Director of Commercial Operations & Hospitality Services

Location: St John’s Campus

Closing Date: Tuesday 28 May 2024

The post holder will be responsible for the generation of commercially viable opportunities relating to university facilities and providing high quality and efficient services to students, staff, and visitors. The post holder will seek to maximise the income generation from the university accommodation the university buildings and the wider university estate whilst, at the same time, providing efficient services relating to student accommodation, cleaning operations and catering provision. 

Background

The University of Worcester has a large estate with outstanding facilities across three campuses located in the historic City of Worcester, and a rural campus located in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside.

City Campus is home to our recently renovated ‘Art House’ creating an innovative and experimental home for Arts in Worcester, and the Charles Hastings Building, where the British Medical associated was founded in 1832. 

Severn Campus is home to the award-winning University of Worcester Arena – the first purpose designed arena to include the wheelchair athlete – a large gym, specialist strength and conditioning facilities, performance analysis suites and modern study facilities. This campus is also home to the Three Counties Centre for Health and Wellbeing with state-of-the-art simulation and visualisation facilities, and advanced laboratories. 

Our St John’s Campus provides extensive sports facilities including our Motion Performance Centre – delivering scientific support, applied research and consultancy in sports and health, a large Sports Hall, gym, and two AstroTurf sports pitches. The campus is also home to our drama studio, science laboratories, a Forensic Science House, Ability House and nursing simulation centre. 

Lakeside Campus is a 50-acre site providing outstanding outdoor education and sport and exercise facilities. 

The University operates over 1,000 rooms in the student residences located at City and St John’s campuses, and a short-stay residence. The residences are highly inclusive with notably extensive facilities for people with a mobility impairment. 

Teaching and research take place across all the campuses and facilities include laboratories, an environmental chamber and growing simulation facilities. These increasingly sophisticated facilities may also be used for continuing professional development and advanced, as well as initial, professional education.

All of these facilities are owned by the University and there is extensive parking at each of the campuses. 

There is also an extensive catering operation at the University provided through a contract service. This operation is available to support events at the University.  

The University wishes to appoint a Director who will lead the effective utilisation of these facilities for educational, community and commercial purposes. The Director will lead a programme of activity resulting in a significant increase in the University’s income from the Estate as well as much improved utilisation for student educational and student society purposes. The Director will bring a ‘commercial eye and edge’ to the University’s use of the Estate, and a clear vision for utilisation of our Estate. The Director’s work will lead to a significant increase in the revenues generated from activities including sports tournaments, residential summer schools, conference, sports and arts campus and events of many kinds. 

Wherever possible income generating activity should support the University’s primary purposes and increase the University’s beneficial social and community impact.

This post requires an individual who will be able to work closely, imaginatively, and sensitively with senior staff at the University to maximise the use of these facilities whilst balancing competing priorities.

For informal queries relating to this role, please contact Rob Bonham, Pro Vice Chancellor of Finance & Resources via email r.bonham@worc.ac.uk

Further details:   Job Description     Person Specification