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- Tasks: Lead initiatives to boost tourism and enhance visitor experiences in West Northamptonshire.
- Company: Join West Northamptonshire Council, a dynamic team focused on economic growth and community development.
- Benefits: Enjoy a supportive work culture, opportunities for innovation, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by showcasing West Northamptonshire as a top destination for visitors and businesses.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in tourism strategy, project management, and partnership building is essential.
- Other info: Be part of a team that values creativity, ambition, and collaboration in a thriving community.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 48000 £ per year.
We are seeking a determined and creative individual to join our dynamic service here at West Northamptonshire Council. The Visitor Economy & Tourism Strategy Manager will develop strategic initiatives to utilise national opportunities for local benefits, develop and deliver campaigns to drive increase footfall & spend, plus showcasing West Northamptonshire to a global audience.
Working with the wider LVEP partners, you will utilise your experience and knowledge to drive travel trade, increase overnight stays, support attractions to locate and grow in the area, plus enhance the visitor experience. West Northamptonshire is a place of huge opportunity, world renowned skills, and locational advantage.
We in the Economic Growth & Inward Investment Service are at the forefront of capitalising on these strategic assets and establishing new opportunities for growth. Working innovatively, we are proactive in our approach to supporting and growing the local economy with a strong focus on the following areas:
- Tourism & the Visitor Economy
- Inward Investment & Business Growth
- Town Centres & Markets
- Funding Programmes & Projects
Home to over 20,000 businesses and more than 425,000 residents, the value of West Northamptonshire's economy (GVA) was valued at around £11.5bn in 2022, supporting around 214,700 jobs. In addition, around 20m visitors flock to the area each year, generating over £1bn and supporting 14,000 jobs.
We want to support and grow the local economy, meaning that our Team must establish a high-profile reputation across the world that West Northants is a place where everyone can thrive, supporting businesses & attractions to locate & grow here, upskilling the local labour market and ensuring there are opportunities for all. We must showcase West Northants (and wider Northamptonshire) as a destination for tourism, investment, business and quality of life.
This role will be essential in showcasing West Northamptonshire as a destination for visitors, leading on the implementation of the Northamptonshire Tourism Strategy and the Local Visitor Economy Partnership.
What will you be doing?
You will be responsible for driving the delivery of the Northamptonshire Tourism Strategy for West Northamptonshire Council, including local initiatives and working as part of the county-wide Local Visitor Economy Partnership, promoting the tourism & visitor economy. This includes ensuring the opportunities and potential to develop the visitor economy are maximised in West Northamptonshire, including enhancing existing assets and developing new opportunities, delivering maximum benefit to the local authority, driving visitor numbers and local spend.
You will work with colleagues within the wider Economic Growth & Inward Investment service to ensure the visitor economy is a recognised growth sector and support initiatives to enhance this industry and create opportunities with the Inward Investment & Business Growth Team and the Funding & Programmes Team.
You will lead a dynamic team to capitalise on opportunities to showcase West Northamptonshire as a destination to visit time and time again on a global stage. You’ll take a lead in a multi-agency approach working with departmental teams, external businesses/attractions, stakeholders and partners such as Visit England to maximise the success rate of the service, to improve the visitor economy, resulting in increased visits and value of visits, increased inward investment, more jobs and greater GVA.
You will be taking the reins on driving the visitor economy for West Northamptonshire, effectively working with stakeholders and partners as necessary to deliver large-scale initiatives and activities that provide tailored business support to local attractions whilst attracting new businesses/attractions into the area.
You will act as a driving force for all areas of the visitor economy including place marketing, business support, promoting the industry, upskilling the local workforce and establishing a collaborative approach to benefit residents and visitors.
Utilising the local strengths in heritage, sporting excellence, events management, culture and more, you will deliver activities in line with the community that promote the unique selling point of West Northamptonshire and the wider County to boost the local visitor economy.
About you
We’re looking for an expert in the field with proven experience & skills, able to drive and lead initiatives to enable economic growth and make a significant contribution to tourism and the visitor economy. You will be well versed in the background relating to Local Visitor Economy Partnerships and have experience working with Destination Management Organisations and securing support and funding relating to tourism.
You will be passionate about working innovatively to showcase West Northamptonshire as the perfect destination for visitors, combining creativity with finely honed project management skills to achieve tangible outcomes. You will be a charismatic manager, able to support your team to deliver a range of successful initiatives and projects to deal with highly specialised issues relating to the visitor economy and business growth.
You will be highly capable and experienced in order to contribute to the strategic development of the service. Exceptional interpersonal and collaboration skills are key. We are also looking for significant experience of working with a range of internal and external partners and forging successful partnerships alongside account management to achieve high performance and significant, sustainable accomplishments for the service.
Ideally you will have previous experience of facilitating business growth within a local authority, with experience of project management, place-marketing and an understanding of the commercial landscape. You will be able to smoothly manage and develop a pipeline of enquiries, handling all relevant processes whilst being able to use your own initiative to 'think outside of the box'.
You’ll use your great attention to detail to ensure our activities are innovative, creative and achieve high level results. Finally, your knowledge of achieving economic growth initiatives will be utilised as part of the wider service, showing your ability to thrive as a team player as well as lead on projects relating to business growth. You will combine sales and marketing experience, along with expert knowledge to champion business growth and investment in the area.
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.
Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner.
Visitor Economy and Tourism Strategy Manager employer: West Northants Council
Contact Detail:
West Northants Council Recruiting Team
careers@westnorthants.gov.uk
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Visitor Economy and Tourism Strategy Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Northamptonshire Tourism Strategy and the Local Visitor Economy Partnership. Understanding these frameworks will help you articulate how your skills and experience align with their goals during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the tourism and visitor economy sectors, especially those connected to West Northamptonshire. Attend local events or webinars to build relationships that could provide insights and support for your application.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your knowledge of successful tourism campaigns and initiatives from other regions. Being able to discuss what has worked elsewhere can demonstrate your innovative thinking and ability to adapt successful strategies to West Northamptonshire.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience in managing partnerships and collaborations. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully worked with stakeholders to achieve common goals, as this role heavily relies on effective collaboration.
We think you need these skills to ace Visitor Economy and Tourism Strategy Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before you start writing your application, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Visitor Economy and Tourism Strategy Manager position. Highlight how your skills and experiences align with the job description.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to reflect the specific skills and experiences that are relevant to the role. Emphasise your background in tourism, economic growth, and partnership management, as these are key aspects of the job.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for tourism and economic development. Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate how you can contribute to West Northamptonshire's goals and initiatives.
Showcase Your Achievements: In both your CV and cover letter, include quantifiable achievements that illustrate your impact in previous roles. This could be in terms of increased visitor numbers, successful campaigns, or partnerships you've developed.
How to prepare for a job interview at West Northants Council
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've developed and implemented strategic initiatives in the tourism sector. Highlight your ability to identify opportunities for growth and how you’ve successfully driven campaigns that increased footfall and spend.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Be ready to talk about your experience working with various stakeholders, including local businesses, government agencies, and community partners. Emphasise your ability to forge successful partnerships and how these collaborations have led to tangible outcomes in previous roles.
✨Highlight Your Project Management Expertise
Discuss your project management skills by sharing examples of large-scale initiatives you've led. Focus on how you managed timelines, resources, and team dynamics to achieve high-performance results, particularly in the context of tourism and economic growth.
✨Express Your Passion for the Visitor Economy
Convey your enthusiasm for showcasing West Northamptonshire as a premier destination. Share your insights on current trends in tourism and how you plan to leverage local strengths to enhance the visitor experience and drive economic growth.
