Contract Manager

Carlisle Support Services is looking for a Contract Manager to ensure Carlisle Support Services successfully delivers its contractual, operational, financial, security and customer service objectives at Southbank Centre. The role will provide strong operational leadership across both day-to-day security operations and major events, ensuring that the security function remains proactive, professional, intelligence-led and aligned with the needs of a complex cultural and public-facing venue. The Contract Manager will play a key role in supporting Southbank Centre's approach to counterterrorism, protective security and Martyn's Law, ensuring that security arrangements, personnel, training, procedures and event plans appropriately reflect the evolving threat environment. Your core role will include but not be limited to the following activities:

• Ensure all personnel understand and actively support Southbank Centre's vision, values, culture and customer experience.
• Promote a security culture that is professional, welcoming, proportionate and appropriate to a major cultural venue.
• Ensure security service levels are consistently delivered in accordance with contractual requirements and client SLAs.
• Lead the day-to-day security operation across Southbank Centre, ensuring appropriate staffing, supervision and deployment.
• Ensure protection of client personnel, visitors, performers, contractors, assets, reputation and business continuity.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the venue's physical security measures, access control, CCTV, alarm systems, communications systems, patrol technology and other electronic security measures.
• Ensure security patrols, access control, key control, searching, bag checks and other security procedures are delivered consistently and professionally.
• Take a role in the support of planning and delivery of security arrangements for events across Southbank Centre.
• Work closely with the Event Manager, venue teams and relevant stakeholders to ensure appropriate security plans are developed for events.
• Assess security requirements based on expected attendance, event profile, venue configuration, audience demographics, performer profile and current threat information.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn's Law) and its relevance to Southbank Centre from a practical security perspective.
• Support the client in translating relevant Martyn's Law requirements into effective and proportionate security procedures and operational controls.
• Work with Southbank Centre stakeholders to identify and address vulnerabilities associated with terrorism and hostile activity.
• Ensure security staff understand the current threat environment and how it may affect their responsibilities.
• Ensure security officers receive appropriate counterterrorism and protective security briefings relevant to their role.
• Conduct regular security reviews and risk assessments across the venue.
• Ensure security risks are identified, recorded, reviewed and appropriately mitigated.
• Work with the client to identify vulnerabilities associated with public spaces, entrances, exits, events, staff areas and other critical locations.
• Monitor relevant changes in the national and local threat picture and assess their operational impact.
• Liaise with appropriate police, counterterrorism and emergency service contacts where required and authorised.
• Maintain effective security incident and threat reporting processes.
• Ensure all officers are deployed in accordance with the requirements of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, including appropriate SIA licensing and training.
• Ensure appropriate screening, vetting and safeguarding requirements are met.
• Lead, motivate and develop the security management team.
• Direct staff and monitor performance through an effective performance management process.
• Take responsibility for recruitment, onboarding, retention and development of contract personnel.
• Develop and maintain a contract-specific training matrix.
• Ensure all security officers maintain mandatory and venue-specific training requirements.
• Identify additional training requirements based on risk, incidents, events and client requirements.
• Establish and maintain strong, proactive relationships with Southbank Centre stakeholders.
• Act as a senior point of contact for operational security matters.
• Work collaboratively with venue management, events, facilities, health and safety, production, front of house and other relevant teams.
• Develop effective working relationships with emergency services and relevant external security stakeholders.
• Take operational leadership during significant security incidents where appropriate.
• Ensure incident escalation procedures are understood and followed.
• Coordinate the security response until responsibility is transferred to the appropriate emergency service or client lead.
• Identify opportunities to improve security through technology, intelligence and data.
• Maintain awareness of emerging security technologies and their potential application within the venue.
• Support the effective use of CCTV, access control, incident reporting systems, patrol systems, body-worn technology and other security technology.
• Prepare accurate monthly financial information for invoicing.
• Prepare and approve POs in accordance with company procedures.
• Assist with the preparation and management of the monthly P&L.
• Prepare and deliver weekly operational reports and monthly KPI packs for the client.
  
  SIA Licensed.
• Strong understanding of the UK security industry.
• Proven experience managing a security contract within a complex environment.
• Experience managing security operations within a public-facing, cultural, events or high-footfall environment.
• Strong understanding of physical and electronic security measures.
• Strong understanding of event security and crowd management.
• Working knowledge of UK counter-terrorism principles and protective security.
• Practical understanding of Martyn's Law and its implications for venue security operations.
• Experience of security risk assessments and security reviews.
• Experience of incident management and emergency response.
• Previous recruitment and people management experience.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Commercial awareness and ability to manage and understand a P&L.
• Ability to analyse operational information and identify trends and improvements.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and make sound operational decisions.
• Flexibility to work outside normal hours, including evenings, weekends and major events.
  
  Join a growing market-leading brand of support services to work with the UK's largest brands such as Le Shuttle, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Jaguar Land Rover, Tesco, and many more.
Carlisle currently employees over 8,500 dedicated and enthusiastic staff members to deliver events, security cleaning, and retail facilities support services across the UK's most renowned sites and critical infrastructure.