A Day in the Life of a Venue Operations Officer

Hey there! Hello! I’m Emily the Venue Operations Officer at Horizon Leeds and here is my typical day in the life.

When I’m not coordinating events and ensuring everything runs smoothly, you can find me on long walks with my partner or curled up on the sofa with my adorable cat, Olive, binging Vampire Diaries (#TeamDelena). Now, let me take you through a typical day in my life at the venue.

My day starts bright and early at 7 AM, when my first job is turning on the coffee machines! A white coffee is necessary in the morning especially when I add a splash of toffee nut syrup—my current favourite syrup.

Once I’ve fuelled up, I wander around the venue, adding those all-important finishing touches to our event spaces. I ensure every room has paper, pens, and glasses. Fun fact: I also wear my graphic designer hat at Horizon Leeds! Creating some of the internal design work from pens and paper to signage and menus. Be sure to check out the new fun activities on our paper next time you visit!

Next on my agenda is filling up our reusable glass bottles with sparkling and still water. It takes a little extra time, but it’s worth it for the planet—goodbye, single-use plastic!

After that, I go through the day’s agendas, double-checking event timings and confirming dietary requirements. This helps ensure the day runs smoothly.

By the time I finish my prep, our fabulous catering team arrives. I give them a quick briefing on the day’s events, and they get straight to work prepping the menu signage. Their efficiency is inspiring!

At 9 AM, the doors open, and it’s time to welcome our lovely clients. I guide them to their rooms, run through housekeeping details, assist with AV setups, and make sure they are happy and ready for their delegates.

By 10 AM, the venue is usually buzzing with delegates. I’m constantly on the move, ensuring everything is replenished and addressing any requests that may pop up.

Once the morning rush settles, I take a much-needed coffee break and tackle some of my admin tasks. I review events that are six weeks out, check customer summaries, and reach out to clients to schedule calls or site visits. These meetings are crucial for smooth sailing on event day!

Before I know it, it’s lunchtime, which is our busiest time of the day! I’m back on the venue floor, ensuring delegates are well-fed and happy. I replenish food, reset rooms, and clear away lunch. After years of working alongside our amazing Catering Yorkshire team, we’ve got this lunchtime routine down to a fine art!

Finally, it’s time for my lunch break. Right now, I’m all about Cajun salmon, rice, and broccoli—delicious and nutritious!

After lunch, I hop on a quick call with Catering Yorkshire to go over upcoming menus and confirm details such as numbers and timings and then I wrap up my day by scheduling the signage for the next day’s events. We have a variety of screens around the venue, and they are an excellent communication tool for our clients.

Once I’ve tackled everything on my list, it’s off to the gym for a swim! It’s the perfect way to decompress after a busy day.

And there you have it—a glimpse into my day as a Venue Operations Officer at Horizon Leeds!