Business Development Lead, Experience Oxfordshire

Experience Oxfordshire is currently seeking a Business Development Lead.

This exciting new and broad-ranging role is ideal for an experienced Business Development Manager who wants to lead the visitor economy and drive transformational change across Experience Oxfordshire, which will significantly contribute to the organisation’s sustainability.

The DMO seeks someone with significant experience in successful grant application, management, and delivery and strong commercial acumen to develop new revenue opportunities. The role would suit someone looking to join a small, collaborative team with big plans for future growth. The individual should be innovative and creative, with strong partnership skills and a passion for Oxfordshire and the visitor economy.

The Business Development Manager will play a vital role in ensuring the growth and sustainability of Experience Oxfordshire. The role will focus on successful funded programme application and delivery, implementation of new commercial contracts and commissioned services, and ensuring that delivery standards are consistently high while maximising revenue.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead on developing and delivering new income stream opportunities to the organisation.
• Support and enhance existing commercial services across the organisation.
• Develop large-scale funding bids to deliver strong added value for Oxfordshire, addressing the key challenges and priorities for the visitor economy.
• Identify, develop, and implement a new grant programme of activity that highlights new opportunities, managing the process from application to delivery.
• Identify opportunities and secure income for grant-funded projects, operate as project manager for funded projects.
• Work across the organisation to meet and exceed income targets.
• Responsible for applying for and delivering funded programmes to ensure projects are successfully delivered to a high standard, providing demonstrable impact and value for the funder, the destination and stakeholders, whilst maximising revenue for the organisation.
• To be accountable for delivery against agreed financial and service targets.
• Develop and deliver innovative solutions that provide a sustainable revenue stream for the organisation.
• To develop a commercial strategy for a new business that drives additional income through commissioned services, marketing, partnerships, business events, and tour activities.
• Support the development of strategic stakeholder partnerships across the county, identifying opportunities for collaboration on visitor economy projects.
• Ensure that appropriate and accurate management information is available.
• Work across the organisation to ensure services are delivered in a joined-up manner.
• Maintain appropriate internal and external networks.
• Ensure that the activities of commercial services are safe and that they comply with applicable legislation and regulation.
• Ensure that opportunities to generate income are optimised and that services are delivered in a cost-effective and sustainable manner against agreed-upon targets.
• To undertake any such duties commensurate with the post as requested by the CEO.

Key skills & experience:

• Educated to at least degree level or relevant professional or management qualification or 10 years experience in a BDM role.
• Related professional qualification/membership of professional body (commercial, sales, marketing, tourism or business) or equivalent experience (desirable).
• 5-10 years experience in a business development, grants or commercial income-generating role.
• Experience in financial management and control.
• Experience in fundraising and successful grant applications.
• Experience at a senior level in the cultural and/or tourism sectors and an awareness of the political and economic contexts which impact them (desirable).
• Experience in stakeholder management and development, including the tourism, retail and cultural sectors (desirable).
• Experience in working with local and national Government.
• Well connected across Oxfordshire with existing relationships across the visitor economy (desirable).
• Strongly commercial in orientation with a business development or sales and marketing bias.
• Proactively able to identify income-generating opportunities and increase company revenues.
• Excellent judgment and the ability to make evidence-based commercial decisions for the business.
• Well-developed interpersonal sensitivity and skills in managing people and the ability to apply these to working effectively with external stakeholders.
• High personal expectations and tenacity with the ability to take tasks from conception to completion.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Experienced negotiator and influencer who can generate consensus, collaborations and partnerships.
• Highly developed influencing and engagement skills.
• Be accountable with strong financial and commercial awareness.
• Project management skills, including multi-stakeholder projects.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships and Destination Mangement Organisations and awareness of the key issues facing organisations in these sectors (desirable).
• Able to develop effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Commercially astute with a flair for developing services and matching them to markets.
• Personal organisation and prioritising skills.
• Attention to detail and effective financial management.
• Experienced team player.
• Works well under pressure and to deadlines.
• Ability to be resourceful and flexible in response to challenges.
• Flexibility and a willingness to work in the evenings and on weekends when necessary.
• Must be able to access a vehicle for business use for which HMRC mileage rates will be paid, and valid proof of access to a car for business use is required.

How to apply: For further information and to apply for the role, please get in touch with Strong Recruitment or call 0207 706 2915. Applications will require your CV and a cover letter outlining why you are interested and why you think you would be suitable for the role. Please note that applications without a CV will not be considered.