Commercial Development Manager

Responsible to: Chief Financial and Operations Office

Location: Cambridge - with the requirement to work at all sites (Cambridge and Saffron Walden) as and when required.

Hours of work: 0.8 with flexibility for working at home and working pattern to meet the needs of the role.

Please note that this position will initially report to the Principal, and then the Chief Financial & Operations Officer (CFOO) from November 2023.

Main Responsibilities: 

·       Develop and maintain a profitable commercial letting, holiday enrichment provision and events business on a year-round basis, utilising the Foundation’s accommodation (boarding houses, halls, classrooms and other appropriate buildings and facilities), catering, leisure and sport, music, drama and IT facilities.

o  Develop and maintain a strategy for a high quality and profitable holiday enrichment programme which is open externally.

o  Develop a strategy and development of a platform which enables effective marketing and booking for letting and events including holiday enrichment programmes.

o  Optimise opportunities to generate revenue through the effective marketing, costing, planning, and management of lettings.

o  Manage the commercial lettings and events budget and financial forecast.

o  Manage the commercial lettings and events contracts, reviewing long term contracts and developing new contracts with the support of the compliance team.

o  Provide a high-level events experience, logistical advice and support to customers hiring the facilities.

·       Communicate and coordinate effectively with relevant internal stakeholders, to ensure all are fully aware of external lettings and events as well as holiday provision: to avoid clashes with internal activities in the calendar, and to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements, as well as safeguarding regulations and safe recruitment procedures, inter alia.

·       Meet with clients and members of the public to showcase the Foundation facilities.

·       Work with the marketing department to manage the lettings website and promote facilities through social and other media.

·       Working with other stakeholders as necessary, including Deputy Head DACS (11-18), Heads of Junior Schools and EYFS, to avoid clashes in the calendar and identify opportunities for external lettings.

Measurable Outcomes: 

·       Establish and deliver a sustainable lettings, holiday enrichment provision and events business development plan.

·       Set up the marketing and communication plan for commercial and community use of the Foundation’s facilities.  

·       Ensure that each stakeholder has an exceptional experience when hiring/using SPF facilities, thus gaining repeat business and excellent word of mouth referrals.  

·       Develop a strong relationship with the relevant people to ensure standards in catering, cleaning, way-finding, welcome and registration, room set-up, AV/IT are met or exceeded for each event. 

External hire and lettings

·       Responsibility for working with the Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Heads of School and key staff to ensure lettings are suitable and appropriate for a school setting. 

·       Actively promote and market the schools’ lettings through targeted marketing, business development, and viewings.

·       Have responsibility for the lettings, holiday enrichment provision and events calendar and ensuring that all stakeholders who use the facilities outside of term time and normal school operating hours follow the lettings booking system for approval and operation.

·       Work with the compliance team with respect to policies, contracts and insurance.

·       Establish and regularly review school lettings policy/terms and conditions of hire/lettings contracts and agreements/rate cards.

·       Plan and coordinate a flexible programme of recurring and one off lets to ensure optimum use of facilities and maximum financial return for the school, with particular emphasis on summer lets.

·       Liaise with prospective hirers and assess requirements and suitability.

·       Negotiate fees and terms and conditions for prospective lets, including deposits and breakages.

·       Ensure that all preparations required prior to hosting external lettings are planned and executed in a timely manner and are coordinated and communicated to school staff / departments.

·       Determine needs and ensure the appropriate deployment of additional staff/resources to support lettings activities and to liaise with third party contractors as and if needed.

·       Ensure the smooth running of the annual residential boarding lets, in tandem with any other lettings during the period, and seek to ensure repeat business.

·       Act as account manager and point of contact for all clients and internal staff for the duration of the let and resolve any issues that may arise.

·       Ensure all appropriate insurances and licences, including but not limited to public liability, civil and religious weddings and alcohol, are in place for lettings, events and the holiday enrichment programme, as and where appropriate.

·       Ensure proper & accurate records are kept of each let and prepare management reports for Board review, along with analysis and yearly departmental forecasts.

·       Liaise with the Finance department on all outgoing and incoming billings and expenses that relate to lettings events and holiday provision, working with the Finance Manager to develop the best mechanism for invoicing.  

Holiday Enrichment programme 

·       Work with the Holiday Programme Manager to confirm provision dates, budget, costs and charges.  

·       Working with the Holiday Programme Manager, to plan and manage the holiday enrichment programme budget.  

·       Manage all communications and payments through the identified platform.

·       Work with the holiday programme manager to develop the vision for enrichment including oversight of external providers/transport.

Clubs/camps programme 

·       Work with individual departments to coordinate and to confirm provision dates, budget, costs, staff remuneration and charges for sports camps, theatre camps.