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- Tasks: Lead strategic vision and drive commercial growth at the Scottish Event Campus.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at a leading venue in the events and hospitality industry.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £110,000 plus benefits and opportunities for professional development.
- Why this job: Shape the future of hospitality and make a real impact on guest experiences.
- Qualifications: Significant senior leadership experience in high-profile hospitality or event environments required.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on innovation and sustainability.
The predicted salary is between 77000 - 110000 £ per year.
The Strategic Venue Director provides senior leadership across catering, hospitality, premium, retail and event operations at the Scottish Event Campus. The role is responsible for shaping long term vision, driving commercial growth and embedding sustainable transformation, while providing strategic oversight and assurance of operational excellence. Working in close partnership with the Business Director and SEC Client leadership, the role plays a pivotal part in positioning the venue for future growth, innovation and market leadership. This is a future focused role with reduced emphasis on day to day operational management and increased accountability for strategy, growth, partnerships and leadership maturity.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Strategic Vision & Transformation
- Set and deliver a clear long term strategy for catering and hospitality across conferences, exhibitions, premium and retail operations.
- Lead venue wide strategic planning, ensuring alignment with client ambition, Levy priorities and sustainability commitments.
- Act as a trusted strategic partner to the Client, contributing to broader venue and campus wide discussions beyond catering delivery.
- Use market insight, customer data and competitor analysis to keep the SEC ahead of industry trends.
- Present strategic recommendations and investment cases to senior stakeholders, supported by robust commercial and performance data.
- Commercial Growth & Partnerships
- Design and execute growth strategies to increase revenue, spend per head and commercial returns across all hospitality formats.
- Identify and develop new commercial opportunities including partnerships, experiential concepts and innovation initiatives.
- Lead strategic pricing, revenue optimisation and margin improvement programmes.
- Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Culinary, E15 Insights, Projects and Commercial teams to deliver compelling go-to-market propositions.
- Position the SEC as a benchmark venue within the UK events and hospitality market through differentiated commercial strategies.
- Strategic Operational Oversight & Guest Experience
- Provide senior oversight and assurance of operational readiness, quality and consistency across all events.
- Set clear standards for food, service, sustainability and compliance, holding operational leaders accountable for delivery.
- Champion a guest-first culture, ensuring hospitality excellence is embedded across the venue.
- Maintain strong governance across Health & Safety, food safety and brand standards.
- Performance, Efficiency & Continuous Improvement
- Introduce and embed data-led KPIs to drive productivity, quality and financial performance.
- Lead cross-functional process improvement initiatives to simplify ways of working and improve effectiveness.
- Champion the adoption of technology and innovation to support smarter planning, labour deployment and service delivery.
- Leadership & Culture
- Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing senior leadership team capable of operating with autonomy and commercial accountability.
- Shape venue structures that flex to event demand and complexity.
- Mentor future leaders and support succession planning to build long-term resilience.
- Role-model Levy leadership behaviours, fostering a culture of trust, accountability and innovation.
WHAT GREAT LOOKS LIKE:
Experience
- Significant senior leadership experience within complex, high-profile hospitality, events, catering, retail or venue environments, ideally across multi use or large scale venues.
- Proven track record of shaping and delivering long-term strategic vision alongside commercial growth, transformation and operational excellence.
- Experience operating at executive and board level, presenting strategic recommendations, business cases and performance insights to senior stakeholders and clients.
- Demonstrated success leading change programmes, innovation initiatives and growth strategies that deliver sustainable commercial and guest experience outcomes.
- Strong background working within matrixed organisations, collaborating across commercial, operational and functional teams to deliver shared objectives.
- Experience managing senior stakeholder relationships in demanding, high-visibility environments, acting as a trusted advisor rather than solely a delivery lead.
Knowledge, Skills & Professional Capability
- Highly developed strategic thinking and analytical capability, with the ability to translate insight, data and market intelligence into clear, executable plans.
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience building investment cases, pricing strategies, revenue optimisation models and margin improvement plans.
- Confident using data, performance metrics and customer insight (e.g. E15-style analytics) to drive decision making, performance improvement and growth.
- Deep understanding of guest experience design, premium hospitality, retail and event operations within a modern venue context.
- Strong grasp of sustainability, technology enablement and innovation as drivers of long-term venue performance and competitive advantage.
- Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills, with the credibility to operate effectively at board, client leadership and partner level.
Leadership & Personal Attributes
- Senior, credible leader with the presence and judgement to operate at enterprise level while maintaining a strong connection to delivery standards.
- Collaborative and inclusive leadership style, able to align diverse teams and stakeholders behind a shared strategic direction.
- Passionate about developing leaders and building high performing, strategically minded teams with strong commercial accountability.
- Comfortable operating in fast paced, high profile environments with competing priorities and complex stakeholder dynamics.
- Resilient, adaptable and forward thinking, with a strong appetite for innovation, continuous improvement and “jumping the curve” rather than preserving the status quo.
- Role models Levy values and leadership behaviours, fostering a culture of trust, accountability, psychological safety and ambition.
Strategic Venue Director - SEC employer: Compass Group
Contact Detail:
Compass Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Strategic Venue Director - SEC
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks at events or online. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Prepare a portfolio or presentation that highlights your strategic vision and past successes. When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, let your experience shine through.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like the SEC, and express your interest in contributing to their growth and innovation.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on industry trends! Follow relevant news and insights so you can discuss them confidently in interviews. This shows you're not just looking for any job, but are genuinely interested in shaping the future of the venue landscape.
We think you need these skills to ace Strategic Venue Director - SEC
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Strategic Venue Director role. Highlight your leadership experience in hospitality and events, and don’t forget to mention any strategic initiatives you've successfully led.
Showcase Your Strategic Vision: In your application, emphasise your ability to set and deliver long-term strategies. Use examples from your past roles where you’ve driven commercial growth or transformed operations, as this is key for us at StudySmarter.
Highlight Collaborative Experiences: We love a team player! Make sure to include instances where you’ve worked across different teams or departments to achieve shared goals. This shows you can navigate complex environments and build strong partnerships, which is crucial for this role.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about what we do at StudySmarter.
How to prepare for a job interview at Compass Group
✨Know Your Strategic Vision
Before the interview, take time to understand the long-term strategy of the Scottish Event Campus. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their vision for catering and hospitality, and think about innovative ideas you could bring to the table.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Acumen
Prepare examples that highlight your success in driving commercial growth and developing partnerships. Be specific about strategies you've implemented in the past and how they resulted in increased revenue or improved guest experiences.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Think about your leadership style and be prepared to share how you've inspired and developed high-performing teams. Discuss your approach to mentoring future leaders and how you foster a culture of accountability and innovation.
✨Be Data-Driven
Familiarise yourself with key performance indicators relevant to the role. Be ready to discuss how you've used data and market insights to inform decision-making and drive operational excellence in previous roles.
