Business Development Manager - Star Pubs - Southampton & Portsmouth

HEINEKEN UK; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Company car

Meal and broadband allowance

Private medical healthcare

Pension

Job summary

Star Pubs, part of HEINEKEN UK, is seeking a Business Development Manager to cover Southampton & Portsmouth in a field-based role. You will manage around 37 pubs, own the P&L, and collaborate with a cross-functional team to drive profitability and exceptional customer experiences.

You’ll design tailored business plans, recruit lessees, and roll out marketing initiatives, with strong emphasis on retail excellence and commercial growth. A full UK driving licence is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in retail, hospitality or business development.
• Strong experience with P&L management and financial performance.
• Ability to collaborate across functions and manage partnerships.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to grow profitability.
• Strong communication and influencing skills.
• Passion for creating exceptional customer experiences.

Responsibilities

• Own ~37 pubs in your patch and lead a dedicated support team.
• Own P&L for each pub and drive financial performance.
• Design and implement innovative retail solutions impacting consumer experience.
• Coach and develop the team; focus on long-term partnerships over pure sales.
• Work with Pub Operations, Estates, and Property teams to craft tailored business plans.
• Recruit new lessees and drive letting of pubs; roll out brand initiatives.

Skills

Retail experience

Hospitality experience

Business development

P&L management

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Customer experience

Job description

Business Development Manager - Southampton & Portsmouth

Function: Star Pubs

Location: Field-based role – across South West region – due to the nature of the work and to ensure you can achieve the right work-life balance, we’re looking for someone who lives in or close to these areas

Salary: circa £55,000 base, depending on experience, plus full benefits listed below.

Closing Date: Monday 3rd November 2026

Contract: Permanent

HEINEKEN has a long-held belief that pubs are an integral part of British culture and that well-invested pubs, run by skilled pub operators, can prosper and thrive. As the nation’s leading pub, cider and beer company and the name behind a host of brilliant brands, we’re looking for equally brilliant people to help us bring out the best in the great British pub. Part of that future is supporting our pub operators to grow sustainable businesses and play a positive role in their communities. None of this is possible without colleagues who care about people, account management, and delivering commercial results.

Have you ever thought about what it’d be like to play a starring role as part of the Operations South team in our Star Pubs function? Well, we have an opportunity for a Business Development Manager to join the South Wales & South West team supporting some of our fantastic pubs and bars in and around the Southampton & Portsmouth area.

About the role

As a Business Development Manager at Star Pubs, you’ll manage around 37 pubs within your patch, working with a dedicated support team to build strong relationships with operators and lessees. Your role will be crucial in delivering a first-class retail experience and ensuring the success of our pubs. This is a truly commercial generalist position – no two days are the same! Other than key meetings, such as team meetings, you have the flexibility to plan your own diary and manage your work/life balance. You’ll work closely with a virtual team, including Pub Operations, Estates Managers, and our Property Team, to create and execute tailored business plans for each pub. Whether it’s recruiting new lessees and driving the letting of pubs, reviewing commercial terms, or rolling out brand and marketing initiatives, you’ll have the tools and support to bring your vision to life.

A key part of your role will be owning the P&L (Profit and Loss) for each pub in your portfolio. You’ll have direct responsibility for driving financial performance, managing costs, and ensuring profitability. Using your commercial acumen, you’ll identify opportunities to optimise revenue streams, increase efficiency, and deliver strong financial results across your pubs.

You’ll also have the freedom to design and implement innovative retail solutions that directly impact the consumer experience. With your solid understanding of retail or hospitality, you'll be empowered to take bold steps to enhance the customer journey and drive profitability.

While experience in the pub sector is a bonus, we’re equally open to candidates with a background in other industries who bring the same passion for customer experience and operational excellence.

Who we’re looking for

This role is more about developing and coaching rather than sales, and would suit candidates who have had previous area/regional operational management experience.

What You’ll Bring

• A proven track record in retail, hospitality, or business development.
• Strong experience with P&L management and driving financial performance.
• The ability to collaborate across functions, balancing commercial delivery with long-term partnerships.
• Strategic thinking, with the confidence to take bold decisions that grow profitability.
• Strong communication and influencing skills.
• A passion for creating exceptional customer experiences.

Experience in the pub sector is a bonus, but we’re open to candidates from other industries who bring the right commercial acumen and customer focus gained outside of the pub industry (retail, hospitality etc.) and who’re as passionate about consumers and customers as we are.

A full UK driving licence is essential for this role. Ideal ly, you'll have at least 3 months of professional driving experience, but if you don't, that's fine. We'll provide full on-road driver training during your first few months with us.

Why Join Us?

At Star Pubs, part of the global Heineken family, we believe in investing in our people and fostering a culture of collaboration and growth. This is a role where you can really make a difference, to both the business and the communities we serve. If you’re looking for a challenge and an opportunity to take your career to the next level, then we want to hear from you.

The Good Stuff!

In addition to your base salary, you’ll also receive:

• Annual bonus
• Company Car (a current and full Driving Licence is a must for this role)
• Meal and Broadband Allowance
• Company-funded Private Medical Healthcare
• Double-matched pension contributions (up to 10%)
• 35 days holiday (with the opportunity to buy/sell)
• A quarterly allowance towards purchasing our delicious ciders and beers (low and no alcohol options available)!
• Exciting opportunities to develop your career.

You’ll also get the opportunity to get involved with one of our colleague networks, where groups of colleagues from all over the business work together to ensure we’re always working towards being a diverse and inclusive company.

Who We Are

Star Pubs is part of HEINEKEN UK. The vast majority of our 2,400 pubs are leased out to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Around 200 pubs operate on our Just Add Talent model (a managed operator agreement). Our ambition is to bring out the best in the great British pub – by attracting and retaining the best operators, investing to create great pubs at the heart of their communities and providing licensees with market-leading insight and support.