Job Title:

Director of Enterprise

Remuneration:

£50-55k gross per annum

Line Manager:

Chief Executive

Role reviewed:

03.12.2025

Direct Reports:
and Operations Manager; Marketing Manager; Visitor Programmes
Coordinator)

4 (Commercial and Retail Manager; Venue Sales

Approximate Budget Responsibility: circa £1.75m

About Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Birmingham  Botanical  Gardens  (BBG)  is  one  of  the  UK’s  most  significant  historic  Botanic
Gardens.  Situated  one  mile  from  the  city  centre,  the  15-acre  Grade  II*  listed  landscape  is
home  to  around  30,000  plants  and  has  served  as  ‘Birmingham’s  Garden’  for  nearly  two
hundred years.

Following  a  successful  funding  award  from  the  National  Lottery  Heritage  Fund,  the
independent charity is embarking upon a transformational £19.45 million project, ‘Growing our
Green  Heritage’,  to  restore  the  Gardens’  glasshouses,  enhance  visitor  infrastructure  and
amenities, improve sustainability and expand public access to education, horticulture, heritage
and nature in a unique green space in the heart of the Midlands’ region. Over the next five
years, this iconic Birmingham green space will safeguard and redisplay its world-class living
collection and deepen the connection between local people and their urban natural heritage.

Key Responsibility

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Director of Enterprise will be responsible for the delivery
of  key  corporate  objectives  at  both  the  strategic  and  operational  level  to  help  ensure  that
Birmingham Botanical Gardens is consistently operating as a sustainable, efficient, effective
and safe organisation. This will include the following functions:

•  Lead and manage the development of profitability through:

o  Birmingham Botanical Gardens Trading Company retail outlets and any

forthcoming online channels

o  Catering, hospitality and venue hire
o  Retail opportunities
o  Licensing, filming and commercial photography
o  Ticketed public events
o  Admission services (in partnership with Visitor Welcome Team)
o  Marcomms strategy
o  Corporate sponsorship
o  Effective management of digital systems (inc. Spektrix, Vector, YesPlan)

•  Ensure a high-quality and sustainable visitor attraction through maintaining and

improving the Visit England VAQAS accreditation, Green Tourism status and building
a culture centred on optimising the customer experience in retail, catering and
hospitality.

•  Actively lead and manage BBG procurement, including catering contracts and

service level agreements across the Gardens and ensure performance measures
and quality standards are achieved.

•  Develop new income streams through maximising commercial use of the BBG estate

and increase the development and delivery of ticketed public events.

•

Identify commercial sponsorship opportunities and develop a pipeline of corporate
contacts for BBG.

•  Seek opportunities to build a lucrative licensing, filming and commercial photography

proposition.

•  Oversee all Marcomms strategies and associated work to ensure maximum coverage
and support of BBGs work, visitor offer and programme (inc all relevant platforms
and including Travel Trade/Tours).

•

Increase the Trading Company’s contribution to BBG annually.

•  Develop and maintain high quality marketing materials in line with BBG brand
guidelines and grow awareness of the impact of the Gardens activities on
achievement of BBGs mission and vision via social media.

•  Work with the CEO to develop sales and business development reports, business
plans and budgets to feed into the business planning process, and BBG corporate
plans as required.

•  Work closely with colleagues across BBG to ensure that internal and external events
support the wider work of BBG and guarantee a seamless and professional customer
journey from initial sales enquiry to event completion.

•  Liaise with the Development team to ensure collaborative working, shared knowledge
on pipeline and lead generation activities and up to date data on agreed CRM system
solution.

•  Ensure that, within legislation and BBG guidance, all relevant health and safety

documentation/ arrangements are in place as required for events or other activities
which fall within the remit of this role.

•  Ensure the professional development of Enterprise staff including annual workplans,

effective performance appraisals and adoption of a coaching approach.

•  Any other reasonable duties as requested.

As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), this role will lead and manage all the
income  and  business  support  operations  and  will  be  responsible  for  ensuring  that  relevant
frameworks for strategic business planning, performance delivery and risk management are
established, implemented, and monitored.

Staff Organogram

NLHF funded roles in purple

Key Objectives:

•  To design, develop and lead the delivery of a comprehensive Commercial Development
Programme, to promote commercial and operational performance outcomes and culture,
champion  employee  involvement  and  engagement,  and  ensure  an  ethos  of  continuous
improvement  and  collaborative  working  is  embedded  into  work  practices  to  improve
business performance.

