Centre Manager - Maternity Cover

Oxford Innovation Space; Manchester; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £38,000-£40,000

25 days holiday

Flexible benefits

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

Oxford Innovation Space is seeking a Centre Manager for Salford Innovation Forum on a fixed-term 6‑month contract to cover maternity leave. You will lead the team, drive exceptional service, and ensure the centre thrives commercially and operationally.

You'll manage sales, marketing, and occupancy, build relationships with clients, and deliver a world-class experience for our entrepreneur community while developing staff and operations.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in a customer-focused or service-led environment.
• Commercial mindset with sales/marketing understanding.
• Ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience creating welcoming, professional environments and building communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the team at Salford Innovation Forum and drive commercial success.
• Oversee financial and operational performance and centre sustainability.
• Develop partnerships with clients to identify collaboration opportunities.
• Deliver world-class service across facilities, support, and community building.

Skills

Leadership experience

Commercial mindset

Stakeholder relations

People management

Job description

At Oxford Innovation Space, we create and manage inspiring workspaces where ambitious businesses can thrive. With over 35 years of experience and a growing network of innovation centres across the UK and Ireland, we support more than 1,000 occupiers across multiple sectors.

Our centres are more than just buildings - they're buzzing communities of entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers. An exciting temporary opportunity has arisen for a temporaryCentre Manager at Salford Innovation Forum to cover a period of maternity leave and play a key role in the day-to-day running of one of our flagship innovation centres.

Salford Innovation Forum is located in the heart of Salford's rapidly growing regeneration area, an exciting and fast-developing hub for modern businesses, offering purpose-built office space for teams of all sizes.

Find out more about Salford Innovation Forum here:

This is a fixed-term contract for 6 months, with the possibility of being extended.

What You'll Be Doing

As Centre Manager, you'll be the driving force behind Salford Innovation Forum - leading the team, delivering exceptional service, and ensuring the centre thrives commercially and operationally. You'll:

• Act as a figurehead for the Innovation Forum locally, regionally and nationally, creating success, selling and marketing the product offering whilst enhancing its reputation for excellence.
• Overall management control and accountability for the financial and commercial performance of the centre, and to deliver all aspects of sales, marketing, and operational activities for the centre to attract new customers and ensuring the retention of existing occupiers.
• Cultivate the working partnership between OI Space and our clients to identify and develop areas of collaboration and joint initiatives.
• Deliver a world class service to the Innovation Forum community in facilities, support and collaborative connections and the training and development of centre staff.

Want the full picture? Please see the attached job description for more details on what the role involves.

What You'll Bring:

We're looking for someone who's passionate about innovation, people, and making things happen. You'll bring:

• Proven leadership experience in a customer-focused or service-led environment.
• A commercial mindset with experience in sales, marketing, and budget management.
• Confidence in building relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• A flair for creating welcoming, professional environments - whether from coworking, hospitality, or similar sectors.
• A passion for creating great experiences and building community.

Why You'll Love Working Here:

We offer more than just a job - we offer a place where you can grow, contribute, and be part of something meaningful. Here's what you can expect:

Salary: £38,000-£40,000 per annum, depending on experience, plus flexible benefits package.

Time off: 25 days' holiday + bank holidays.

Flexible benefits: Options to swap salary for extra benefits, including additional holiday.

Wellbeing: Wellbeing days and health resources.

Development: Full induction, buddy system, and ongoing learning opportunities.

Culture: A supportive, inclusive team that values your voice and ideas.

Purpose: A chance to make a real difference in the lives of entrepreneurs and growing businesses.

Got questions? Reach out - we're happy to chat.

We're Committed to Inclusion

We're building a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities. If you're excited about this role but don't meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply - you might be just the person we're looking for.