Director of Commercial Enterprise

ST MARY'S CALNE; Calne; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

ST MARY'S CALNE is seeking a Director of Commercial Enterprise to lead and expand non-fee income across the school, the prep, and the sports club. You will shape strategy, build partnerships, and manage lettings, events and services with a dual-use, school-first approach.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will collaborate with senior teams to optimise facilities, drive revenue, and deliver robust commercial plans while ensuring safeguarding, compliance and excellent customer service

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level, ideally with membership of a relevant professional body or with equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Proven leadership in a senior management role.
• Experience in a similar role involving business development, stakeholder and customer engagement, and responsibility for a broad range of facilities and event management.
• Experience of working within an educational environment would be advantageous but is not essential and we welcome applications from candidates with senior management or commercial experience in sectors such as education, sport, leisure, hospitality, events, property or community partnership development.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a robust commercial strategy for dual-use facilities and services across the Schools.
• Identify opportunities to increase income generation through lettings, events, partnerships and ancillary services.
• Lead proposals, contract negotiations and management of external clients for a wide range of activities.
• Prepare business cases, income forecasts and financial models to support ventures and achieve targets.
• Establish performance dashboards, monitor KPIs and report to senior leadership including safeguarding, risk and compliance.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Business development

Stakeholder engagement

Budgeting and financial management

Negotiation and influencing

ICT skills

Education

Degree level education

Professional body membership (relevant)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Summary The Role This is an exciting new role for an experienced, motivated and entrepreneurial Director of Commercial Enterprise who will be instrumental in the achievement of our ambitious five-year development plan by increasing non-fee income through enhanced use of the facilities and assets of St Mary's Calne, St Margaret's Prep and the St Mary's Calne Sports Club, and by building partnerships with external organisations. Working closely with development, academic, marketing, operational and support staff from both schools and the Sports Club, together with external stakeholders, the post-holder will enhance our schools' commercial enterprise capability; develop, review and implement new commercial strategies; and manage commercial and letting activities whilst maintaining a clear focus on the needs of our schools. The role sits within the Operations Team and reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer. Key Responsibilities The post-holder will help define long term strategic commercial development goals, build key client and stakeholder relationships, and identify opportunities to optimise the use of School facilities and resources to increase income generation. They will:

Commercial Strategy

• Work with the COO and SLT to develop and implement a robust commercial strategy, including relevant policy development.
• Act as the School's commercial lead, contributing to discussions at a strategic level and ensuring all initiatives align with school values and strategic priorities.
• Develop a clear understanding of all potential non-fee income generation streams across St Mary's Calne, St Margaret's Prep and the Sports Club, and how buildings, facilities and services can be used and carefully managed to support educational priorities and generate income through a 'dual use, school first' approach.
• Undertake market research to identify, assess and deliver new commercial opportunities including lettings, events, commercial partnerships, education-related services and other revenue generating activities.
• Develop and grow a portfolio of commercial activity, including residential lettings in school holidays, summer schools, Easter revision courses, sports camps, educational programmes, term time sports programmes, conferences and community events.
• Work closely with the Director of Development and Estates Director to help inform campus and capital project planning by identifying commercial opportunities in estate usage.
• Work with the Sports Club Manager to develop and implement a robust income generation strategy for the Sports Club.
• Develop and manage a competitive hire fee structure.
• Establish the operational processes necessary to efficiently facilitate all commercial activities, ensuring careful planning and communication at all times.

Business Development and Marketing

• Drive commercial opportunities, providing vision, inspiration and high professional standards.
• Develop new commercial relationships with potential clients whilst managing current business and develop new and innovative initiatives for commercial development.
• Maintain extensive knowledge of current market conditions, particularly in relation to the commercially marketable assets, facilities and services of the schools and the Sports Club.
• Work with the Marketing and External Relations Team to build brand recognition in all aspects of non-fee income generation, using the appropriate marketing tools to ensure effectiveness of marketing strategies.
• Preparation of business plans, including financial reports and forecasts, ensuring revenue and profit targets are achieved and that occupancy levels reach the maximum in line with commercial strategic targets.
• Work closely with the Marketing and Development Team to develop and promote a cohesive commercial proposition across St Mary's Calne, St Margaret's Prep and the Sports Club, ensuring a consistent and compelling market presence.

