THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED
28,000 - 32,000 per year
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Full-time
8th January 2026
Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) is looking for a highly motivated Development Officer with experience to join the small but dedicated Development Team to raise funds to retore and preserve the Gardens for the benefit of everyone now, and for future generations. Role Title Development Officer Contract Type January 2026, full time, permanent Team Reports to Salary Development Development Director £28,000 - £32,000 gross per annum Purpose of Role This exciting new role is vital to increase the income generating capacity of BBG’s Development Team to enable the charity to deliver its purpose and major development over the next 4+ years. In July BBG was awarded an NLHF grant of £9.075m, and has successfully raised over 90% of the capital funds needed. The priority is to close the capital funding gap in accordance with our fundraising strategy and increase funding for other projects and the day-to-day operation the charity, long term. BBG receives no public subsidy and must raise all income from visitors, trading, events and fundrais- ing. The Development Officer post has been created to increase fundraised income for the charity, cultivating and stewarding an expanded and sustained funding and supporter base. In line with current priorities, the postholder will be required to raise commercial sponsorship in- come, and income from major donors/individuals to meet capital and operational targets/KPI’s. The postholder will be expected to create sponsor/donor packages, deliver cultivation events and stew- ard donors and supporters on all aspects of fundraising as directed. The postholder will have experi- ence of managing sponsorship agreements to ensure value, compliance and delivery of benefits. The role will share responsibility for the management of data, compliance and stewardship of growing funding streams and support the administration of the Development Function. The Development Team raises and manages funds from grants, trusts and foundations, individuals, organisations, business, legacies, etc, and the new postholder will work with the highly effective and dedicated team of Development Director and Development Manager and with the wider BBG team. Key Responsibilities • Achieve income and performance targets in accordance with BBG’s agreed Fundraising Strategy and business needs, as directed by the Development Director. • Raise funding with compelling case for support from sponsors/from individuals, to meet the targets of the Major project, and fundraising from other sources such as grants, as agreed. • Contribute to managing BBG’s development/fundraising function data, ensuring accuracy of data and information on BBG’s Spektrix/CRM system to comply with internal requirements and the Data Protection Act. • Work with Horticultural, Marketing, Learning & Engagement, Finance Teams and other staff to formulate proposals, maximising opportunities for raising funds to support core functions and projects, once the capital is secured. • Manage funding contracts with sponsors and those of all Development funders -including payment schedules, high quality impact reports, monitoring and compliance with any condi- tions of funding. • High quality personalised stewarding of all donors and supporters, ensuring BBG’s reputa- tion as an exemplary charity is maintained. Respectful approach in all fundraising. • Research and cultivating funding prospects and submitting high quality well-researched ap- plications, securing new supporters and interest within the wider funding strategy. • Work with Marketing to manage fundraising messaging and communications, including digi- tal, print and press coverage, all in accordance with fundraising regulation. Liaise with BBG Finance staff to ensure reporting meets BBG’s wider business and charitable requirements. • Liaise with BBG Finance to ensure reporting meets BBG’s business/charitable requirements. • Support with organising relevant cultivation events/visits to the Gardens, special thanks and stewardship delivery outcomes, talks, events, tours and hospitality. • Maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, and industry codes of practice on fundraising. Ensure compliance with the Charities Act, Data Protection Act and Fundraising Regulator Codes of Conduct and Best Practice. Conduct due diligence. • Manage any volunteers working in support of the development function at BBG. • Deliver donor benefits and acknowledgements. • Demonstrate a commitment to working as a member of the BBG team, assisting with other activities, sometimes working overtime and in the evenings. • Be happy, confident and proactive in developing Development and Fundraising relationships, in person, beyond the Gardens’ boundaries and representing the charity externally. • Demonstrate an active commitment to Equality, Diversity and inclusion. • The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and the postholder will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by their changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation. Person Specification Area Essential Desirable Knowledge • Knowledge of sponsorship process in a charity, associated contractual and compliance/issues • Knowledge of different types of fundraising - sponsorship, trusts, grants, individual giving, memberships, and major gifts, legacies • Knowledge and experience of fundraising and of charitable income with targets and ouptputs • Knowledge of and demonstrable integrity in fundraising, awareness of due diligence Experience • Strong experience working in a fundraising capacity, including sponsorship, individual giving • Evidence of success in raising funds and delivery of funder benefits, 6 figure sums • Experience of data management/CRM systems and funder reporting • Experience of managing sponsors/donors and high standards of stewardship • Experience of working with marketing/process of comms/ delivery of funding benefits • An understanding of the not-for- profit sector, preferably knowledge/interest in the botanical heritage and environmental sectors • Knowledge of Fundraising Regulation, GDPR, Gift Aid, Tax, Charity Governance and Code of Practice • Passion for plants, science, and the environment • Successful fundraising for garden, heritage, science, horticultural or related charitable subject matter • Experience of prospect research • Experience of using Spektrix/CRM system or similar • Experience of project and grant reporting and funding management Qualifica- tions • Degree-educated or with demonstrable experience of in-depth understanding of fundraising in an independent charitable organisation. • English and Maths GCSE/equivalent, Grade 4/C or above • Degree and Postgraduate Fundraising qualification • In-service fundraising training • Membership of Chartered Institute of Fundraising Skills • Ability to define charitable benefits and outputs to create sponsorship deals, including terms and finan- cial arrangements. • Experience of making compelling case for support for projects and fundraising. • The ability to create, plan, execute, and oversee spon- sorship proposal/activities from start to finish. • Excellent IT skills and data management experience, databases and data analysis. • Numeracy skills, and excellent communication writ- ten and verbal, with high standards of accuracy, and attention to detail. • Understanding the Environmental and sustainability context for fundraising. • An understanding of marketing principles; Understsanding of business trends/sponsorship opportunities. What we can offer: • Pension through Royal London • 24hour Employee Assistance Programme through BUPA • An extra day of annual leave for your birthday! • Company sick pay • Free parking is generally available onsite • Tea/Coffee and cold drinks provided during the working day • Discounts & Tickets: 20% discount in the gift shop; 10% discount in the Cafe; tickets for immediate family into the Gardens and special offers for one-off events throughout the year Enquiries: If you have any questions, wish to have an informal discussion about the role, or would like access support to apply for this role in a different way, please email jobs@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk To apply: Please send your CV and covering letter to jobs@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk Application deadline: 8th January 2026 Interviews: Likely to be later in January Alternative dates for interview will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Online interviews will be considered on request to accommodate specific travel or access needs.
THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED
50,000 - 55,000 per year
Birmingham
Full-time
14th January 2026
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.
THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED
50 - 55 per year
Birmingham
Full-time
14th January 2026
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. Use of AI in Applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in our vacancy and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. We do not use AI as part of our recruitment process.