Join Our Team - Venue Hire & Business Development Manager
Purpose of job
To unlock the commercial potential of our iconic venues, creating exceptional events and experiences that support the future of Leeds Heritage Theatres.
Leeds Heritage Theatres is looking for an experienced, commercially driven and ambitious Venue Hire & Business Development Manager to develop and grow our venue hire business across Leeds Grand Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall and Hyde Park Picture House.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape and develop our commercial venue hire offer, maximising the potential of our historic buildings and creating new opportunities for corporate events, conferences, hospitality, weddings, private celebrations and community activities.
You will lead the development of a proactive sales function, identifying new markets, building relationships with corporate and commercial clients, and converting enquiries into profitable bookings. You will develop compelling venue hire packages, establish competitive pricing and create a strong pipeline of new and repeat business.
Alongside business development, you will be the organisational lead for Artifax, our venue management system, ensuring that venue availability, bookings and scheduling are accurately managed across all three venues. You will develop effective systems and processes that improve the customer journey, maximise the use of our spaces and provide the information needed to support commercial and artistic decision-making.
Working collaboratively with colleagues across Programming, Marketing, Finance, Development, Technical and House Management, you will ensure that commercial activity is effectively planned, coordinated and delivered to the highest professional standards.
At Leeds Heritage Theatres, we are proud to be an independent charity that generates the vast majority of the income needed to sustain our work. Every commercial event and venue hire helps us care for our historic buildings, support ambitious artistic programming and create opportunities for people and communities across Leeds to experience the arts.
In this role, you will play an important part in growing our commercial income, strengthening our financial sustainability and establishing our venues as leading destinations for events and hospitality in Leeds.
About you
You are an experienced and commercially minded professional with a passion for business development, exceptional customer service and creating memorable events.
You will bring:
- A proven track record of generating new business and achieving sales or income targets within venue hire, hospitality, events or related sectors.
- Experience of managing the full venue hire sales process, from initial enquiry and client engagement through to negotiation, contracting and operational handover.
- Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to develop pricing strategies, prepare proposals, negotiate contracts and maximise revenue opportunities.
- Experience of building and maintaining relationships with corporate clients, agencies, event organisers and other commercial partners.
- Excellent organisational and planning skills, with experience of managing complex venue bookings, schedules and competing operational priorities.
- Experience of using venue management systems, CRM platforms or similar systems to manage bookings, monitor performance and improve administrative processes.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret sales data, monitor commercial performance and identify opportunities for business growth.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across different departments and with external clients.
You are proactive, highly organised and confident in developing new business opportunities while ensuring that every client receives a professional and welcoming experience.
You will understand how to balance commercial ambition with the operational requirements of a busy, multi-venue organisation and will be motivated by the opportunity to contribute to the long-term sustainability of our historic venues.
For full details of the role please see the job pack.
About us
As a proud Leeds charity at the heart of the city’s cultural life, we inspire connection, nurture talent and make the arts accessible to all.
Across Leeds Grand Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall and Hyde Park Picture House, We present the very best in live performance, music, comedy and film, welcoming around 350,000 audience members each year. We create places where stories are shared, ideas explored and creativity thrives – supporting artists, engaging communities and keeping Leeds’ cultural heartbeat strong.
When we come together, extraordinary things happen. Join us and play your part in shaping something special.
Salary and Benefits
Contract Type: Permanent (subject to probation)
Responsible to: Chief Executive
Salary: £34,805 per annum
Holiday entitlement: 25 days per annum plus bank holidays, increasing after five years
Benefits
- Generous average salary pension scheme
- Regular staff offers and discounts for our venues and local businesses
- Free to use Employee Assistance Programme that supports your health and wellbeing
- Training and professional development opportunities
- Flexible working
Probation Period: Four months
Hours: 37 hours per week
To apply
To apply, please complete our online application form for this role and our diversity monitoring form. Both forms can be found below. Please note, the application form must be completed in a single session. It cannot be saved and resumed later. As well as the standard details such as name, contact information and references, the form includes six questions (all listed below) designed to prompt thoughtful, focused answers to highlight your experience, ability and understanding of the role. Each question has a maximum response limit of 4,000 characters.
(Please note: In a departure from the process set out in the recruitment pack, for this post, you will apply and provide disclosure information through a single online form. Please do not submit a CV and cover letter, as these will not be considered)
The deadline for receipt of applications is Mon 26 October at 9am.
First round interviews will be held on Fri 6 November. Second round interviews will be held on Thu 12 November. Interviews will involve a series of questions and a discussion to demonstrate your experience and approach to commercial venue hire, business development and venue management.
If you need any reasonable adjustments to apply, please contact humanresources@leedsheritagetheatres.com.
Application questions
- Describe your experience of generating new business and achieving sales or income targets within venue hire, hospitality, events or a related sector. Your answer should tell us about the roles you have undertaken, the markets and clients you have worked with, your approach to identifying and converting new business opportunities, and the commercial results you achieved.
- Tell us how you would approach maximising commercial venue hire income across a busy, multi-venue organisation while balancing the needs of artistic programming, operational teams and existing commitments. Your answer should explain how you would assess the commercial potential of different spaces, prioritise opportunities, manage competing demands and work with colleagues to maximise venue utilisation and profitability.
- Describe your experience of building and maintaining successful relationships with corporate clients, agencies, event organisers or other commercial partners. Your answer should include an example of how you managed a client relationship from initial enquiry through to negotiation and securing a booking or contract. Explain how you balanced the client’s requirements with commercial and operational considerations, and how you encouraged repeat business.
- Tell us about your experience of using venue management systems, CRM platforms or other booking and scheduling systems to manage complex operations and improve business performance. Your answer should outline the systems you have used, your responsibilities for maintaining accurate information, and any improvements you have made to booking processes, scheduling, reporting or the customer journey. Please include how you have supported colleagues in using these systems effectively.
- Give us an example of how you have managed multiple events, bookings or commercial activities while working with different teams to ensure successful planning and delivery. Your answer should explain how you managed competing priorities, coordinated colleagues and external partners, communicated operational requirements and resolved any challenges. Tell us how you ensured a successful outcome for both the client and the organisation.
- Describe your experience of using financial information, sales data or management reporting to monitor performance, inform decisions and identify opportunities for commercial growth. Your answer should include examples of how you have monitored income, profitability, sales pipelines, enquiry conversion or venue utilisation. Explain how you used this information to make improvements, influence decisions or achieve commercial targets.
Our organisation is actively seeking applications from people from the global majority and those with a disability.
We are committed to promoting safeguarding and the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. All colleagues have a role in ensuring we are a safe environment and a duty to report concerns in the workplace.