Group Sales and Community Marketing Executive

DEPARTMENT: Marketing

REPORTS TO: Head of Marketing

LOCATION: Bristol Bears High Performance Centre / Ashton Gate / Outbound

CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent

WORKING HOURS: 37.5 hours per 5 day week – this role will be required to work evenings and weekends

SALARY: £28,000 plus discretionary performance related bonus

ABOUT BRISTOL BEARS

Bristol Bears Rugby is part of Stephen Lansdown’s sporting group of companies which includes Bristol Sport, Bristol City Football, Bristol Flyers Basketball and each of their respective community charities.

Our vision is ‘to inspire our community through rugby success’. Our supporters regularly attend Ashton Gate Stadium to watch the team perform in Premiership and European Cup Competitions as well as our Women’s team who play at the highest level of domestic competition.

ROLE SUMMARY

Group bookings play a huge role in growing attendances at Bristol Bears games. This role exists to take that opportunity much further, building strong relationships with schools, community groups, local rugby clubs and businesses, and turning those relationships into group bookings and memorable experiences at Bears home games.

This is a sales role first and foremost. You will be expected to create opportunities rather than wait for them to arrive. That means picking up the phone, making cold approaches, walking into organisations, meeting new people, following up consistently and building a pipeline of groups who want to experience Bristol Bears together.

Alongside sales, you will help strengthen Bristol Bears’ presence across the city by supporting community outreach, fixture promotion, matchday experiences and non-matchday supporter events.

PRINCIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own and proactively develop group ticket sales across schools, rugby and sports clubs, community organisations and businesses.
• Sales and matchday activation of mascots and other fan experiences to improve engagement.
• Achieve stretching individual revenue and ticket-volume targets for Bristol Bears home games.
• Build and manage a healthy sales pipeline of prospective group bookers across Bristol and surrounding areas.
• Identify new organisations and decision-makers, create first contact and turn cold prospects into genuine relationships.
• Make outbound calls, emails and in-person visits, including approaching organisations without a pre-arranged appointment.
• Sell the experience and the reason to attend, whether social occasions, community experiences, club rewards, school trips, staff outings, rather than simply selling tickets.
• Respond promptly to inbound enquiries and follow up consistently through the sales process, from initial conversation through to confirmed booking and payment.
• Develop repeat business by turning first-time group bookers into regular Bristol Bears fans/bookers.
• Work closely with Marketing and Supporter Services to promote group offers and make the booking journey as effective as possible.
• Support group bookers and oversee elements of the matchday experience, providing a personal and welcoming service.
• Help build Bristol Bears’ visibility across the city by supporting the distribution of fixture posters, window stickers and other promotional materials to help build relationships/meet contacts.
• Maintain accurate records of prospects, activity, meetings, bookings and follow-ups so that the sales pipeline is visible and well managed.
• Bring creativity, imagination and tenacity to finding new audiences and new ways to bring people through the gates.
• Contribute positively to Bears vision and culture.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Head of Marketing
• Head of Ticketing
• Community Rugby Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Bristol Bears MarComms team
• Ashton Gate Ticketing Team

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Experience in a target-driven, proactive sales or business development role is desirable.
• Evidence of generating new business rather than relying solely on inbound enquiries.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Confidence in speaking with people at different levels and from different backgrounds.
• Strong organisation, time management and follow-up skills.
• Comfortable using email, phone and basic sales reporting tools.
• Experience working with schools, sports clubs, community organisations or businesses would be beneficial.
• Passion for sport and/or community engagement is desirable.

DESIRABLE SKILLS

• A successful person in this role will spend significant time out in the community. You will be expected to identify organisations you want to work with, make contact, arrange meetings, visit prospects and create relationships from scratch.
• A successful person in this role can walk into a rugby club, school or business, introduce yourself confidently and ask, ‘Who is the best person for me to speak to about bringing a group to Bristol Bears?’

AUDIENCES YOU WILL WORK WITH:

• Schools and colleges
• Local rugby and sports clubs
• Community and youth organisations
• Businesses and professional organisations
• Existing group customers and repeat bookers
• New audiences who may not currently attend Bristol Bears matches

HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Responsible for ensuring all health and safety procedures are followed at all times, with relevant documentation to support
• Report all incidents and accidents as required

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

We are committed to the principle of equal opportunity and its policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no employee or potential employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.

SAFEGUARDING

Bristol Rugby Club Limited is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. This role would be subject to a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.

BENEFITS

As part of the Bears family, you’ll have access to a wide range of benefits, including:

WORK LIFE BALANCE

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)

FINANCIAL SECURITY

• Hargreaves Lansdown pension scheme
• Life assurance policy

FAMILY FRIENDLY BENEFITS

• Enhanced parental leave

HEALTH & WELLBEING

• Employee Assistance Programme
• HPC gym access (subject to player schedules)
• Company Sick Pay
• Career development opportunities through CPD and Apprenticeship Levy funding

TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE PERKS

• Cycle to Work scheme
• Discounted First Bus travel
• Electric vehicle scheme

FOOD & ON-SITE BENEFITS

• Subsidised meals at the HPC on training days
• Onsite parking at the HPC

SPORT, EVENTS & DISCOUNTS

• Matchday tickets for Bristol Bears Men and Women home fixtures
• Ad-hoc tickets for other Bristol Sport fixtures
• Discounts at Ashton Gate food and beverage outlets on matchdays
• Discounts with a variety of local businesses including attractions, hotels and cafes
• Discount at the Bristol Sport retail shop
• Bears Kit (where applicable for the role)

*Please note that some benefits are non-contractual and may be subject to change as well as subject to terms and conditions.