Commercial Manager (Conference and Events)

Commercial Manager (Conference and Events) Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week Contract: Permanent Salary: £40,000 £45,000 per annum Location: Cambridge, CB3 About Us Since our founding in 1965, Lucy Cavendish College has led the way in championing inclusion. Originally an institution founded for mature women and which transformed their life chances and gave them professional careers. The College decided to open those opportunities to new groups of under-represented women of all ages from October 2020 and from all ages and genders from September 2021. Lucy is a relaxed, friendly and dynamic community and we are proud to be a driving force of positive change. The Colleges mix of traditional and modern buildings present a friendly, but professional atmosphere, combining beauty and tranquillity with modern, up-to-date conference facilities. About you and the Role We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Commercial Manager to lead the growth and development of the Colleges conference, events and summer school business. This is a newly created opportunity for an ambitious individual who can combine strategic thinking with strong commercial acumen and operational leadership. As Commercial Manager, you will take ownership of the sales and commercial strategy, including the development and delivery of in-house summer school programmes. Working closely with our operations, delivery and support teams, you will identify opportunities, convert them into successful business and ensure events are delivered to a consistently high standard, while achieving strong commercial returns. A key part of the role will be developing and maintaining strong relationships with prospective and existing clients, partners and guests. You will understand their needs, deliver an excellent customer experience and identify opportunities to encourage repeat business and build long-term partnerships. We are looking for a confident, commercially driven professional with a strong track record in conference and events, hospitality, business development or a similar commercial environment. You will be an accomplished relationship builder, with the ability to identify new opportunities, develop compelling propositions and turn them into profitable and sustainable business. You will also bring experience of developing and implementing effective processes, systems and service improvements, together with practical experience of using event management software and CRM systems to support sales, customer relationship management and operational delivery. Knowledge of the higher education sector and a professional events management or related qualification would be advantageous but not essential. In return we can offer a benefits package including: 36 days holiday pro rata Free meals on shift A 6% employer contributory pension scheme Free car parking (if available) Life assurance x3 salary A health cash back scheme Cycle to work scheme Wellbeing programme including free yoga and bootcamp sessions College gym College punt hire Employee Assistance Programme Closing date: Sunday 11 October 2026 Interviews: Wednesday 21 October 2026 Interested ? If you would like to apply and find out more about this position, please click the apply button to be directed to our website. Lucy Cavendish College is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse communities that we serve. No agencies please.