Senior Racecourse Operations Manager
Posted 1 day 12 hours ago by Chester Races
The Senior Racecourse Operations Manager is an exciting opportunity for a proactive and detail-oriented individual to join the Operations Team. This permanent role is central to delivering seamless, safe and high-quality race days and major events across Chester and Bangor-on-Dee.
Acting as the operational lead, you will oversee end-to-end planning and delivery, including site design, crowd management, presentation standards and guest experience. Working closely with internal teams and external partners, you will ensure events are well-coordinated, clearly communicated and delivered to the highest standards.
You will support continuous improvement, uphold brand and commercial objectives, and play a key role in the growth of CRC Live by helping deliver high-quality, profitable non-race day events.
General responsibilities include:- Lead the delivery of a safe, inclusive and high-quality guest experience across all race days, major events and non-race day activity.
- Oversee end-to-end operational planning and execution, including site readiness, crowd management, admissions, security and presentation standards.
- Champion Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and accessibility, ensuring facilities, services and communications meet the needs of all guests.
- Drive continuous improvement through guest feedback, performance insights and proactive issue resolution.
- Ensure compliance with all safety, security and regulatory requirements, supporting audits, inspections and event safety planning.
- Maintain consistently high standards of site presentation, cleanliness and waste management across both racecourses, on race days and non race days.
- Act in senior operational roles (including Duty Manager/Event Bronze)
- Support the planning and delivery of major events and CRC Live activity
- Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams, external partners and governing bodies
- Lead, manage and develop the Racecourse Operations team
- Proven experience leading guest-facing operations within sports, events or visitor attractions
- Strong experience in event and major event delivery
- Ability to plan and manage multiple events simultaneously
- Experience in budget management and analysing guest feedback
- Excellent communication, presentation and organisational skills
- Proactive, hardworking and highly organised approach
- Strong team leadership skills, with the ability to support and mentor others
- IOSH Managing Safely qualification
- Experience within racing, live events or entertainment industries
- Experience creating and delivering live entertainment
- Ability to manage incidents and crisis situations
- Experience developing new event concepts and entertainment ideas
- Relevant qualifications such as Safeguarding Level 3, Agile Project Management, and Level 4/5 Spectator Safety Management
Chester Race Company Ltd is one of the North West's best-known and most-admired brands. It is an evolving organisation with a broad portfolio but retaining Horseracing at its core. The Company operates three racecourses, Chester, Bangor-on-Dee and Musselburgh, in Scotland. At Chester, we also own and operate a hotel, a vibrant pub and have other property interests in the city. Not to mention our in-house caterers, Horseradish and our staffing brand - Thyme People. With that much diversity in our business, no two days are the same.
What we offer:CRC offer a great selection of benefits, from Race Day tickets to enhanced pension contributions.
Salary£55,000 - £60,000 per annum
Hours of work37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
CRC is an event company; you will be required to work some weekends and evenings. Any work beyond the contracted hours will be eligible for time off in lieu.
CRC has a flexible approach to working hours, which should be agreed with your line manager.