Head of Short Lets in London

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Job Title: Head of Short Lets

Department / Function: Short Lets

Reports To: Senior Leadership Team / Business Development Director

Direct Reports: Short Lets Team

Location: Euston

Job Grade / Level: Senior Leadership

Job Purpose

To lead and drive the continued growth and commercial success of the Short Lets division, taking overall responsibility for departmental strategy, revenue, profitability, stock growth, conversion and team performance.

The Head of Short Lets will develop and deliver the short, medium and long-term strategy for the division, identifying new markets, revenue streams, partnerships and business development opportunities.

The role will work closely with branch teams, Sales, Lettings and other business divisions, as well as senior leadership, to maximise opportunities across the existing network and establish Short Lets as a key revenue stream and differentiator for the wider business.

The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with strong operational delivery, providing clear leadership while creating a high-performance, commercially focused culture.

Key Accountabilities

Revenue, Targets & Commercial Performance

• Take full ownership and accountability for the Short Lets department's annual revenue, budget and performance targets.

• Develop and deliver a clear commercial plan to achieve and exceed agreed revenue targets.

• Monitor monthly, quarterly and annual performance against budget, identifying risks and opportunities and implementing appropriate action plans.

• Build accurate revenue forecasts and maintain a clear understanding of the department's pipeline, agreed business and future income.

• Analyse key performance indicators including average fees, deal volumes, conversion rates, instruction levels and revenue per instruction.

• Identify opportunities to improve profitability, productivity and overall commercial performance.

• Ensure individual and departmental KPIs are aligned with the overall Short Lets growth strategy.

Strategy & Business Growth

• Create, own and deliver the short, medium and long-term strategy for the Short Lets division.

• Identify new markets, revenue streams, partnerships and business development opportunities capable of accelerating growth.

• Develop strategies to increase Short Lets stock and instructions across the company network.

• Increase conversion from instructions through to agreed and completed business.

• Identify opportunities within existing landlord, applicant, corporate and sales databases to generate additional revenue.

• Monitor market trends, legislation, competitor activity and changes in customer behaviour to maintain a commercially competitive proposition.

• Develop propositions and initiatives that differentiate the Short Lets offering within the London market.

• Work with senior leadership and the Business Development Director to identify future investment, resource and technology requirements.

Internal Business Development & Cross-Selling

• Champion Short Lets throughout the wider business and ensure the department remains highly visible across the branch network.

• Build strong relationships with Branch Managers, Lettings Managers, Sales teams and other business divisions.

• Regularly visit branches, attend management meetings and organise targeted business development activity to increase Short Lets referrals and instructions.

• Develop campaigns and initiatives that encourage branches and fee earners to identify Short Lets opportunities.

• Ensure teams across the business understand the Short Lets proposition and are confident discussing it with landlords and clients.

• Work closely with Sales teams to identify opportunities where Short Lets can provide an alternative solution for vendors or properties awaiting sale.

• Drive effective cross-selling between Short Lets and other divisions.

• Identify opportunities to refer Short Lets clients into other services offered by the company.

• Build relationships across the wider group to identify opportunities to expand the Short Lets proposition into new markets, brands and client groups.

Leadership & Team Performance

• Provide clear leadership, direction and accountability for the Short Lets team.

• Set individual objectives and KPIs aligned with departmental revenue and strategic goals.

• Create a high-performance culture focused on commercial results, customer service and continuous improvement.

• Coach and develop team members to improve commercial capability, confidence and performance.

• Conduct regular performance reviews and implement appropriate action plans where required.

• Identify future talent requirements and support recruitment, succession planning and career development.

• Ensure the department has the appropriate structure, resources and processes to support continued growth.

Stock, Applicant & Conversion Management

• Take overall responsibility for developing and maintaining a strong pipeline of high-quality Short Lets instructions.

• Monitor instruction levels, applicant demand, viewings, offers and conversion rates.

• Ensure dormant and underperforming stock is actively reviewed and appropriate action is taken.

• Develop strategies to improve the quality, pricing and availability of Short Lets stock.

• Ensure applicants are proactively managed and opportunities are maximised across the available portfolio.

• Use data and market insight to identify stock gaps and areas of potential demand.

Client Experience & Relationships

• Ensure the department consistently delivers exceptional customer service.

• Proactively manage and develop relationships with key landlords, corporate clients, partners and other stakeholders.

