As one of the UK’s leading charitable leisure trusts, we’re proud of our mission of Improving Lives Through Leisure. We’re here to help communities live healthier, happier lives by making our centres welcoming, inclusive and accessible to everyone - because everyone deserves to feel good. We’re all about delivering amazing customer service and creating spaces where people feel at home, supported and inspired.
We are seeking an accomplished and commercially astute sport and leisure professional to provide leadership for Freedom Leisure’s business development function. As Head of Business Development, you will play a central role in shaping and delivering the organisation’s growth strategy, strengthening our market position and securing sustainable opportunities that advance our charitable purpose.
You will bring strong commercial and financial acumen, extensive experience of leading complex bids and tender submissions and the judgement to ensure that every proposition is tailored to the strategic priorities of each prospective client. You will also provide informed oversight of business cases, financial proposals, project mobilisation and associated governance.
Reporting to the Business Development Director, you will lead, develop and performance manage a team of Business Development Managers, setting clear priorities and ensuring a consistent, high-quality approach across the opportunity pipeline. You will be expected to exercise sound judgement, manage competing strategic priorities and build trusted relationships with colleagues, partners, local authorities and other key stakeholders.
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate a substantial record of senior business development experience, successful team management and the delivery of measurable commercial outcomes within the sport, leisure or public-service environment.
If you’re driven and strive for excellence, then we’d love to hear from you.
In the event that a high volume of suitable applications are received, the post may close prior to the specified closing date.
Hours: 37 hours per week
Closing date: 9th October 2026
Salary: up to £75,000 per annum
At Freedom Leisure, we believe a diverse workforce strengthens our organisation and enhances the services we provide. We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Freedom Leisure is a genuine, pro-active and innovative leisure trust that actively promotes healthy lifestyles across the communities and facilities that we serve.
We are one of the UK’s leading charitable leisure trusts operating over 100 leisure and entertainment venues across England and Wales.
Our ethos is providing affordable and accessible leisure, sport and community facilities for everyone, and we achieve this by providing our partners and customers with a bespoke and unique service that will inspire and excite our communities and increase participation wherever we are.
