Job Title: General Manager
Location: Canterbury, Kent
Employment Type: Full-time
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000
Start Date: September–October 2025 (Flexible)
Opening Date: Venue launching late 2025
About Rivals Social
Rivals Social is a brand-new leisure and entertainment venue opening later this year in Canterbury. With a mix of adventure golf, AR bowling, darts, social games, and premium food and drink, we’re building something different — a place where people come to play, eat, compete and connect.
We're looking for a high-calibre General Manager to help bring it all to life.
The Role
The successful candidate will begin with hands-on training across our existing venues in Canterbury, Faversham, and Maidstone. This phase will help you fully understand our brand and operational style.
From there, you’ll help recruit and prepare the team ahead of our grand opening and then take full operational responsibility for Rivals Social.
This is a key leadership role with full accountability for:
* Recruiting, onboarding, and training the Rivals Social launch team
* Ensuring all pre-opening and ongoing health & safety practices are completed to a high standard — including risk assessments and compliance paperwork
* Creating and maintaining a positive, energetic team culture
* Delivering consistently excellent customer experiences
* Working with an F&B manager to oversee day-to-day operations across food, drink, activities and events
* Owning key financials, including rota efficiency, stock control, reporting and P&L
* Working closely with the owners to shape and evolve the venue’s performance
Who We’re Looking For
This is not a junior position. You must have proven experience managing a similar venue, whether in competitive socialising, hospitality-leisure, or entertainment-focused operations. This is a non-negotiable requirement.
We're looking for someone who is:
* Organised, proactive, and commercially focused
* A strong leader with the ability to motivate and support a new team
* Confident handling all health & safety and operational paperwork
* Able to work flexibly in the pre-opening period across multiple sites
* Calm under pressure and focused on delivering an exceptional guest experience
* Passionate about creating something new and growing with the brand
What You’ll Get
* A genuine opportunity to lead the launch of an exciting new venue
* Full support and training from our established venues and leadership team
* The chance to shape the culture, processes and reputation of a new business
* A competitive salary and bonus potential
* Real scope for future development as the business expands
How to Apply
Please submit your CV along with a short cover letter explaining why you’re the right fit for this role and what relevant experience you bring. Applications without relevant venue management experience will not be considered.
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