LORNA PATERSON
Summary
Energetic and dynamic Senior Operations Manager working across classical & contemporary music, festivals, dance, theatre, film & TV.
Highly skilled in Team Leadership, Venue Management, Visitor Experience and Project Management
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Operations Manager
Barbican Centre
London, City of London
06.2025 - Current
- Overseeing venue operations and live performances across hall, foyers, and theatre spaces: Hall (1900) Theatre (1150) Cinemas (450) Garden Room (600)
- Managing staff for all performances and ensuring a high standard of customer care
- Training, developing and coaching staff through a period of change
- Collaboration with Security, Facilities, Cleaning, and Health & Safety departments to ensure smooth operations and effective running of venue and performances
- Fire drills and daily maintenance of fire evacuation system
- Building security liaison, ensuring a collaborative approach to problem-solving and performance management
Tour Manager
Freelance
London
10.2024 - 12.2024
- Organisation and advance for UK & Europe Deux Furieuses tour support to rock band Therapy - 'Troublegum 30' Anniversary Tour
- Day to day tour management 25 sold-out concert halls (2000 cap) across UK and Europe
- Overseeing sound and lighting for all performances
- Crew hire and management of team
- Merchandise sales and reconciliation
Senior Visitor Experience Manager (Operations)
Southbank Centre
London
02.2012 - 10.2024
- Operational planning across Royal Festival Hall (2700), Queen Elizabeth Hall (1200), and Riverside Terrace (1000)
- Staff management for a team of up to 120 Visitor Experience Duty Managers, Sales Team and Visitor Assistants
- Project management leading operations for Meltdown Festival, London Jazz Festival, Classical Season, Women of the World Festival, Marina Abramovic Season
- Duty Manager across all performances
- Budgets on all above festivals, up to 50K for staffing
- Post-festival performance analysis and Board Reports
- Key Stakeholder Relationship Manager problem solving FOH concerns for London Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia
- Event Security Relationship Manager including chairing monthly meetings to discuss KPI's and plan future events
- Introduced new rostering system with oversight and recruitment of Staff Operations Managers
- Working with HR on investigations, disciplinary procedures
Head of Front of House Operations
Riverside Studios
London
04.2008 - 02.2012
- Venue management of 3 black box studios - TV and theatre, art-house cinema, rehearsal studio, gallery space and tenant offices
- Operations, administration & budget control for FOH, Box Office and Reception services
- Crisis management of ticketing system breakdown at Edinburgh Fringe for 6 weeks
- Proposed business plan to introduce new Studio 4 hire space. Booking & scheduling of Studio 4 hires generating income and relationships with artistic companies Dance Umbrella, Rosemary Butcher, Royal Shakespeare Company
- Recruitment, training, rostering & supervision of all FOH staff
- FOH Management, artist and company liaison across a diverse range of theatre, dance, TV and cinema
- Overseeing cleaning, maintenance, security, first aid, Health & Safety
Acting Programme Manager
Riverside Studios
London
09.2010 - 11.2011
- Programming contemporary performance, theatre, dance, music, comedy, circus, including Circa, Michael Clark, Lea Anderson
- Contract negotiations, budgets, company settlements
- Compiling booking sheets, on-sale information, programme and brochure copy for Ticketing, Press, Digital and Marketing
- Control of Artifax and chairing weekly operations meetings
FOH & Staffing Manager
Tricycle Theatre & Cinema
London
01.2006 - 04.2008
- FOH Management on all key performances, press nights, previews and performance seasons including a 3 month Royal Shakespeare Residency
- Staff representative at Board meetings
- Recruitment, training, rostering and Line Management of a culturally diverse team of 50 FOH ushers and bar staff
- Promoting an inclusive work culture by welcoming refugees as volunteers in the theatre and drop in activities for the local community
- Staff disciplinary procedures
- Training & supervision of all venue staff in fire evacuation procedures, Health & Safety, Equality Act and Licensing Legislation
House Manager
Southwark Playhouse
London
10.2001 - 12.2005
- Duty management of theatre performances - ticket desk, bar set up, programmes sales and ice-cream
- Training, supervision & motivation of a voluntary team of Duty Managers, Ushers and Bar Staff
- Running of Press and Gala nights
Band & Tour Manager
Freelance
, Glasgow/London
01.1994 - 10.2001
- Manager to Glasgow band signed to London independent record label Deceptive Records, founded by Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq
- Liaison with label, recording studios, PR company, booking agent, promoters and venues
- Coordinating record releases, media campaigns and national tours
- Tour management and logistics across the UK and Europe for signed independent rock bands
- Venue, promoter and FOH liaison, overseeing soundchecks, gigs, after-shows and merchandise sales
Venue Manager
Centre for Contemporary Arts
Glasgow
12.1992 - 12.1993
- Day-to-day running and administration of the centre's facilities: 3 performance studios, 2 gallery spaces, rehearsal studio, Cafe/Bar
- Programming late night gigs, comedy and cabaret performances including the venue's Irn-Bru Rock Festival in association with the ICA in London and The Early Club, Scotland's first pre-club club
Front of House Manager
Third Eye Centre
Glasgow
10.1988 - 12.1992
- Running of large-scale dance and performance festivals including the National Review of Live Art and New Moves, Scotland's International Festival of Contemporary Dance
- Recruitment, training, scheduling and supervision of FOH, Gallery, Box Office and Reception staff
Education
Master of Arts Degree - Film & TV Studies, English Literature, Theatre Studies, History of Art, Philosophy, French Studies
University of Glasgow
Glasgow 04.2001 -
Skills
- Strong and clear communication
- Attention to detail
- Financial budgeting
- Ability to work under pressure
- Relationship management
- Stakeholder collaboration
- Conflict resolution
- Used to working variable hours, evenings and weekends
Certification
- Personal License Holder
- IOSH Managing Safely
- Crowd Control & Risk Analysis
- Safeguarding
Timeline
Operations Manager
Barbican Centre
06.2025 - Current
Tour Manager
Freelance
10.2024 - 12.2024
Senior Visitor Experience Manager (Operations)
Southbank Centre
02.2012 - 10.2024
Acting Programme Manager
Riverside Studios
09.2010 - 11.2011
Head of Front of House Operations
Riverside Studios
04.2008 - 02.2012
FOH & Staffing Manager
Tricycle Theatre & Cinema
01.2006 - 04.2008
House Manager
Southwark Playhouse
10.2001 - 12.2005
Master of Arts Degree - Film & TV Studies, English Literature, Theatre Studies, History of Art, Philosophy, French Studies
University of Glasgow
04.2001 -
Band & Tour Manager
Freelance
01.1994 - 10.2001
Venue Manager
Centre for Contemporary Arts
12.1992 - 12.1993
Front of House Manager
Third Eye Centre
10.1988 - 12.1992