Head of Commercial

Swimming; Charnwood; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Swim England, based in Loughborough, is seeking a Head of Commercial to lead revenue growth and strategic partnerships across the Swim England group. You will shape commercial strategies, build relationships with sponsors and brand partners, and drive end-to-end deal delivery from pitching to negotiation and delivery.

The role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and a proven track record in commercial growth, with expectations to travel nationally and manage a high-performing team.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of delivering commercial growth and revenue opportunities.
• Experience building and executing commercial strategies and plans.
• Strong business and project management skills with multiple priorities.
• Innovative and commercially minded with ability to identify opportunities.
• Excellent communication, influencing and presentation skills for senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and delivery of commercial strategies to increase revenue and market share across Swim England group.
• Identify and develop new products, services and revenue opportunities with ROI.
• Monitor markets and trends to identify opportunities for new products and partnerships.
• Develop and maintain relationships with sponsors and brand partners; manage contractual obligations.
• Lead and develop the commercial team to translate strategies into day-to-day activity.
• Monitor performance and implement solutions to improve revenue and business results.
• Communicate compelling value propositions to clients and internal teams.
• Collaborate with marketing, sponsorship, and distribution teams to implement strategies.
• Oversee end-to-end partnership process from ideation to negotiation and delivery.
• Engage external stakeholders and understand member/operator needs for partnerships.

Skills

Commercial strategy

Revenue growth

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Financial planning

Business planning

Project management

Communication & presentation

Autonomy

National travel

Education

Degree calibre or equivalent commercial experience

Job description

Swim England based in Loughborough is seeking a Head of Commercial to join their team.

Based at SportPark, Loughborough (Minimum 2x Days per Week) 35 Hours a Week (Mon-Fri).

About the Role We are looking for a commercially focused and strategic Head of Commercial to lead the development and delivery of commercial strategies that increase income and market share across the Swim England group of companies. This role will play a central part in identifying new revenue opportunities, developing existing commercial products and services, and building strong relationships with sponsors, brand partners and other stakeholders.

You will drive sustainable commercial growth across areas including sponsorship, brand partnerships, merchandise and awards. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will lead commercial planning, develop strategic partnerships and oversee the end-to-end deal process from opportunity identification and pitching through to negotiation and delivery. You will also lead and develop the commercial team, ensuring strategies are translated into effective day-to-day activity and measurable results.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of commercial strategies to increase revenue and market share across the Swim England group of companies
• Identify and develop new and existing products, services and revenue opportunities that deliver a sustainable return on investment
• Monitor markets and emerging trends, identifying opportunities for new products, services and strategic partnerships
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with sponsors and brand partners, ensuring contractual obligations and commercial commitments are delivered
• Lead and motivate the commercial team, providing guidance, mentorship and support to drive performance and results
• Monitor commercial performance, identify challenges and implement solutions to improve revenue and business performance
• Develop and communicate compelling value propositions to clients, partners and internal stakeholders
• Work collaboratively with marketing, digital, sponsorship, business engagement and distribution teams to ensure commercial strategies are effectively implemented
• Work with the Senior Leadership Team to manage the end-to-end partnership process, including ideation, pitching, due diligence, structuring and negotiation
• Build strong relationships with external stakeholders, developing an understanding of the needs of members, operators, pool owners and non-traditional partners
• Support business planning, KPI development and financial planning to drive commercial performance

Skills and Experience Essential

• Proven track record of delivering commercial and revenue growth and identifying new business opportunities
• Experience developing and delivering strong commercial strategies and plans
• Strong business and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver against objectives
• Innovative and commercially minded, with the ability to identify, evaluate and execute new opportunities
• Excellent communication, influencing and presentation skills, with the confidence to engage senior stakeholders and external partners
• Experience leading, motivating and developing teams
• Strong understanding of business planning, KPIs and financial planning
• Ability to work autonomously while collaborating effectively across teams and stakeholders
• Strong commercial judgement, with an understanding of risk and reward and the ability to apply appropriate commercial methodologies
• Highly organised, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and manage time effectively
• Degree calibre or equivalent commercial experience
• Willingness to travel nationally on an ad-hoc basis

Desirable

• Experience securing and managing sponsorship and brand partnerships
• Understanding of the sports and leisure sector