Deputy Director of Campus and Commercial Services

University of Chester | Chester

About the role

The University of Chester is seeking to appoint an exceptional Deputy Director of Campus and Commercial Services to play a central role in shaping the quality, performance and future direction of our campus environments. This is an exciting time to join the University as they continue to evolve their estate, enhance the student experience, and strengthen commercial activities. Campus and Commercial Services are integral to this ambition, providing essential services that underpin daily university life while also driving innovation, efficiency and income generation.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Estates and Commercial Operations, the Deputy Director will provide strategic leadership across a wide-ranging portfolio that includes accommodation, hospitality, events, commercial services, security, customer-facing operations and wider campus services. The role is responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe and efficient services that enhance the experience of students, staff and visitors, while maximising the effective use of the University’s assets.

As a senior leader, you will lead and inspire a large and diverse team, setting clear direction and driving a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and collaboration. You will combine strategic insight with operational expertise, ensuring that services are not only delivered effectively today but are continually evolving to meet future needs. The role requires strong commercial awareness, the ability to manage complexity, and a focus on achieving both service excellence and financial sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance the University’s commercial portfolio, supporting income generation through conferences, events, catering and partnerships.
• Lead on the delivery of the accommodation strategy, ensuring high-quality provision and strong external relationships to meet changing demand.
• Contribute to the development of the Estates Strategy, ensuring that operational insight informs long-term planning and investment decisions.
• Ensure the resilience and safety of the University by providing leadership in areas such as security, business continuity and incident management.
• Oversee the development of robust processes and ensure compliance with relevant legislation, while maintaining a strong focus on customer service and user experience.

Requirements

• Significant experience of managing large, multi-functional teams within complex organisations.
• Strong track record of delivering service transformation, driving commercial performance and leading organisational change.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective partnerships across a wide range of stakeholders, both internal and external.

Benefits

The University of Chester offers a supportive and forward-looking environment, a competitive salary and benefits package, and the opportunity to play a key leadership role in a values-driven institution with ambitious plans for the future.

For an informal and confidential discussion, please contact David Craven (david.craven@mrgglobal.com), James Gregory (james.gregory@mrgglobal.com), or Katie Piercy (k.piercy@chester.ac.uk).