Head of Commercial and Operations

City St George’s, University of London - SU - Students' Union

Placed On: 5th March 2026

Closes: 29th March 2026

Job Ref: 100056

With a rich history spanning over 125 years, City St George’s Students’ Union’ is the primary organisation representing every City St George’s student. That makes the Students’ Union the representative body for over 27,000 members.

Background

The Head of Commercial and Operations will be a senior manager for both the Students' Union and its trading subsidiary, CSGSU Trading Limited. They’ll oversee all of our commercial services—shops, cafés, and bars—along with our welcome desks, general operations and our Communications and Brand team.

Responsibilities & Person Specification

Their job will be to make sure our trading and operational areas deliver great service, strong financial performance, and a positive student experience. They’ll lead on developing new commercial ideas, maintaining high operational standards, and ensuring everything we do meets legal requirements and best practice. As part of the Leadership Team, they’ll also help shape our wider strategic direction.

A core part of the role involves developing innovative commercial strategies that strengthen income generation and grow the Union’s visibility across Clerkenwell, Tooting, and Moorgate. The postholder will ensure all services operate in full compliance with financial, legal, and regulatory requirements—such as food hygiene, licensing, and health and safety—while embedding efficient systems, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. The postholder will maintain robust financial controls, work collaboratively with the Head of Finance, and provide clear, accurate reporting to senior boards and stakeholders. They will be responsible for ensuring that commercial services deliver against targets and remain sustainable.

The role also includes strategic oversight of communications and brand activity, ensuring high‑ quality campaigns, digital content, and marketing initiatives aligned to student needs and commercial objectives. This includes generating income through partnerships, advertising, and sponsorship.

We are seeking an experienced, commercially driven leader with a strong background in retail, hospitality, or similar multi‑ site operations. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent leadership, analytical ability, and the confidence to navigate complexity while contributing directly to impactful, student‑ centred services.

This is a dynamic and influential role with the opportunity to make a measurable difference across a vibrant, multi‑campus student community.

Additional Information

Further information is available in JD - Head Of Commercial & Operations.pdf

Closing date for applications: 29 March 2026 at 11:59pm

Interviews are scheduled to take place in place. 09/10 April 2026.

The selection process will involve an interview and an exercise/presentation.

Further details will be confirmed at the interview stage.

City St George’s offers a sector-leading salary, pension scheme and benefits including a comprehensive package of staff training and development.