Commercial Manager (Conference and Events)

Lucy Cavendish College; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals on shift

Pension 6%

Free car parking

Life assurance x3 salary

Cycle to work

Wellbeing programme

College gym

College punt hire

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Lucy Cavendish College in Cambridge invites applications for a Commercial Manager to lead the growth of our conference, events and summer school business. You will own the sales and commercial strategy, work with operations and support teams, and shape in-house programmes to deliver high-quality experiences and strong returns.

The role requires a proven track record in conferences and hospitality, exceptional relationship building, and the ability to convert opportunities into sustainable

Qualifications

• Experience leading conference and events sales or business development.
• Proven ability to develop and execute commercial strategies in hospitality or education.
• Strong relationship-building skills with clients and partners.
• Experience using CRM and event management software to support sales and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Own the sales and commercial strategy for the college's conference and events portfolio.
• Develop and deliver in-house summer school programmes.
• Identify opportunities, convert them into profitable business and manage client relationships.
• Ensure events are delivered to a high standard and achieve strong commercial returns.
• Build long-term partnerships and repeat business with clients and partners.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Event management

Business development

Relationship building

Tools

CRM software

Event management software

Job description

Commercial Manager (Conference and Events)

Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Cambridge, CB3

About Us

Since our founding in 1965, Lucy Cavendish College has led the way in championing inclusion. Originally an institution founded for mature women and which transformed their life chances and gave them professional careers. The College decided to open those opportunities to new groups of under-represented women of all ages from October 2020 and from all ages and genders from September 2021. Lucy is a relaxed, friendly and dynamic community and we are proud to be a driving force of positive change.

The College's mix of traditional and modern buildings present a friendly, but professional atmosphere, combining beauty and tranquillity with modern, up-to-date conference facilities.

About you and the Role

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:

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

Lucy Cavendish College is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse communities that we serve.