Senior Commercial Manager

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty; East Dean; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 10%

Free entry to National Trust places

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Job summary

The National Trust is seeking a Senior Commercial Manager to lead the Birling Gap retail and food & beverage operations in East Dean. You will drive income, profitability and service quality, while managing a large team of staff and volunteers and ensuring compliance with health and safety policies.

You will report to the Commercial Area Manager and play a pivotal role in supporting the charity’s purpose, with responsibilities across product quality, stock control and visitor experience

Qualifications

• Experience leading large commercial teams in hospitality environments.
• Strong knowledge of Food & Beverage and Retail operations with multi-outlet experience.
• Proven ability to drive income, manage budgets and improve profitability.
• Comfortable using KPIs and data to inform decisions and solve issues.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the retail and food & beverage operations at Birling Gap, ensuring strong commercial performance.
• Drive income and maximise profitability while delivering an outstanding visitor experience.
• Develop and lead a large team of staff and volunteers, focusing on safety and compliance.
• Monitor stock, labour deployment and production planning to maintain high presentation standards.

Skills

Leadership

F&B operations

Retail operations

Data-driven decisions

Stakeholder management

Job description

We are looking for an ambitious and commercially astute Senior Commercial Manager with extensive experience in hospitality to lead our retail and food and beverage operations at Birling Gap, delivering outstanding results while helping to support the National Trust's charitable purpose. Reporting to the Commercial Area Manager you will lead a large commercial team of up to 50 staff and volunteers, whilst working closely with wider property team. This a full-time position including weekends and bank holidays on a rota basis.

This is an exciting opportunity to combine commercial leadership, outstanding compliance, operational excellence and people development in an iconic environment where the success of our business directly contributes to the conservation of one of the UK's most special places.

Birling Gap is a unique and distinctive landmark set within the South Downs National Park welcoming visitors from across the globe 363 days a year. You will be responsible for prioritising improvement opportunities and driving consistent enhancements to service quality and the overall visitor experience across the property.

What it's like to work here

Working for the National Trust offers the opportunity to combine a rewarding commercial leadership career with a meaningful purpose.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Lead and drive significant commercial operations.
• Develop and inspire a talented team of staff and volunteers.
• Make a tangible contribution to the visitor experience.
• Influence commercial performance and innovation.
• Play an important part in supporting the conservation of our special places.

What you'll be doing

As Senior Commercial Manager, you will take overall responsibility for the performance and development of the large commercial operation, encompassing retail and food and beverage at our Birling Gap site.

You will be responsible for driving income, maximising profitability, developing high-performing teams and ensuring visitors enjoy an exceptional experience every time they visit. You will ensure that the commercial operations are run safely and compliantly adhering to health and safety and National Trust policies. You will be accountable for maintaining product quality, food safety, efficient labour deployment, stock control and production planning and consistent high presentation standards across all commercial operations.

Who we're looking for

• Experienced senior leader with a track record of developing high-performing management teams and delivering commercial success.
• Knowledgeable about Food & Beverage and/or Retail operations, including multi-outlet environments and service delivery.
• Commercially astute, with experience of driving income growth, managing budgets, controlling costs and improving profitability.
• Confident using data, KPIs and performance insight to inform decisions and solve operational challenges.
• Experienced in delivering exceptional customer service and creating outstanding visitor experiences.
• Skilled communicator who can build strong relationships and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience in food safety, allergen management, licensing, health and safety and compliance requirements.
• Passionate about supporting and developing people, creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

National Trust place

South Downs, Birling Gap, East Dean, BN20 0AB

Documents

Senior Commercial Manager - D.pdf

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Additional information

Closing Date: 22 November 2026

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here .

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.