•  To establish a Revenue Generation culture for the organisation that maximises revenue
and  profitability  through  innovative  and  entrepreneurial  approaches,  whilst  maintaining
control  over  expenditure  and  the  charity’s  ‘carbon  footprint’,  thereby  enabling  the
organisation  to  increase  income,  create  surpluses  and  operate  on  an  affordable  and
sustainable basis.

•  To  develop  and  deliver  a  Strategic  Commercial  and  Corporate  Partnership  Plan  to
provide  the  organisation  with  additional  sources  of  income  and  funding  to  support  the
delivery of its charitable objects.

•  To  support  the  CEO  and  SLT  in  the  design  and  delivery  of  effective  and  innovative
Business Support Services to deliver the corporate plan, including strategic planning,
research,  corporate  governance,  corporate  communications  and  estates  management,
which ensures the organisation is appropriately resourced and managed, providing high
quality services and meeting its statutory responsibilities.

Core Responsibilities

1. Corporate Leadership

A key feature of this role is working in partnership and collaboratively with the Chief Executive
and fellow Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to:

•

Contribute to the development of commercial and corporate strategies and plans

Lead  and  manage  the  contractual  relationships  with  strategic  external  commercial
reporting,

•
partners
communications, offer, visitor experience and customer feedback.

food  and  beverage/visitor  programme  etc),

include

(inc.

to

•
Provide  clear  and  regular  communication,  overall  leadership  and  direction  for  the
implementation  of  corporate  strategies  in  the  commercial  department  and  throughout  the
organisation

Promote a positive culture as a role model of key organisational values and behaviours

•
and communicate, motivate and inspire people to deliver

Lead  and  manage  multi-disciplinary  programme  and  project  management  teams
•
across the organisation to ensure the effective communication, co-ordination and delivery of
strategic and operational plans and achievement of shared outcomes

Support  the  continued  culture  change  from  departments  working  separately  to
•
departments working across and together for the improvement of the organisation as a whole
and act as a role model and lead by example to drive culture change towards an integrated
organisation which works together across departments

Identify,  where  possible,  ways  of  creating  a  more  efficient  organisation  structure

•
without affecting the quality of service and experiences provided to visitors

2. Strategic Development and Performance

Lead the delivery of the organisation’s commercial strategic planning, programme and
•
operational delivery and frameworks – including research, intelligence and performance, risk
and financial management

Lead  the  development  of  the  organisations  commercial  culture,  managing  change
•
programmes, motivating and ensuring staff engagement at all levels and driving continuous
improvement in service delivery

•
Develop  and  co-ordinate  delivery  of  the  income  generation  strategy  across  the
organisation,  developing  and  presenting  the  case  for  investment  in  the  organisation  by  a
variety of supporters

Lead effective employee engagement providing effective channels, clear messaging

•
and mechanisms for feedback

Develop  and  maintain  positive  working  relationships  with  Development  and
•
Fundraising  colleagues  to  ensure  compliance  with  relevant  guidance,  responsiveness  to
requests for information and maximising grant-in-aid

3. Commercial Partnerships and Communications

Lead the development and implementation of a corporate communications strategy to
•
influence opinion and build the staff, public and stakeholder’s understanding and support of
the Gardens role and impact through effective PR, media management and internal/external
communications

•
Co-ordinate  a  revenue  generation  culture  whereby  the  Gardens  can  increase
opportunities  of  creating  and  maximising  revenue  and  profitability  through  innovative  and
entrepreneurial approaches

•
Innovatively  identify  opportunities  of  retail,  ticketing,  catering,  GAOE,  sponsorship,
venue hire and corporate/visitor initiatives to drive a focus on revenue growth and efficiency
for the organisation moving forward

•
Develop  and  maintain  proactive  working  relationships  with  key/senior  stakeholders
across a variety of supporters, building strategic alliances and collaborative partnerships to
further corporate positioning and the Gardens role in the wider repositioning of Birmingham
and the West Midlands

Develop  partnerships  and  collaboration  with  organisations  to  ensure  efficiency  in

