ABOUT THIS JOB

The Head of Events and Commercial Development is responsible for driving all commercial income for the Trust, ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable and continues to serve its community. This senior role will lead on the development and delivery of commercial strategies across venue hire, catering, and ancillary income streams.

They will manage the Event Sales Manager, supporting business planning and the achievement of ambitious sales targets. They will also oversee the Trust’s catering operation, ensuring the offer is diverse and managing our roster of suppliers.

In collaboration with the Head of Programming, the postholder will identify and deliver opportunities to animate and monetise the Trust’s spaces, particularly around seasonal and public programming, maximising food and beverage sales, pop-ups, and other commercial opportunities.

As the Trust receives no ongoing public revenue funding, this role plays a critical part in generating the income needed to sustain the organisation and its work for the benefit of the community.

IS THIS JOB FOR YOU?

We’re looking for a commercially minded events professional with hands-on experience in an arts, cultural, or entertainment environment operationally. You'll have a strong understanding of event sales and the differing needs between corporate, private and artistic or promoter led hires. You’ll bring operational insight and the ability to balance and manage competing priorities across a dynamic, multi-stakeholder organisation.

Your commercial acumen and collaborative mindset will support the continued development of our catering offer, driving income through all-day services, enhancing the public programming and meeting the needs of our commercial clients.

Above all, you’ll be excited by the potential of our venues, and passionate about the role your success will play in advancing the Trust’s broader ambitions and long-term sustainability.

How to apply

To apply for this role please visit www.woolwich.works/jobs-and-opportunities. You will be directed to our portal to complete the online application form no later than 23:59 on Sunday 4^th January 2026 (the ‘closing date’). Interviews for this role will take place on Wednesday 14^th January 2026. If applying, please keep this date free in case you’re shortlisted.

Please submit a cover letter outlining your experience relevant to this role, along with your CV.

We aim to give feedback to anybody who requests it but due to the high number of applications we receive it may take us some time to do so. We will always let you know if you have been unsuccessful and we aim to stick to the time frame outlined in the job advert.

We’re proud of the diversity of our community and aim to build a team that represents it. We therefore particularly welcome applications from people from black, Asian and ethnically-diverse backgrounds, and those identifying as D/deaf or disabled.

As this is a maternity cover position, the successful candidate would be required to take up the position in early March 2026.

RESPONSIBILITIES

We try to make our job descriptions as straightforward and accessible as possible. They’re not intended to set out every duty in detail, but to explain the key responsibilities so that you understand the nature of the job. How you go about doing it will be discussed and agreed between you and your manager on an ongoing basis.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead the Trust’s events business, identifying new market opportunities, forecasting industry trends, and shaping long-term commercial goals aligned with the Trust’s mission.
2. Develop and implement a commercial events sales strategy with the Event Sales Manager that drives growth across both primary and ancillary revenue streams, meeting or exceeding ambitious annual targets.
3. Collaborate with other Heads of Department to align commercial activities with programming, marketing, and public engagement strategies, ensuring the Trust’s wider mission is supported through commercial success.
4. Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including public and private sector partners, funders, trustees, and community organisations, to strengthen the Trust’s commercial position and reputation.
5. Lead all event sales activities, developing a proactive sales approach and cultivating strategic networks to achieve financial targets while ensuring exceptional client care.
6. Develop and manage the Trust’s catering operations to meet monthly income targets. Maximise revenue from the all-day café, bars and pop-up counters. Create attractive catering packages for private events and align catering offers with public programming to generate income year-round.
7. Manage and develop the approved supplier roster, ensuring a diverse, high-quality, and cost-effective supplier base. Prioritise support for local businesses, provide a variety of offerings in terms of scale and affordability, and introduce new services to meet evolving client needs.
8. Oversee the contracting process for all commercial clients, approved suppliers and partners to ensure clear responsibilities, robust contractual outcomes for the Trust, effective risk management and a seamless handover to Event Managers.
9. Collaborate with the production and operations teams to identify and resolve potential issues during the contracting phase, ensuring events are well planned and have strong internal support.
10. Champion the use of Artifax software across the organisation to support all stages of event planning and delivery, ensuring accurate records are maintained. Work with internal Artifax Champions to enhance system knowledge, drive adoption, and implement new features that improve operational effectiveness.
11. Ensure accurate and timely financial management of all events related income and expenditure. This includes prompt invoice requests and tracking, with adherence to all contractual payment terms.
12. Monitor and report on commercial performance, providing regular updates on sales figures, ROI, and client satisfaction. Use insights to inform continuous improvement and strategic decision-making.
13. Input strategically across a range of initiatives, working with Directors and Heads of Department collaboratively and productively.

General responsibilities

1. Lead, support and develop the team, fostering a high-performance culture through clear goals, mentoring, and professional development opportunities.
2. Support the development of future talent by welcoming and mentoring work experience placements, interns and apprentices, creating an inclusive and supportive environment.
3. Take personal responsibility for ongoing learning, undertaking training and professional development as required to meet the evolving needs of the organisation.
4. Ensure full compliance with all relevant legal, licensing, health and safety, safeguarding, and internal policy requirements.
5. Promote and maintain a safe working environment, following the Trust’s Health and Safety Policy and all other relevant policies, procedures and encouraging others to do the same.
6. Undertake designated responsibilities, such as a First Aider, Fire Marshal or Duty Manager if required and appropriately trained.
7. Protect the organisation’s data and information assets, ensuring all work complies with the Trust’s data protection policies and the Data Protection Act 2018.
8. Always act in the best interests of the Trust, complying fully with all relevant organisational policies and procedures.
9. Carry out any other duties reasonably expected of the role.

Essential skills and experience

• A proven ability to deliver both strategically and operationally
• A proven track record of managing high value events
• Experience of project and time management skills
• Able to communicate and work well with a wide range of people with tact and diplomacy and can communicate confidently with key stake holders
• Knowledge and understanding of technical requirements for live events
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Able to work effectively within a team and on own initiative
• Passionate about people, communities, diversity and inclusion

Desirable skills and experience

• Working with Artifax
• Event safety management experience, IOSH Managing Safely qualification or equivalent
• First Aid at Work qualification
• An in-depth knowledge of the Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Experience of working in a start-up situation or setting up procedures and practices
• CAD or floor plan design experience
• Managing a supplier tender process