General Manager – Barfly

Venue: Barfly
Reports to: Area Manager – Company COO and CEO
Working hours: Full-time

Our venue
The history of Barfly traces back to the 1980s, firmly rooted in the borough’s cultural fabric with its live music gigs. Then known as The Monarch, the 400-capacity venue swiftly gained a reputation as a hub for emerging talents and well-known acts like Oasis.

Transitioning into the Barfly in the early 2000s, it continued to be a beloved spot in London’s live music and club scene. Artists such as Ed Sheeran, Muse, Stereophonics, Bloc Party, Coldplay, and The XX all graced its stage during their early years.

In 2016, the venue underwent its transformation into The Camden Assembly. Propaganda Independent Venues acquired Camden Assembly in October 2025 and rightfully relaunched it as Barfly in June 2026. It remains a place to discover the next generation of talent while offering an enjoyable blend of great food, drinks, and much more!

Notable Acts who have played here include Adele, AJ Tracey, Amy Winehouse, Block Party, Catfish and The Bottlemen, Clean Bandit, Coldplay, D Double E, Dave, Ed Sheeran, Enter Shikari, James Bay, Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian, Maccabees, Mahalia, Muse, Mystery Jets, Oasis, Olivia Dean, Razorlight, Simple Plan, The 1975, The Last Dinner Party, The Libertines, The Strokes, The Vaccines, The XX, Tom Odell, Twenty One Pilots, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yungblud.

The role
The General Manager (GM) is responsible for the overall leadership, financial performance, and day-to-day operations of an independent grassroots live music venue.

This role combines business management, community engagement, programming support, and team leadership to ensure the venue thrives as a cultural hub while operating sustainably.

The GM will champion emerging artists, foster inclusive community engagement, and maintain a safe, welcoming environment for audiences, performers, and staff.

The GM will work to drive daytime trade as well as the nighttime live shows and pub trade.

About you
Essential:

• 3–5+ years’ experience in venue, live events, hospitality, or cultural management.
• Strong financial acumen and budget and cost control management experience.
• Knowledge of live music industry operations.
• Experience managing diverse teams.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Personal Licence Holder
• Strong understanding of licensing, health & safety and compliance
• Duty management experience
• Ability to work evenings and weekends regularly.

Desirable:

• Experience leading large, fast-paced teams.
• Commercial mindset with evidence of innovation and growth.
• Experience in grassroots or independent music venues.
• Knowledge of funding/grant applications (e.g., arts funding bodies).
• Marketing and audience development experience.

What you’ll be doing
1. Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Develop and implement long-term strategy aligned with the venue’s mission.
• Drive financial sustainability and audience growth.
• Identify new revenue streams (grants, partnerships, sponsorships, events).
• Maintain strong relationships with promoters, agents, and artists.

2. Operations Management

• Oversee daily venue operations including bar, box office, and events.
• Ensure compliance with licensing, health & safety, safeguarding, and local regulations.
• Manage maintenance and facilities to ensure smooth show delivery.
• Create and maintain operational policies and procedures.

3. Financial Management

• Develop and manage annual budgets.
• Monitor cash flow, ticket sales, bar revenue, and cost controls.
• Approve payroll and supplier payments.
• Lead financial reporting for owners, board, or stakeholders.

4. Programming & Artist Relations

• Work collaboratively with bookers/promoters to curate diverse, high-quality programming.
• Support emerging and local artists.
• Negotiate performance contracts where required.
• Ensure smooth artist experience (hospitality, tech, settlement).

5. Team Leadership & HR

• Recruit, train, and manage venue staff (bar, technical, box office, security).
• Foster a positive, inclusive workplace culture.
• Manage rotas, performance reviews, and professional development.
• Ensure safeguarding and equality policies are upheld.

6. Marketing & Community Engagement

• Build strong community relationships with local creatives, schools, and cultural organizations.
• Develop audience engagement initiatives and outreach programs.
• Represent the venue publicly at industry and community events.

7. Compliance & Licensing

• Act as Designated Premises Supervisor
• Ensure compliance with licensing laws and noise regulations.
• Maintain relationships with local authorities and licensing bodies.
• Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, presentation and hygiene
• Ensure full compliance with licensing law, Challenge 25, health & safety and initiatives such as Ask for Angela

Equal opportunities
Propaganda Venues is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability or caring responsibilities.

Reality check
This is a demanding leadership role in a fast-paced live events environment, with long and unsociable hours. In return, you’ll have the opportunity to take real ownership of bar operations at a globally recognised venue, with visible commercial impact and clear progression potential.

Propaganda Independent Venues

Propaganda Independent Venues is a collection of iconic venues owned and run by music fans, for music fans. We’re the proud owners of XOYO in London and Birmingham, Tramshed and The Globe in Cardiff, and London’s legendary Barfly.

Proudly independent, we’re dedicated to protecting and preserving grassroots venues and keeping live music thriving across the UK. We believe in the power of community, connecting fans, artists, and promoters through a shared love of music and we strive to deliver unforgettable experiences for everyone who walks through our doors.

We’re passionate about supporting local artists and businesses, ensuring our venues remain creative cultural hubs at the heart of their communities. Guided by a fair, artist-first ethos, we operate a fairer ticketing model and never charge merch fees that benefits both artists and fans.

We’re inclusive and want everyone to feel welcome in our venues. We want you to love them as much as we do and to create shared memories through the power of live music.