•
business support service delivery

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

Educated to degree level or with at least 3 years in a senior management role with experience
in organisational development, change management and leading commercial services

Skills

Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to convey the vision to internal teams and external
partners and stakeholders

Demonstrable experience of delivering profitable functions in the following:

•
•
•
•
•
•

Catering, hospitality and venue hire
Ticketed public events
Visitor admissions
Retail
Licensing, filming and commercial photography
Corporate sponsorship

Demonstrable  track  record  of  personally  leading  and  managing  organisational  growth  and
change initiatives and/ or embedding new ways of working

Excellent negotiating, influencing and communication skills with a range of stakeholders and
external organisations and the ability to produce clear, concise and objective written reports
and presentations to communicate effectively at all levels

Ability to manage workloads and conflicting priorities to meet SLT/Trustee reporting targets,
project deadlines and provide an effective customer driven service

Demonstrable
organisational and commercial services

record  of

track

leading,  communicating,  managing  and

improving

Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders, both internal and external to the
organisation, to achieve successful outcomes

Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

Personal Licence (APLH)

Skills

Strong leadership and motivational qualities – demonstrating ability to provide strategic insight
and act with integrity

Ability to balance operations with capital project responsibilities

Ability to lead change programmes and adapt to change in real time

Specialist experience in large scale commercial activities

Ability to balance an enabling and flexible approach against policy or process compliance

Ability to analyse information and data and make sound judgments whilst managing risk

Personal drive and determination to succeed

Key competencies

Strategic Leadership

Commercial Focus

Demonstrates proven ability in shaping the
strategic commercial direction of an
organisation. Demonstrates ability to create
and contribute to a culture of innovation and
continuous improvement to build a flexible
and responsive organisation to support
strategy implementation

Demonstrates ability to make efficient,
effective and economic use of resources.

Leading and communicating

Collaborating and partnering

Making effective decisions

Creates an environment to deliver
operational excellence and creates the most
appropriate and cost-effective delivery
models to ensure optimum service delivery.
Ensures mechanisms are in place for the
effective corporate governance of the
organisation

Demonstrates the ability to establish a
strong and clear direction and a persuasive
future vision. Using leadership, motivation,
regular communication and influencing skills
to promote understanding and agreement,
both with staff as well as external
stakeholders, to secure mutually beneficial
outcomes. Promotes a culture of delegation
and empowerment of staff

Demonstrates the ability to create and
maintain positive, professional and trusting
working relationships with a wide range of
stakeholders to achieve business objectives
and goals. Ensures collaboration and has
the ability to build constructive teams and
partnerships for business/ organisational
benefit

Demonstrates the ability to utilise data
information and create evidence-based
strategies, evaluating options, impacts, risks
and solutions to maximize return and
minimise risk; balancing financial,
economic, social, political and
environmental considerations to provide
sustainable outcomes

BENEFITS

Pension: 4% Pension with Royal London

Annual Leave: 25 days plus bank holidays, and 1 extra day for your birthday

Staff discounts in the retail shop, café, and offers/free entry to events at BBG

24h Employee Assistance Programme through BUPA

Company sick pay

Free on-site parking

This position can be a hybrid role

SELECTION PROCESS

Application is by submission of CV and covering letter responding to the job description.

The Gardens will carry out an initial paper-based shortlist assessment of candidate
applications against the criteria specified in this document.

The Gardens will then invite short-listed candidates to attend a first stage experience,
presentation and competency-based interview to assess candidates’ suitability for the role.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Gardens reserves the right to move to
desirable criteria.

The final shortlist will be established by the Gardens and individuals successful at initial
stages will be invited to final stage assessment process which will include assessment and
at least one interview with the Chief Executive and representatives from the Board of
Trustees.

Full details will be provided to all candidates in letter of invitation to each stage of the
process.

Proposed dates for the delivery of the recruitment process:

Closing date: 12 noon, 14th January 2026

Short-listing: w/c 19th January 2026

1st stage interview: w/c 2nd February 2026

Final stage assessment: w/c 9th February 2026

Please note that these timeframes are indicative and provided for information purposes only
at this stage.

Further information/Queries:

Should you have any queries relating to any aspect of this appointment process or the
content of this document, or wish to have an informal discussion please contact:

Cat Haines, HR Manager via jobs@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk

Please also ask if you would like access support to apply for this role in a different
way.