and event management tools.

- Security coordination or crowd management experience.

- Local knowledge of the Fox Valley / Northwest Suburban entertainment, restaurant, or music scene.

The Right Fit

We are looking for someone who is:

- A leader, not a babysitter.

- Calm under pressure.

- Comfortable with accountability.

- Detail-oriented without being rigid.

- Hospitable without being soft.

- Financially aware without being cheap.

- Passionate about music without needing to be the star of the show.

- Capable of building systems, standards, and a team culture that lasts.

- Willing to roll up their sleeves when needed.

- Proud to be part of something with history, soul, and unfinished business.

Compensation

Compensation will be based on experience and may include a combination of salary, performance incentives, and future growth opportunities.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should send a resume and a brief note explaining why this role, this venue, and this next chapter are the right fit.

RocHaus has seen a lot in 116 years.

Vaudeville. Movies. Silence. Renovation. Rock shows. Packed rooms. Quiet nights. New beginnings.

Now the lights are getting ready to come back up.

We are looking for the right person to help lead the next song.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $63,678.62 per year

Work Location: In person