Gavin Robinson

Experienced venue and event operations professional with more than 17 years in arts, entertainment and live-event environments, including senior operational roles at The MAC Belfast and Belfast Waterfront/Ulster Hall. Strong background in Duty Management, customer-facing operations, event delivery, staff leadership, crowd and visitor flow, bar/FOH/box office coordination, contractor liaison and incident response. Experienced in high-profile public events and in making calm, timely operational decisions in busy venues.

Combines hands-on leadership with a strong focus on visitor experience, safety, service standards and efficient day-to-day delivery.

Assistant Operations Manager at The MAC Belfast (2024-09 – Present)

Support the day-to-day operation of a busy multi-use arts venue, covering theatres, galleries, café/bar, box office and public areas.

• Act as a key operational decision-maker on shift, coordinating staff, responding to incidents and helping maintain a safe, welcoming visitor experience.
• Coordinate front-of-house, customer service, invigilation, event and security activity, including operations involving 100+ staff across multiple functions.
• Support live performances, public events, corporate activity and visiting companies, ensuring spaces, staffing, access, customer flow and operational requirements are ready for delivery.
• Monitor the venue's Footfall people-counter system weekly, producing visitor-count reports and maintaining accurate footfall records to support visitor-flow monitoring and operational planning.
• Use Planday for staffing/rota support and Spektrix for ticketing, sales information, refunds/exchanges and box-office support.
• Check that appropriate event risk assessments are in place before performances and events, raising or escalating any gaps to help ensure operational readiness and safe event delivery.
• Carry out and oversee regular fire-safety and building checks, including weekly fire alarm testing, fire extinguisher/fire-exit checks and first-aid stock oversight.
• Liaise with contractors and suppliers, review operational requirements and RAMS information, and coordinate access and works around a live public venue.
• Key holder and intruder-alarm contact, with responsibility for secure opening/closing, building lock-down and escalation of security or building issues.
• Helped lead the reusable Stack Cup programme, contributing to the venue's sustainability activity and Green Tourism Silver Award.
• Supported activity at 2 Royal Avenue, including the Afghanistan Women's Reunion, demonstrating sensitivity, organisation and strong customer care in a high-profile public setting.

Duty Manager at Belfast Waterfront Hall & Ulster Hall (2018 – 2024)

Managed front-of-house and event operations across major conference, entertainment and live-performance venues, taking operational responsibility for customer service, safety and event delivery.

• Led and coordinated large multi-disciplinary teams including customer service, bar, event, security and support staff, adapting staffing and deployment to changing event demands.
• Delivered major public events including the Northern Ireland Snooker Open, The Wolfe Tones, Kneecap and World Championship Boxing.
• Worked closely with Eventsec and other security partners on crowd management, access control, incident response and event-day safety.
• Managed venue operational systems including BMS for approximately two years and raised purchase orders / maintenance jobs with contractors.
• Trained six Eventsec officers in venue fire systems and emergency response procedures, helping strengthen operational readiness and consistency.
• Handled difficult customer situations, complaints and incidents calmly and professionally, using strong conflict-resolution and decision-making skills.
• Progressed through front-of-house and event operations roles during a long career across Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall before moving into Duty Management.

GNVQ Manufacturing in Manufacturing – St Patrick's College, Belfast (1997)