At a Glance
- Tasks: Engage with local businesses and promote initiatives to enhance the city centre.
- Company: Join a supportive team at GO! Southampton, representing over 630 businesses.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, a contributory pension, and a friendly office environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in your community while developing valuable skills.
- Qualifications: Strong customer service skills and a knack for building relationships.
- Other info: Fixed term contract with opportunities for networking and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.
Overview
GO! Southampton is the city’s Business Improvement District (BID). We represent over 630 city centre businesses. Our mission is to continuously improve the city centre by delivering relevant services, providing a voice for business, influencing strategy and being a catalyst for positive change.
GO! Southampton is a small team that does a lot of work in the city. We are a supportive, friendly team while being challenged in our work. Our office space is designed with facilities including free coffee machines and fruit. This fixed term contract offers the opportunity to join GO! Southampton as the successful candidate.
Role Overview
The Business Engagement Officer role is central to GO! Southampton’s relationship with its business members. This maternity cover position focuses on managing stakeholder engagement, ensuring members are actively involved in BID initiatives. The role acts as the primary point of contact for BID levy payers and partners, driving collaboration, gathering feedback, promoting services, and demonstrating the value of the BID to its members.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee business engagement for the BID, working with account managers, partners and service providers to guarantee all BID members have the opportunity to learn more about BID services and engage.
- Develop strong professional relationships across a range of business sectors.
- Engage with businesses regularly to understand their priorities.
- Communicate and present the role of GO! Southampton, including services, Business Plan objectives and BID achievements.
- Promote BID services, initiatives and campaigns to members to ensure effective take-up. Manage and deliver stakeholder communications including newsletters, surveys, and member updates.
- Gather business intelligence and feedback to inform project development and represent member views.
- Collaborate with the wider GO! Southampton team on campaigns, events, marketing and communication efforts.
- Maintain accurate records of engagement activity, contact information and business feedback via the organisation’s CRM system.
- Support the onboarding of new businesses into the BID area and ensure they are aware of available services.
- Attend events promoting BID services, city welcoming days, networking events and city tours. You may be required to lead hosting of these events on behalf of GO! Southampton.
- Undertake any other task commensurate with this role.
Person Specification
- Experience in roles which demonstrate strong customer service and/or business engagement skills.
- Must demonstrate people skills and ability to adapt to situations.
- Confident IT user.
Desirable, but not essential:
- An understanding of Business Improvement Districts.
- Experience of using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems.
Working Arrangements and Pay
Term of contract: Fixed term from Monday 17 November 2025 (with some flexibility on start date, if required by notice period) until Friday 27 November 2026. Probationary period of three months.
Hours of work: 40 hours per week. 9:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday. Some evening, early morning and weekend work required, though this is minimal with notice.
Reporting to: Gemma Pratt, Director of Placemaking and Deputy Executive Director.
Location of work: GO! Southampton Office, Network Eagle Lab, Portland Terrace, Southampton, SO14 7SJ.
Holiday: 25 days holiday per annum, in addition to public holidays.
Pension: Contributory pension after probationary period of 3 months.
Applications
Please send your CV and a covering letter (covering letter to be no longer than 400 words) to info@gosouthampton.co.uk by Sunday 19 October 2025.
Interviews may take place before the closing date for the right candidate; therefore the role is subject to close before the deadline.
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Business Relations Officer (Maternity Cover/ FTC) employer: Go! Southampton
Contact Detail:
Go! Southampton Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Relations Officer (Maternity Cover/ FTC)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Attend local events and meet-ups related to business engagement. This is your chance to connect with potential employers and showcase your people skills in person.
✨Tip Number 2
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job openings to pop up. Reach out to businesses you admire, introduce yourself, and express your interest in working with them. You never know what opportunities might arise!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your knowledge! When you get the chance to chat with someone from GO! Southampton or similar organisations, talk about their initiatives and how you can contribute. It shows you're genuinely interested and informed.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it gives you a chance to tailor your submission specifically to what we’re looking for in a Business Relations Officer.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Relations Officer (Maternity Cover/ FTC)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that are relevant to the Business Relations Officer role. Highlight any customer service or business engagement experience you have, as this is key for us at GO! Southampton.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should be no longer than 400 words, so get straight to the point! Use it to showcase your passion for improving the city centre and how you can contribute to our mission at GO! Southampton.
Show Off Your People Skills: In both your CV and cover letter, emphasise your ability to build relationships and adapt to different situations. We value strong people skills, so let us know how you've successfully engaged with businesses in the past!
Apply Through Our Website: While you can send your application to info@gosouthampton.co.uk, we encourage you to check out our website for more details about the role and the application process. It’s a great way to get a feel for our team and what we do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Go! Southampton
✨Know Your BID Basics
Before the interview, make sure you understand what a Business Improvement District (BID) is and how GO! Southampton operates. Familiarise yourself with their mission, services, and recent initiatives. This will show your genuine interest in the role and help you answer questions more effectively.
✨Showcase Your People Skills
As a Business Relations Officer, strong interpersonal skills are key. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully engaged with businesses or stakeholders. Highlight how you adapted to different situations and built relationships, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Engagement Strategies
Think about how you would approach engaging with BID members and promoting services. Be prepared to share your ideas on effective communication methods, such as newsletters or events, and how you would gather feedback to inform project development. This shows that you're proactive and ready to contribute.
✨Demonstrate Your IT Savvy
Since the role involves using a CRM system, brush up on your IT skills. If you have experience with CRM software, be ready to discuss it. If not, express your willingness to learn and adapt quickly. Showing confidence in your tech abilities can set you apart from other candidates.