Commercial Manager (Conference and Events)

University of Cambridge; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

36 days holiday pro rata

Free meals on shift

6% employer pension

Free car parking

Life assurance x3 salary

Health cash back

Cycle to work

Wellbeing programme

College gym

Punt hire

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Lucy Cavendish College seeks a Commercial Manager to drive the growth of its conference, events and summer school business in Cambridge. You will own the sales and commercial strategy, developing in-house summer school programmes and delivering events to high standards with strong returns.

You will build lasting relationships with clients and partners, translating opportunities into profitable, sustainable business. A background in events/hospitality and CRM systems is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Experience in conference and events, hospitality, business development or similar commercial environment.
• Strong relationship-building and client-management capabilities.
• Experience with process improvement and use of event management software/CRM.

Responsibilities

• Lead growth of the College's conference, events and summer school business.
• Own sales and commercial strategy and develop in-house summer school programmes.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, partners and guests to drive repeat business.
• Ensure events are delivered to a high standard with strong commercial returns.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Commercial Manager to lead the growth and development of the College’s conference, events and summer school business. This is a newly created opportunity for an ambitious individual who can combine strategic thinking with strong commercial acumen and operational leadership.

As Commercial Manager, you will take ownership of the sales and commercial strategy, including the development and delivery of in-house summer school programmes. Working closely with our operations, delivery and support teams, you will identify opportunities, convert them into successful business and ensure events are delivered to a consistently high standard, while achieving strong commercial returns.

A key part of the role will be developing and maintaining strong relationships with prospective and existing clients, partners and guests. You will understand their needs, deliver an excellent customer experience and identify opportunities to encourage repeat business and build long-term partnerships.

We are looking for a confident, commercially driven professional with a strong track record in conference and events, hospitality, business development or a similar commercial environment. You will be an accomplished relationship builder, with the ability to identify new opportunities, develop compelling propositions and turn them into profitable and sustainable business.

You will also bring experience of developing and implementing effective processes, systems and service improvements, together with practical experience of using event management software and CRM systems to support sales, customer relationship management and operational delivery.

Knowledge of the higher education sector and a professional events management or related qualification would be advantageous but not essential.

In return we can offer a benefits package including:

• 36 days holiday pro rata
• Free meals on shift
• A 6% employer contributory pension scheme
• Free car parking (if available)
• Life assurance x3 salary
• A health cash back scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Wellbeing programme including free yoga and bootcamp sessions
• College gym
• College punt hire
• Employee Assistance Programme

Closing date: Sunday 11 October 2026

Interviews: Wednesday 21 October 2026

£40,000 to £45,000 p.a.

Lucy Cavendish College is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse communities that we serve. Candidates are requested to complete the Equality Opportunities Monitoring Form as part of their application. The information provided is anonymous and will not be used in considering your application or given to the selection panel.