Head of Commercial (Social Enterprise)

Job description

We’re seeking a passionate, resilient and courageous leader with strong financial acumen, commercial experience and the drive to balance business success with social impact.

Summary of position:

The Head of Commercial leads Fair Shot’s commercial and operational delivery. You will oversee business performance, financial sustainability, internal systems, and how departments work together.

A core part of this role is developing and implementing a commercial strategy to ensure the organisation meets its revenue targets while staying true to its mission. You’ll align revenue generation with operational capacity and team wellbeing, ensuring our income streams (café and events) operate smoothly and sustainably.

You’ll also support and coordinate the commercial/operations team (Events, People, and General Management) to ensure our business activity supports the needs of the training programme and balances commercial success with social impact. This is a key leadership role for someone ready to take Fair Shot out of its startup phase, embedding systems, culture, and structure to support scale and long-term impact.

KPI's

• Monthly and annual revenue from café and events.
• Achievement of 60% (up to 75% in 2028) contribution toward overall organisational costs.
• Staff retention and engagement levels.
• Implementation and adoption of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Cross-departmental collaboration and communication quality.
• Operational readiness and delivery during periods of expansion.

Benefits:

• Free beverages at the Cafe
• Free staff lunch
• Fun days with the learners and staff members
• Free 1-1 work coach for 6 months
• 1 Friday off a month
• DBS enhanced checked - we provide
• Safeguarding vulnerable adults course - we provide

Business & Financial Performance (50%)

• Lead the financial performance of Fair Shot’s commercial revenue streams: café and events.
• Manage cash flow, profit and loss (P&L), and financial reconciliation with accountants to ensure accurate and timely reporting.
• Work in partnership with the Head of Coffee, Events Manager, and General Manager to review sales, margins, and ensure operational decisions align with income goals and operational capacity.
• Ensure that events and cafe departments meet its target of generating 60% of overall costs (~£900k) through commercial income (currently at ~£700k).
• Oversee the business bank account, financial reporting, budgeting with the team, and the relationship with accountants, working closely with the CEO and external advisors on financial strategy.
• Identify and implement commercial growth opportunities, cost efficiencies, and revenue diversification.
• Lead budgeting processes and reporting for the business, working with departments to stay on target and align budgets with short- and long-term growth plans based on financial insights.
• Identify and implement commercial growth opportunities, cost efficiencies, and revenue diversification strategies

Team Leadership & Organisational Development (20%)

• Manage and support the Events Manager, General Manager, and People & Culture Manager (PT).
• Champion communication and collaboration across departments, supporting them to work together and in service of our wider mission and programme.
• Lead a multi-functional team including café, events, marketing, and wholesale managers, aligning commercial delivery with organisational goals
• Establish role-specific KPIs, conduct performance reviews, and create professional development plans to grow team capacity and effectiveness
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, training, payroll coordination, and performance management across commercial functions
• Champion collaboration and communication across teams, fostering a healthy, emotionally intelligent, and inclusive culture
• Create clarity on roles, responsibilities, and workflows, setting clear expectations and accountability
• Create clarity on roles, responsibilities, and workflows; set, monitor, and review KPIs for direct reports
• Foster a healthy, emotionally intelligent culture and lead with empathy and professionalism.

Systems, Strategy & Organisational Growth (20%)

• Develop and embed systems (SOPs, reporting, planning) that move the organisation beyond the startup phase and support long-term scale.
• Create and refine internal workflows that support adaptive delivery across departments and respond to evolving needs
• Collaborate with senior leadership to shape organisational strategy and contribute to long-term decision-making and vision
• Co-lead expansion strategy: if new locations or services require operational planning, you will lead the design and implementation of operations for that growth.
• Ensure the Operations team supports the training programme’s success while balancing the commercial demands required for financial sustainability.
• Actively contribute to leadership decisions and strategic planning as part of the senior management team
• Actively contribute to strategic planning and vision setting as part of the leadership team
• Work closely with external contractors and advisors on key business functions such as HR, finance, and compliance to support organisational growth

Essential knowledge & Experience:

• 5+ years in operations, commercial leadership, or general management roles, ideally within hospitality, social enterprise, or similar customer-facing sectors.
• Minimum 2 years in a senior or head of department role with direct responsibility for financial performance and team management.
• Demonstrated experience leading multi-functional teams and aligning operations with both revenue and mission-driven goals.
• Proven track record of implementing processes or systems that helped move an organisation from early-stage to more structured operations.
• Experience in hospitality or social enterprise leadership, with strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Proven track record of managing teams and cross-functional operations.
• Experience setting up and improving operational systems and processes.
• High emotional intelligence; warm, people-focused leadership style.
• Strong budgeting, reporting, and financial planning skills.