Strategic Manager - Etihad Campus

Manchester City Council; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Buy up to two extra weeks’ leave

Volunteer leave

35-hour week for full-time

Pension scheme

Inclusive culture and development

Job summary

Manchester City Council is seeking an inspirational Etihad Campus Strategic Manager to oversee operational and development matters, servicing the Management Company Board and stakeholder engagement.

You will lead a core team and contractors to ensure safety, security, travel planning and high visitor satisfaction at the Etihad Campus. This role requires strategic leadership, financial oversight and strong partnership working across sectors.

Qualifications

• Comprehensive experience managing a major event location and understanding the legislative and policy context.
• Strong track record of successfully managing major leisure destinations.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders across public, private, and voluntary sectors and elected members.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, managing budgets, contracts, and delivering strategic service improvements.
• Knowledge of statutory responsibilities in event management, civil contingencies and visitor destination management.
• Holder of a degree and relevant professional qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead a core team and contractors to deliver high-quality services for partners and visitors.
• Oversee event planning, management and operations across the campus with focus on safety and outcomes for visitors.
• Develop and deliver plans to improve assets, CCTV, lighting, paths and car parking.
• Enhance safety, cleanliness, management, access to and operation of the campus.
• Work with partners on business planning and financial matters to run the campus effectively.
• Ensure governance with Sports City Management Company and strong connectivity across priorities.
• Maintain excellent customer standards and ensure a positive visitor experience.

Skills

Strategic vision

Commercial acumen

Inspirational leadership

Business planning

Commercial mindset

Compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Diversity & inclusion

Education

Degree and professional qualification

Job description

Shape the estate management of the Etihad Campus

This is your chance to shape the estate management of the Etihad Campus. Manchester City Council, on behalf of Sports City Management Company, is looking for an inspiring Etihad Campus Strategic Manager to oversee operational and development matters, servicing of the Management Company Board, performance management and leading stakeholder engagement.

Why This Role Matters

The Etihad Campus is known as a World-Class location for sport and entertainment, currently attracting over 2 million visitors per year to the Etihad Stadium, Co-op Live and our major regional sporting venues. With the completion of further developments such as Medlock Square, the Medlock Hotel and Mamma Mia the Party, this will reinforce this area as a major destination.

As part of this growth, it’s vital that we maintain a positive visitor experience and ensure that issues such as safety and security, operational matters, car parking and travel planning are delivered to a high standard.

We need a strong leader to ensure the smooth operation of the campus, to oversee the business plan and improve the campus for all visitors and partners.

What You’ll Do

Managed by the Director of Neighbourhood Delivery, you will work at a senior level, leading a core team of staff and commissioned services responsible for safety and security, operational services, event planning, travel planning and finance support. You will work with and be accountable to the shadow board/ board of Sports City Management Company (a joint management arrangement between the City Council, Manchester City Football Club and Eastlands Arena Limited) and will develop close working relationships with a wide range of other partners as part of your role.

• Lead with purpose: Provide effective leadership of a core team and contractors, ensuring that services deliver high-quality standards for partners and visitors.
• Be accountable: Lead on event planning, management and operations issues for the campus, achieving all statutory and safety responsibilities focussing on outcomes for visitors.
• Oversee enhancement and improvements: Develop and deliver plans to improve existing assets, including communal spaces, CCTV, lighting, paths and car parking.
• Enhance the environment: Develop opportunities in relation to improving the safety, cleanliness, management, access to and operation of the campus.
• Financial management and business planning: Work with partners and Manchester City Council on business planning and financial matters services to plan and deliver effective management and operation of the campus.
• Proactively lead and engage with partners: Ensure robust governance arrangements are in place for Sports City Management Company and there is strong connectivity across key priorities.
• Champion high standards: Ensure excellent customer standards, ensuring that visitors have an excellent experience and stakeholders are engaged and data and insight is used to understand, plan and address issues.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of the Etihad Campus and enhance the visitor experience for millions of people.

We’re looking for a proven leader who brings:

• Strategic vision and commercial acumen to optimise performance, drive revenue, and deliver value for money.
• Strong financial expertise, including experience managing complex budgets and achieving financial targets.
• Inspirational leadership with the ability to motivate teams, lead change, and foster continuous improvement.
• Business planning skills to develop and implement strategies, performance frameworks, and income generation initiatives.
• Commercial mindset to identify new opportunities and maximise income streams.
• Commitment to compliance, ensuring adherence to legislation, health & safety, and customer care standards.
• Outstanding communication and political awareness, with the ability to influence and build effective partnerships at all levels.
• A strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and Our Manchester Behaviours

In your application, please evidence your experience against the following criteria:

1. 1. Comprehensive experience, knowledge and understanding of how to manage a major event location and the legislative and policy context within which the services operate.
2. 2. A strong track record of successfully managing major leisure destinations
3. 3. Evidence of successfully working with senior stakeholders across public, private, and voluntary sectors and elected members.
4. 4. Experience of leading multidisciplinary teams, managing budgets, contracts, and delivering strategic service improvements
5. 5. Knowledge of the Statutory Responsibilities in relation to event management, civil contingencies and management of a major visitor destination.
6. 6. Hold a Degree and professional qualification/s relevant to the role.

For an informal discussion, please contact either John Rooney [e-mail] or Yvonne O’Malley - Yvonne.O’[e-mail] to arrange a convenient time.

Advert Closes: Sunday 20th September, 23:59

Interviews will be held in person at the Town Hall Extension on 5th October

Working for Manchester City Council is a chance to make a real difference in a diverse city that leads change and improves lives. Whether you’re supporting communities or improving public services, you’ll help create opportunities and shape a better future for everyone

Benefits we offer

• Up to 26 days’ annual leave,rising to 31 days after five years’service
• Buy up to two extra weeks’ leave
• Up to 3 days’ volunteering leave
• A 35-hour work week for full-time roles
• We review pay each year and recognise three trade unions
• TheUK’s largest local government pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave
• Employee discounts andperks
• Good Employment Charter member

For more information about working for Manchester Council, please visit Careers - Manchester City Council

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

Manchester City Council values equality and works to provide a fair and inclusive environment for a workforce that is as diverse as the communities it serves. We want to further increase the diversity of our workforce, in particular the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and disabled staff at all levels of the Council. This advert is open to all applicants, and we would particularly welcome applications from candidates identifying with one or both of those characteristics.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term condition
• Have you completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme or any MCC positive action programmes?

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email [e-mail]

What we will need from you if you're successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

GM Elevate Programme

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme within the last two years, please indicate this within the 'Personal Statement' section or 'Supporting Statement' section of your application.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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