Cinema General Manager

Cinema General Manager, West Newton Cinema Foundation

Position Overview:

The West Newton Cinema Foundation is seeking a dedicated and experienced Cinema General Manager to oversee the daily operations of our historic cinema, ensuring exceptional movie-going experiences while upholding our community-oriented mission. This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about film, has a strong aptitude for hospitality, is highly responsible, focused and data-driven, and is adept at multitasking within a dynamic environment. The Cinema General Manager will be instrumental in building on the legacy of West Newton Cinema as a key cultural destination.

The General Manager reports to the Foundation Board of Directors and leads a team of more than 15 employees. Direct reports include two full-time Assistant Managers, Facilities staff, the Program Manager, the Marketing and Communications Specialist, the Events Coordinator, and the part-time box office and concessions team. The General Manager is responsible for leading this team to create and sustain a welcoming and well-maintained theater, showings that run flawlessly, well-trained and well-supported staff, and sound financial management in service of the Foundation's mission. This role is ideal for an experienced operator who leads people well, holds a high standard, and wants that work to serve a community institution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Staff Leadership and Development: Manage, mentor, and evaluate the Cinema's on-site staff, including hiring, training, scheduling, and performance management. Develop the Assistant Managers into leaders capable of running the building independently. Maintain a collaborative and respectful work environment.
• Operational Management: Oversee daily cinema operations and ensure that all operational protocols are followed. Maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment throughout the building, and ensure that staffing levels match the demands of the schedule. Develop and manage standard operating procedures.
• Guest Experience: Build a culture of hospitality by setting and modeling high service standards for patron interactions, cleanliness, accessibility, and presentation. Ensure that every showing begins on time and meets the Cinema's standards for picture and sound, and that guest concerns are resolved promptly and courteously. Ensure that the Cinema's accessibility commitments, including accessible seating, assistive listening, and open-caption are consistently met.
• Financial Oversight: Manage labor, purchasing, and other operating expenses within the Board-approved budget. Oversee daily cash handling and prepare payroll inputs. Provide operating data to the Treasurer, ensuring financial activities are in line with overall business goals set by the Foundation.
• Concessions and Bar Operations: Manage the concession and bar program, including menu, cost of goods, and per-guest revenue. Oversee Assistant Manager with direct responsibility for ordering and inventory. Ensure full compliance with alcohol service requirements, including licensing, server certification, identification policy, and incident documentation.
• Program and Event Execution: Oversee the Program Manager who has direct responsibility for film and event bookings, working with the Foundation's booker, to ensure an accurate weekly schedule including showtimes, screen assignments, turnovers, and technical preparation. Staff and oversee special events, private parties, and facility rentals so that each is delivered to a consistently high standard.
• Facilities and Safety Management: Oversee the maintenance of the building and its equipment, including projection and sound, HVAC, rest rooms, lighting, seating, security and life safety systems. Manage relationships with maintenance service providers and contractors. Ensure that all licenses and inspections remain current and that staff are trained in emergency procedures. Work collaboratively with the Board of Directors’ Facilities Team on execution of capital projects including restoration work.
• Community and Mission: Serve as a visible and welcoming presence in the Cinema. Support members, donors, volunteers, and community partners when they are in the building, and share guest feedback with the programming and marketing staff. Serve as an ambassador to the Cinema’s residential and business neighbors. Keep abreast and engaged with the independent cinema community locally and nationally. Work with the Marketing and Communications Specialist to ensure that in-theater promotion and staff messaging support current campaigns and help the staff understand and articulate the Cinema's mission.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Five or more years of management experience in a cinema, live venue, restaurant, retail, or comparable public-facing operation, including direct responsibility for a team of ten or more and for a budget or profit and loss statement.
• Demonstrated success in hiring, training, and retaining hourly staff.
• Demonstrated leadership ability with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build team trust, mentor staff, and foster a culture of warm hospitality.
• Experience in financial management, including budgeting, cost control, and financial reporting.
• Sound judgment and composure in a public-facing environment, including service recovery and emergency situations.
• Proficiency with, or the ability to learn, ticketing, point-of-sale, scheduling, and reporting systems, and a commitment to accurate record keeping.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to work flexibly, adapting to varied hours and job duties as required.
• Genuine enthusiasm for film and for the Cinema's role in the community.
• Experience using data and analysis to support decision-making.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in cinema, performing arts, or live event venue management.
• Experience with digital projection and cinema sound systems. Training will be provided for a candidate who is otherwise well suited to the role.
• Nonprofit experience, including membership programs, donor relations, volunteer coordination, and working with a board of directors.
• Alcohol service management experience, and TIPS or ServSafe certification.
• Experience managing facilities and coordinating with major renovations in an older building.

Candidates who meet most, but not all, of these qualifications are encouraged to apply.

Additional Information:

Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000 per year, commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes health plan, dental plan, paid holidays, and paid vacation.

The General Cinema Manager position is a full-time, on-site, exempt position. The position requires a flexible work schedule, with requirements to manage operations during peak times, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and to be available on call for building emergencies.

The role requires extended periods of standing and walking, frequent use of stairs, the ability to lift up to 40 pounds, and work at times in low light.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a brief cover letter, approximately 500 to 750 words, addressing three questions: a team the candidate has built or improved, and their specific role in doing so;
a time when an operation they managed was underperforming, and how they addressed it;
and their interest in anonprofit community cinema.

About West Newton Cinema:

West Newton Cinema, operating as a nonprofit under the West Newton Cinema Foundation, is more than just a movie theater, it’s a place for bringing people together through film, conversation, and community. The Cinema is being thoughtfully restored, blending its original Art Deco charm with a fresh, modern sensibility. We offer a mix of independent, mainstream, classic, and family films, special events, and cultural programming that celebrates and strengthens our community.