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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the growth of Access & Recreation initiatives and develop innovative revenue strategies.
- Company: Join United Utilities, a leader in sustainable recreation and heritage management.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on outdoor experiences while driving significant income growth.
- Qualifications: Proven track record in commercial growth within leisure or tourism sectors.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on sustainability and community engagement.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
The role is to accelerate and expand United Utilities' Access & Recreation (A&R) commercial offer by identifying and developing high-value revenue opportunities and A&R commercial strategies to deploy across the recreation estate. The position is accountable for driving substantial year-on-year income growth, shaping a scalable A&R business model, and ensuring that commercial performance becomes a major, reliable contributor to reinvestment in recreation, heritage and catchment outcomes. This role requires a proven track record of growing commercial activity in leisure, visitor attractions or outdoor experience sectors.
Key Accountabilities
- Deliver Significant Income Growth
- Lead the delivery of ambitious annual revenue targets across A&R.
- Develop and implement pricing, revenue optimisation and product strategies that materially increase income while maintaining high visitor satisfaction.
- Identify underperforming revenue streams and implement turnaround plans.
- Introduce structured income assurance and commercial performance controls to protect and maximise revenue.
- Commercial Strategy & Scalable Business Development
- Build a robust 3–5 year commercial growth plan that transforms A&R from a maintenance-led activity into a scalable income-generating business.
- Develop new commercial propositions with strong financial returns, aligned to the Recreation / Regenerate / Realise land categories.
- Produce compelling business cases with demand modelling, cost estimates, Return On Investment forecasts and risk assessments.
- Benchmark UU's commercial strategy against leading organisations such as Forestry England, National Trust etc.
- Concessions & Partner Performance Management
- Drive stronger commercial performance from all existing operators through active relationship management, negotiation and clear performance expectations.
- Redesign commercial terms and agreements to secure better returns for UU and reduce leakage.
- Lead commercial tendering processes with Procurement and Property to bring in new partners, offers and income streams.
- Project Delivery & Implementation
- Deliver new revenue-generating assets such as kiosks, water access points, pop-up activities and seasonal attractions.
- Coordinate with Engineering and Capital Delivery for small infrastructure improvements that unlock income growth.
- Data, Insight & Performance Reporting
- Use visitor data, footfall, pricing analysis and financial metrics to target growth opportunities and refine propositions.
- Produce high-quality insight and performance reports for the Head of A&R and senior leadership.
- Monitor competitive landscape and evolving market trends across leisure, outdoor recreation and tourism.
- Stakeholder Management & Reputation
- Work collaboratively with environmental, heritage and community stakeholders to ensure commercial growth is responsible and sensitive to special landscapes.
- Support communication plans that demonstrate how revenue enables reinvestment back into the land and local communities.
Skills & Experience
- A strong, evidenced record of delivering significant commercial growth in relevant sectors such as visitor attractions, outdoor activity centres, leisure, concessions, events or tourism.
- Demonstrable experience increasing income across multiple revenue streams (e.g. parking, concessions, activities, events, retail or hospitality).
- Proven ability to design and deliver commercial strategies and business cases that secure investment and achieve high ROI.
- Track record of improving performance of commercial partners or concessionaires through negotiation and structured performance management.
- Experience delivering commercial projects end-to-end, from concept through to launch.
- Highly commercial mindset with strong analytical, financial and negotiation skills.
- Ability to turn insight into clear commercial actions.
- Strong relationship-builder able to influence senior leaders, partners and stakeholders.
- Skilled at balancing commercial ambition with environmental, safety and heritage constraints.
- Capable of working in a partner-led model, driving results without large in-house operational teams.
- Experience working in protected landscapes, heritage sites or water-based recreation settings.
- Familiarity with commercial leases, revenue-share models, or concession structuring.
- Degree or equivalent experience in business, management, land, recreation management, environment or leisure sectors.
- Chartership in a relevant discipline e.g. Chartered Member Of The Landscape Institute (CMLI).
- Professional commercial, project or negotiation qualifications advantageous (e.g. APM, CIM, negotiation training).
- Results-driven with relentless focus on growth and improvement.
- Creative, opportunity-focused and commercially curious.
- Confident, persuasive and comfortable with pace and ambiguity.
- Strong judgement and attention to detail.
Locations
Access & Recreation Development Lead in Cheshire, Warrington employer: United Utilities
Contact Detail:
United Utilities Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Access & Recreation Development Lead in Cheshire, Warrington
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the leisure and outdoor sectors. Attend industry events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or valuable advice.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your achievements! When you get the chance to chat with hiring managers or during interviews, make sure to highlight your past successes in driving revenue growth. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to turn around underperforming areas and implement successful commercial strategies.
✨Tip Number 3
Research is key! Before any interview, dive deep into the company’s current projects and challenges. Understanding their commercial strategies and how you can contribute will set you apart from other candidates. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in the role and the organisation.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly through us gives you a better shot at getting noticed. Plus, it’s super easy to navigate and keeps everything in one place. Don’t miss out!
We think you need these skills to ace Access & Recreation Development Lead in Cheshire, Warrington
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Access & Recreation Development Lead role. Highlight your experience in growing commercial activities, especially in leisure or outdoor sectors, to show us you’re the right fit.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; we want to see your successes! Use specific examples of how you’ve driven income growth or improved performance in previous roles. Numbers speak volumes!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key skills and experiences shine through without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at United Utilities
✨Know Your Numbers
Before the interview, brush up on your financial metrics and revenue growth strategies. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've driven income growth in previous roles, especially in leisure or outdoor sectors. This will show that you understand the commercial landscape and can contribute to their goals.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset
Prepare to talk about your experience in developing long-term commercial strategies. Think about how you've transformed maintenance-led activities into scalable income-generating businesses. Bring along a few ideas for potential new propositions that could align with their land categories.
✨Demonstrate Relationship Management Skills
Since stakeholder management is key, be ready to share examples of how you've successfully built relationships with partners and negotiated better commercial terms. Highlight any experiences where you've improved performance through structured management and clear expectations.
✨Be Data-Driven
Familiarise yourself with visitor data and market trends relevant to the role. During the interview, discuss how you've used data to identify growth opportunities and refine commercial propositions. This will illustrate your analytical skills and ability to turn insights into actionable strategies.
