Commercial Director - London
Closing Date – 9th March
Location – London (Hybrid)
Salary - up to £100k
If you are interested please apply with a CV and Cover Letter.
About the CBI:
Founded 60 years ago and representing some of the biggest names in business, household brands and globally traded corporations that employ people in all sectors and across every region and nation of the UK, the CBI is the voice of business. The CBI represents 850 members who themselves comprise 1,100 separate registered companies and 150,000 trade association members.
Role Summary:
As part of the CBI’s “Time for Growth” strategy, we are introducing two new Commercial Director roles to drive membership growth and commercial success across our English regions, Financial Services, Trade Associations, and SMEs.
This role will provide strategic leadership for the London & South East, Financial Services, and Business Networks (Trade Associations & SMEs) teams. The role-holder will be responsible for driving the commercial performance of the team and will take ownership of a discrete priority area or project, contributing directly to the overall success of the team while ensuring strong commercial outcomes across the wider portfolio.
The Commercial Director will set the strategy for membership retention and growth, sponsorship, commercial partnerships, and strategic account management, ensuring members receive a high-value engagement experience. They will work closely with policy and economic directors to align commercial activity with the CBI’s wider advocacy and insight work.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & London Oversight:
* The role-holder will drive the commercial performance of the London team, setting strategic direction and ensuring alignment across London & South East, Financial Services, and Business Networks (Trade Associations & SMEs).
* They will take direct ownership of a specific priority area or project while providing strategic oversight across the wider portfolio, ensuring a high-performing and commercially successful team. This includes empowering team leads to manage their areas with autonomy while fostering collaboration and consistency across the group.
* Work with the Chief Commercial Officer to set and monitor commercial targets, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s overarching growth strategy.
* Represent the CBI at high-profile London and sectoral events, working groups, and business forums, ensuring strong external presence and impact.
* Mentor and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and commercial success.
Commercial Responsibilities:
* Lead the membership retention and acquisition strategy for their own area while overseeing growth strategies across the full portfolio.
* Set and oversee membership growth targets, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to achieve them.
* Work with the Commercial Operations Director to monitor commercial performance, ensuring robust data-driven decision-making.
* Identify and develop sponsorship and partnership opportunities that enhance the CBI’s commercial success.
* Align with CBI Economics, integrating commercial consultancy opportunities into business engagement plans.
Member Engagement
* Lead direct member engagement in their own area, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and commercial value.
* Develop and maintain strong relationships with key members and stakeholders, offering direct support to major accounts.
* Support team leads in delivering high-impact events, working groups, and networking opportunities for members.
* Act as a senior escalation point for major accounts, stepping in when senior-level engagement is required while ensuring directors remain the primary relationship owners.
* Work closely with regional and sector chairs and vice-chairs, supporting their leadership and ensuring strong member representation at the highest level.
* Design and deliver an engaging membership experience across the cluster, including working groups, committees, and strategic networking opportunities.
Policy & Economic Development
* Work closely with CBI Policy, Economics, and Public Affairs teams to shape and influence policy and economic work relevant to members.
* Support the development of policy positions that reflect the interests of members within the cluster.
* Collaborate with Devolved Nations and Policy Directors to share best practices and ensure an integrated approach to business advocacy.
* Share sector and regional insights with the wider organisation, ensuring national strategies are informed by commercial and member needs.
Performance Monitoring & Reporting
* Oversee the commercial performance of each area, ensuring consistent monitoring and reporting.
* Ensure teams update CRM and insight tools, improving data accuracy and decision-making.
* Provide regular commercial updates to the Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Committee, ensuring clear visibility on performance.
* Continuously review member satisfaction and engagement, using insights to refine the membership proposition.
Knowledge & Experience:
* Strong leadership and team management experience, with the ability to balance direct leadership of one area with strategic oversight of others.
* Proven commercial acumen, with a track record of driving membership growth, retention, and business development.
* Experience of leading high-performing teams, with the ability to motivate, coach, and support direct reports without micromanaging.
* Ability to build strong senior relationships with business leaders, stakeholders, and policymakers.
* Experience in financial management, budget oversight, and resource allocation.
* Excellent stakeholder management, ensuring clear communication and collaboration across multiple business areas.
* Knowledge of the London, Financial Services, and Trade Association business landscape.
* Experience in policy, economics, or business advocacy.
* Strong networking and stakeholder management skills across a diverse business community.
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