Are you ready to drive the commercial future of a vital public service and deliver excellence at scale?
Hackney is seeking an ambitious, results-driven Commercial & Business Development Manager to take the lead in transforming our Environmental Services commercial portfolio. This is a pivotal, high-impact role for a strategist who can balance commercial acumen with the values of a public sector organisation. We aren’t just looking for a manager; we are looking for a business leader to shape our commercial strategy, maximise income, and set a new standard for our waste and environmental services.
The Challenge: Leading Commercial Innovation
You will be accountable for the financial health and strategic growth of our commercial operations, ensuring that our services are not only high-performing but financially robust.
This role offers the opportunity to lead a dedicated team and drive meaningful change:
- Strategic business development: Identify and secure new commercial opportunities, expanding our portfolio in waste collection, special events, and ancillary services.
- Commercial leadership: Directly lead and mentor a team of Commercial Sales and Contract Processing Officers, fostering a high-performance, customer-focused culture.
- Financial oversight: Take total accountability for budget preparation, income maximisation, debt recovery, and accurate forecasting, ensuring the service represents the best value for money.
- Digital transformation: Lead the procurement and implementation of innovative IT and mobile working solutions to drive efficiency, data integrity, and informed decision-making.
- Performance & compliance: Benchmark our pricing and performance against private and public sector competitors, ensuring full legislative compliance with the Environmental Protection Act and internal standards.
What You Will Bring:
- Commercial acumen: A proven track record in developing commercial strategies, managing budgets, and identifying growth opportunities, ideally within the waste or environmental sector.
- Leadership excellence: A demonstrable ability to provide vision and direction to a team, managing performance with clarity and driving accountability.
- Strategic thinking: The ability to translate complex data into actionable business plans and lead transformational change programmes.
- Communication & influence: A professional style that generates credibility and respect among senior management, elected members, and external stakeholders.
- Operational readiness: Proficiency in IT management systems and a full UK Driver’s Licence, with the flexibility to work occasional out-of-hours shifts as business needs dictate.
Are you ready to make your mark?
We are looking for a dynamic, resilient, and commercially-minded leader who wants to work in a place where your skills directly benefit the residents of Hackney. You will be instrumental in shaping the future of our public realm, ensuring that our commercial services are sustainable, innovative, and market-leading.
As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation.
We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud. In order to achieve this, we are seeking individuals who embody our "PROUD" values: Purpose and Respect, where we foster belonging through active inclusion, kindness, and open dialogue; Ownership, where we champion proactive collaboration and accountability for our shared success; and Unity and Diversity, where we work as one Council to break down silos and champion anti-racist behavior.
Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.
The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk
Closing date for applications: 17 August 2026 (22:59)
Interview and assessment date: 08 & 11 September 2026
Commercial & Business Development Manager employer: Hackney Borough Council
Hackney Council is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that prioritises the development of future leaders in local government. As a Management Trainee apprentice, you will benefit from a structured programme that combines hands-on experience across various departments with formal training, all while being part of a progressive council dedicated to equity and community engagement. With competitive salaries, comprehensive support, and a commitment to employee growth, Hackney Council stands out as a rewarding place to build a meaningful career.
