Recreation Operations & Growth Manager

Job summary

Recreation Operations & Growth Manager Salary: £75,000 – £80,000 + Excellent Benefits Location: North West England We are seeking a  Recreation Operations & Growth Manager to lead the transformation of a large, nationally significant recreation and landholding estate. This is a rare opportunity to shape a high-profile visitor environment, drive commercial growth, and deliver meaningful environmental & community value. The Opportunity As the strategic lead for Recreation Operations & Growth Manager, you will set the long-term vision for a diverse outdoor estate, creating a high-performing, customer-focused and commercially sustainable recreation offer. Your leadership will directly influence how millions of visitors experience the natural environment. You will develop the business model, lead a central team, grow revenue & ensure that visitor operations align with environmental protection, heritage, regulatory obligations & brand values. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership Own & deliver the long-term strategy for the function Position as a credible, commercially ambitious & investable business area Lead the transition from cost centre to sustainable, income-generating business unit Ensure all activities safeguard and enhance nature, heritage, water safety, and community benefit Team Leadership & Development Lead & develop a multi-disciplinary team across commercial, sourcing, marketing & visitor experience Build a high-performance, data-driven, customer-centric culture Provide coaching & direction to meet growth targets Operate effectively within a regulated environment Commercial Growth & Delivery Set & manage income, commercial & performance targets Oversee commercial pipelines including new concessions, events, parking, water activities & visitor services Lead business cases, cost models, investment proposals & budget planning Ensure strong pricing strategies & revenue optimisation across all contracts Oversee tendering & delivery of landscape & access projects, with understanding of planning processes Partnership & Stakeholder Management Manage relationships with operators, concessions, land agents, NGOs, local authorities & other strategic partners Build positive working relationships with regulators Ensure strong partner performance and consistent customer experience Governance & Reporting Establish a clear governance framework for safety, finance, operations and land use Provide regular performance reporting to senior leadership Ensure alignment with broader corporate objectives Skills & Experience Required Strong leadership experience in environmental, leisure, outdoor recreation, visitor attractions or estate management Proven track record in commercial growth and developing revenue-generating visitor propositions Experience managing multi-functional teams and complex external partnerships Strong financial acumen, with experience interpreting P&L and ROI cases Ability to balance commercial ambition with environmental, heritage and regulatory requirements Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills Experience in landscape delivery, planning processes and associated legislation is desirable Benefits 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays Employer pension contribution Up to 20% performance-related bonus £5,000 car allowance