Operational Management, Risk and Compliance

• Responsible for coordinating proposals and contract negotiations with external clients.
• Management of all commercial activities across the schools and Sports Club to ensure that provision meets customer expectations and budgetary targets.
• Develop and maintain a commercial performance dashboard, monitoring KPIs including income, profitability, facility utilisation, occupancy, customer satisfaction and pipeline opportunities.
• Develop and regularly review the School's Lettings Policy ensuring compliance at all times.
• Develop reporting procedures and systems for collection of data, monitor performance against strategic and financial targets.
• Prepare regular reports for the Head, COO and Governors, providing analysis of commercial performance, emerging opportunities, risks and recommendations.
• Continual review of practices and procedures to ensure compliance and best practice.
• Ensure services are in place for all commercial activity from across the Operational Team and Sports Club to provide high standards of service provision.
• Attend events or ensure that events are managed by a suitably qualified and competent member of staff.
• Oversee the preparation and maintenance of all commercial documentation, ensuring legal compliance and brand alignment.
• Ensure full compliance with all Health & Safety regulations and good practice for all commercial activity and keep abreast of relevant legislation.
• Conduct or commission risk assessments for all external bookings and events.
• Ensure GDPR, insurance, and safeguarding requirements are met for all commercial activity.
• Line management of the Commercial Enterprise Administrator.

Finance Management

• Work closely with the Assistant Bursar to effectively plan and manage commercial budgets.
• Prepare business cases, income forecasts, and financial models to support proposed ventures.
• Establish annual commercial targets and measurable success criteria aligned to the Schools' strategic priorities and five-year development plan.
• Lead the setting and monitoring of commercial budgets, KPIs, and profit margins, ensuring cost-efficiency and sustainability.
• Develop and maintain pricing structures, concession policies, and service level agreements.

Stakeholder Management

• Ensure careful planning and communication with all stakeholders in relation to commercial projects and events.
• Act as an Ambassador for both schools and the Sports Club, building and nurturing strong relationships with key stakeholders, including parents, staff, community groups, and corporate partners.
• Working closely with the COO and Estates Team, contribute to the development brief for future capital projects to ensure that facilities optimise the long‑term dual/commercial use of School facilities.
• Work closely with the Estates Director to ensure that commercial activities do not conflict with the regular maintenance programme.
• Work with academic, pastoral and Sports Club colleagues to identify and develop summer schools, Easter courses, sports camps, enrichment programmes and other holiday and term time activities that generate income whilst enhancing the schools' reputation.

Person Specification Skills, Qualifications and Attributes

• Educated to degree level, ideally with membership of a relevant professional body or with equivalent relevant professional experience.
• A proven track record of successful leadership in a senior management role.
• Experience in a similar role involving business development, stakeholder and customer engagement, and responsibility for a broad range of facilities and event management.
• Experience of working within an educational environment would be advantageous but is not essential and we welcome applications from candidates with senior management or commercial experience in sectors such as education, sport, leisure, hospitality, events, property or community partnership development.
• Excellent commercial awareness and a track record of developing strategies to deliver commercial growth and increase income generation.
• Proactive, entrepreneurial and strategically minded, with the ability to plan workloads and projects effectively, work independently and take ownership of key initiatives.
• Highly numerate with experience producing business cases, setting and managing budgets and performance targets, monitoring progress and reporting to senior leadership.
• High levels of tact, diplomacy, and discretion, with excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation and influencing skills to build productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a busy and varied workload, remain calm under pressure, with a positive, solution-focused and flexible mindset and the confidence to make decisions, evaluate performance and pursue continuous improvement.
• Strong ICT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office functionality.
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends and a strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the safety, health and wellbeing of children and young people.

The closing date for applications is 30 September 2026.

• Educated to degree level, ideally with membership of a relevant professional body or with equivalent relevant professional experience.
• A proven track record of successful leadership in a senior management role.
• Experience in a similar role involving business development, stakeholder and customer engagement, and responsibility for a broad range of facilities and event management.
• Experience of working within an educational environment would be advantageous but is not essential and we welcome applications from candidates with senior management or commercial experience in sectors such as education, sport, leisure, hospitality, events, property or community partnership development.
• Excellent commercial awareness and a track record of developing strategies to deliver commercial growth and increase income generation.
• Proactive, entrepreneurial and strategically minded, with the ability to plan workloads and projects effectively, work independently and take ownership of key initiatives.
• Highly numerate with experience producing business cases, setting and managing budgets and performance targets, monitoring progress and reporting to senior leadership.
• High levels of tact, diplomacy, and discretion, with excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation and influencing skills to build productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a busy and varied workload, remain calm under pressure, with a positive, solution-focused and flexible mindset and the confidence to make decisions, evaluate performance and pursue continuous improvement.
• Strong ICT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office functionality.
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends and a strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the safety, health and wellbeing of children and young people.