Business Development Manager

The Friars, Aylesford, Kent

c. £28k – (4 days a week)

About Us
The Friars, Aylesford is a medieval priory with a Marian Shrine at its heart, home to a religious community of Carmelite Friars, set in 44 acres of beautiful grounds. It operates as a pilgrimage and retreat centre with a guest house, conference suites, tea room, gift shop and dining facilities, attracting over 100,000 visitors a year.

Job Description
Due to one of our managers retiring we are pleased to offer this superb opportunity for an experienced manager with a proven track record to join and support our small, successful, dedicated management team. A key task is to improve the profitability of our business activities and so provide future investment in our charitable objectives. This is to be achieved whilst maintaining our long standing tradition of offering home cooked food and hospitality to guests, pilgrims and visitors, of all ages and creeds, who visit our site daily throughout the year to experience a warm welcome, tranquillity and the beauty of our surroundings.
In the newly created role of Business Development Manager you will play a significant role in leading and supporting our established management team in developing and delivering the annual budget and operational targets, approved by the Board of Trustees. As Team leader you will ensure the management team, and individual managers maintain focus on delivering their targets, and set an example through behaviour, personal values, energy and actions. You will be responsible for ensuring the Management Team effectively report to the Board of Trustees and that key information and issues are shared between both. You will lead in the planning and implementation of business growth projects, focusing initially (3-5 years) on improving our guest house and conference centre occupation rates and financial contribution.

Your duties will include but not be limited to the following:
• To be the lead member of the Trading Operational Management Team with specific responsibility to ensure the team collectively continue to successfully deliver agreed financial targets.
• To provide leadership and support through effective line management to the Estates Manager, Hospitality Manager, Catering Manager, Management Accountant and Management Secretary, ensuring individuals both develop and deliver targets for on-going improvements in financial performance, support functions, and customer experience, in line with the Board of Trustees operational and financial strategy.
• To propose strategic business growth projects and initiatives to the Board and be responsible for their planning and implementation.
• Ensure all matters requiring the Board of Trustees consideration or approval are accurately and appropriately presented by the management team to the Board of Trustees. Proposing Trustees meeting agenda items, overseeing written reports, and ensuring managers attend Trustee Meetings for appropriate representation that will facilitate good communication and informed decision making at Board of Trustees meetings. The reporting will include, but not limited to: project proposals, progress on agreed financial and operational targets, strategic risk management, management team issues, staffing matters, and any other operational risks.
• Attend all Board of Trustee Meetings and effectively communicate to the Management Team issues from the Board of Trustees
• Drive and support growth in Hospitality (Guest House and Conference Centre) through:-
o Developing a growth pricing strategy
o Lead and support the development and implementation of an effective Hospitality Marketing Plan
o Lead and project manage the introduction of an IT solution for all hospitality bookings
o Develop policies across Catering and Hospitality to optimise income in conjunction with the Management Accountant
• Responsible for commissioning external marketing resources to support the development, implementation, and review of an on-going marketing plan to promote The Friars
• Supporting the Management Accountant in ensuring accurate, regular, relevant and timely financial reports are provided to management and Trustees for effective budget management and decision making
• Supporting Trustees in preparation of their statutory annual report

Note – occasional weekend/evening work will be required

The Successful Applicant:
The successful candidate will have a “Can Do” attitude with a proven track record in being the main player of a successful team. You will be creative, a problem solver, full of energy and able to motivate management colleagues and other staff to deliver targets and embrace a change and business growth agenda. You will be financially astute and a strong communicator with experience of governance, marketing, and change management.
You will also meet the following criteria:
• Minimum 10 years’ experience at managerial level
• Finance (Management Accounting) experience, preferably in Hospitality
• Successful track record of continual improvement, identifying and delivering business changes/improvements
• Strong, proven effective project management skills
• Must be numerate, literate, with strong IT skills
• Able to prioritise, organise and delegate
• Able to motivate and develop staff
• Commercial awareness, marketing knowhow
• Diplomatic, sensitive to others
• A strong Team Player, open and able to adapt to the challenges of being part of an established team, whilst leading the team you will be happy for individual managers to shine
What's on Offer:

The position is a permanent post for 28 hours a week. Our competitive salary for this post is £28,000 (full time equivalent £37,500). We offer the benefit of working in a small, personal, happy organisation in a unique, beautiful and up lifting location.
How to apply: For an application pack contact Ros Duddell on 01622 714148, or email:enquiry@thefriars.org.uk. Please ensure you clearly state how you meet the required criteria for this role.

Closing Date: Friday 2nd March 2018
First Interviews: Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th March 2018 (provisional)
Final Interviews: Wednesday 21st March (provisional)
For further details of our Priory and organisation, please visit our website: www.thefriars.org.uk/

The Friars, Aylesford has a positive approach to equality and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community