Strategy Director SEC in Paisley

Strategy Director | SEC Glasgow | Full-Time Permanent
Up to £80,000 + excellent benefits including healthcare, wellbeing support, 27 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, life assurance, meals on duty, and more.
We are Levy
Levy is the vibrant and exciting sector of Compass Group, the world's largest catering company. We work at some of the greatest venues in the world, delivering legendary experiences in food, drink, and hospitality.
In the UK and Ireland, we are proud to have a wealth of long-standing partnerships with venues across sport, entertainment, and events. Our partnerships include venues such as Excel London, The O2, Wimbledon, Twickenham, Aviva Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC).
As part of our growth strategy, we have expanded into Europe, operating multiple venues in the Netherlands and Germany, including the iconic Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam and the Uber Arena in Berlin. Our ambition is continued growth across the UK and continental Europe.
At the core of what we do is the belief that sustainably sourced great food and drink, coupled with exceptional service, is key to creating legendary experiences. Focussed on 'doing the right thing' for our people and the planet, sustainability, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of what we do.
We have a commitment to significantly reducing our carbon impact, are official partners of Paralympics GB, and are proud to pay all our team members at least the Real Living Wage or London Living Wage.
Strategy Director - The Role
The Strategy Director will lead the commercial growth, partnership development and strategic investment agenda for the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), with a clear mandate to identify and unlock new revenue opportunities across the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions), Conference & Events and wider destination proposition.
This is a highly commercial, strategic business-development role focused on identifying where SEC can grow its revenues, strengthen its market position and develop new commercial partnerships and propositions. You will originate opportunities, develop compelling commercial propositions and translate them into robust business cases that demonstrate clear revenue, profitability and return-on-investment potential.
Working closely with the Venue Director, Levy commercial teams and the client, you will identify opportunities across the MICE ecosystem. You will combine strategic thinking with commercial execution, taking opportunities from market insight and relationship development through to proposition design, negotiation, business case, investment approval and delivery.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Commercial Growth & Revenue Strategy Develop and own the long-term commercial growth strategy for SEC, with a particular focus on MICE, Conference & Events and new revenue generation Identify, evaluate and prioritise new commercial revenue streams, using market intelligence, customer insight, competitor activity and emerging trends. Develop strategies to increase revenue per event, customer and square metre, identifying opportunities to maximise the commercial potential of the SEC estate. Identify opportunities to develop new products, services, experiences and commercial propositions that can generate incremental revenue. Build compelling commercial propositions that demonstrate clear revenue potential, margin opportunity and ROI. Develop a structured pipeline of commercial opportunities, tracking progress from initial concept through to conversion and delivery.
Partnerships, Sponsorship & Business Development Lead the identification and development of strategic commercial partnerships and sponsorship opportunities across the SEC. Build relationships with major brands, corporates, sponsors, event organisers, agencies, associations and strategic partners within the MICE ecosystem. Identify opportunities for sponsorship, naming rights, brand activations, strategic partnerships and commercial collaborations that enhance both customer experience and revenue. Develop long-term partnership propositions that create value for SEC, Levy, clients and commercial partners. Work with internal commercial and marketing teams to develop compelling propositions, pricing models and partnership packages. Lead senior-level commercial conversations and negotiations, influencing partners and stakeholders towards mutually beneficial agreements. Develop and maintain a strong external network across the UK and international MICE, events, tourism and commercial partnership landscape.
MICE & Destination Growth Develop strategies to position SEC as a leading MICE destination in Scotland and the wider UK market. Identify new sectors, customer segments, event formats and international markets capable of driving incremental conference, exhibition and events revenue. Develop strategic relationships with convention bureaux, tourism organisations, destination partners, PCOs, DMCs, agencies and major corporate clients. Identify opportunities to attract and retain high-value conferences, exhibitions, incentives and corporate events. Translate changes in the MICE market, customer behaviour and competitor activity into commercially actionable strategies. Develop propositions that extend the SEC's role beyond venue hire and catering into a broader destination and commercial experience.
Strategic Investment & Business Cases Lead the development of business cases for commercial growth, transformation and capital investment projects. Assess opportunities through financial modelling, revenue forecasting, investment appraisal, ROI and payback analysis. Build commercially robust cases for new spaces, experiences, partnerships, technology and propositions. Work with Levy's Design & Build, Commercial and central teams, alongside external partners, to turn concepts into investment-ready propositions. Present commercial strategies and investment cases to executive and board-level stakeholders. Track approved initiatives against agreed revenue, profitability and ROI objectives.
Stakeholder & Partnership Leadership Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across Levy, SEC and the wider events ecosystem. Partner closely with the Venue Director, commercial leadership, client development teams and other key stakeholders to align commercial priorities. Represent SEC at senior industry forums, MICE events and commercial partnership meetings. Develop relationships with tourism bodies, convention bureaux, local authorities and industry organisations to support destination growth. Create alignment across multiple stakeholders to move complex commercial opportunities from concept to execution.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Experience Significant senior-level experience in commercial strategy, business development, partnerships, sponsorship, MICE, events, hospitality, venues or destination development. Proven track record of identifying and converting new revenue opportunities. Experience developing and negotiating strategic partnerships, sponsorships or commercial agreements. Strong understanding of the MICE, conference, exhibition and events ecosystem, with an established network across relevant stakeholders. Proven experience developing commercial propositions, business cases and financial models for senior or board-level approval. Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder commercial opportunities from concept through to implementation. Experience of working with brands, corporate clients, sponsors, agencies or strategic partners to create mutually valuable commercial propositions.
Knowledge, Skills & Personal Attributes Strong commercial acumen, with a clear understanding of revenue generation, profitability, ROI and commercial value creation. Proven ability to originate opportunities rather than simply manage an existing pipeline. Exceptional relationship-building, influencing and negotiation skills, with the credibility to operate at senior client, corporate and board level. Strong understanding of partnership development, sponsorship and commercial proposition design. Deep knowledge of the MICE, events and destination landscape and the commercial drivers influencing the sector. Strong strategic and analytical capability, with the ability to turn market insight into commercially viable opportunities. Highly entrepreneurial, proactive and comfortable creating opportunities in an ambiguous environment. Confident presenting compelling commercial propositions to senior stakeholders and securing buy-in and investment. Collaborative and stakeholder-led, with the ability to bring Levy, SEC, clients and external partners together around a shared commercial opportunity. Results-driven, with a strong focus on revenue growth, commercial return and long-term value creation.
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