• Take ownership of significant customer issues or complaints where appropriate and ensure they are resolved promptly and professionally.

• Monitor customer feedback and use insight to continually improve the Short Lets proposition and customer experience.

• Build long-term relationships that encourage repeat business, referrals and increased client lifetime value.

Collaboration

• Work closely with other departments to maximise commercial opportunities across the wider business.

• Ensure Short Lets opportunities are identified from Sales, Long Lets, Corporate Services, New Homes & Investments, Super Prime and other divisions.

• Promote effective collaboration and referral opportunities across the company.

• Identify opportunities to leverage the wider group network, brands and client base to support Short Lets growth.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Success within the role will principally be measured against:

• Delivery and over-performance against annual Short Lets revenue and budget targets.

• Year-on-year revenue growth.

• Growth in Short Lets instructions and available stock.

• Improvement in instruction-to-deal conversion rates.

• Development and delivery of new revenue streams and business opportunities.

• Increased Short Lets engagement, referrals and instructions from the branch network.

• Team performance, productivity and development.

• Customer service, client retention and repeat business.

• Delivery of the agreed Short Lets strategic plan.

• Improvement in profitability and revenue per instruction.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Essential

• Significant experience within a busy lettings, Short Lets or residential property environment.

• Proven track record of meeting and exceeding revenue and commercial targets.

• Strong commercial awareness, including understanding of revenue drivers, budgets, forecasts and profitability.

• Demonstrable experience of creating and implementing strategies that deliver business growth.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop and hold teams accountable.

• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify and develop new commercial opportunities.

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data to drive decision-making.

• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills across all levels of an organisation.

• Highly self‑motivated, ambitious and results‑driven.

• Tenacious and resilient, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced environment.

• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Professional, positive and enthusiastic approach.

• Strong customer focus with excellent attention to detail.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across a wider organisation.

• Competent user of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and relevant CRM/reporting systems.

Desirable

• Experience leading or developing a Short Lets division within a multi-branch estate agency or property business.

• Existing knowledge of the London Short Lets market.

• Experience developing new revenue streams, partnerships or business channels.

• Experience working across multiple business divisions to deliver cross‑selling and referral opportunities.

• Strong understanding of property market trends, legislation and the evolving Short Lets sector.

Behavioural Competencies

• Commercially driven – Focuses on revenue, profitability, growth and measurable business outcomes.

• Strategic thinker – Able to develop a clear vision and translate it into practical, deliverable plans.

• Entrepreneurial – Identifies opportunities, challenges the status quo and seeks new ways to grow the business.

• Inspirational leader – Creates clarity, motivates others and develops high‑performing teams.

• Accountable – Takes ownership of decisions, targets and outcomes.

• Results focused – Maintains momentum and consistently works towards agreed objectives.

• Collaborative – Builds effective relationships and works successfully across teams and functions.

• Influential communicator – Able to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.

• Customer focused – Prioritises service quality and builds long‑term client relationships.

• Analytical – Uses data, insight and commercial information to inform decisions.

• Resilient and tenacious – Remains focused and effective when faced with challenges or changing priorities.

• Adaptable – Responds positively to changing market conditions and business requirements.

• Organised – Manages competing priorities effectively and maintains high standards of execution.

Other Information

Working Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–6:00pm

Location: Euston

This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for the commercial performance, strategic development and operational success of the Short Lets division. The role requires regular engagement with branch teams, senior leadership and other business divisions, including regular branch visits and attendance at relevant management meetings.

About The Company

Chestertons: Established for over 200 years, Chestertons is a successful London-based estate agency with over 30 branches across the capital. We are a highly‑respected authority on London property and take pride in our reputation as an innovative and dynamic business.

Campions: Campions is one of the fastest growing sales and lettings agency groups in the UK. It currently includes the Chestertons, Chase Buchanan, Retirement Homesearch and Campions Lettings & Management brands which collectively sell, rent and manage thousands of properties across the country every year.

Perks That Make a Difference:

Benefits: Employee assistance programme, competitive holiday allowance + public holidays, charity matching and payroll giving, contribution towards eye care tests, annual flu vaccination vouchers, birthday leave, health cash plan plus a range of other additional benefits that are linked to specific job grades.

We are an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from everyone who is excited by the opportunity to join us. At Campions, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We will thoroughly consider all applications without attention to ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, identity, family or parental status, national origin, veteran status, neurodiversity status, or disability status.

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