Job Description

Interim Director, Commercial Programmes & Delivery

The interim role

We are proud to partner with the Royal Institute of British Architects (‘RIBA’) to identify talent for their Interim Director, Commercial Programmes & Delivery post.

RIBA are currently embarking on an exciting phase of growth and transformation, expanding their markets both domestically and internationally.

To support this ambition, they are looking for a dynamic and seasoned interim to support their commercial strategy and drive revenue growth across a diverse portfolio of products and services, whilst the current postholder is on a 6 month secondment to the Executive board.

This interim leadership role focuses on continuing to drive significant commercial growth and international market expansion, especially in the Gulf and Southeast Asia. The postholder will be responsible for managing a large portfolio of revenue-generating products and services, such as their CPD programme, RIBA Journal and RIBA Publishing, Journal of Architecture, RIBA retail, etc.

The programmes currently generate circa £11 million per annum, income is growing, and ambitious business plans are underway to grow rapidly and significantly.

In addition, the role will oversee the launch of new initiatives such as a competency framework and lifelong learning programs, playing a key role in shaping the future of the organisation.

This contract offers an exciting opportunity to lead change, foster collaboration, and contribute to RIBA’s goal of doubling in size over the next decade, ensuring continuous development and improvement across the organisation.

Key facts

• This is a fixed term contract minimum – 6 months, PAYE.
• Why is the post interim? To cover the post-holder’s secondment to an Executive (Board) Director position.
• Starting salary of ca £90,000 p.a
• Primarily home based, with travel to our client’s offices in London, on average, once a week, and to Liverpool once every two weeks (expenses from London to Liverpool paid). Most of your team are based out of the Liverpool office (hybrid working).
• Alternatively, our client welcomes applications from relevant interim candidates who live outside of London/commuter belt – and a home based contract is possible (all travel expenses then paid to both London, and Liverpool), with a salary range of £80,000 – £90,000 p.a.
• First interviews will be conducted over ‘teams’ on the 14^th and 18^th There might be a second interview stage, due to the seniority of the post.
• Our client is looking for the interim to start in November. Please only apply IF you can either start immediately, start in November, and/or are on a maximum of one month’s notice).

Role responsibilities include:

• Leading the delivery of high-quality, commercially valuable programmes and products, ensuring accessibility for members, clients, and the public, while focusing on sustainable profitability.
• Leading, and managing a team (5 x direct reports and a much larger team underneath)
• Managing costs to support excellent product and service delivery, driving margin performance, and expanding sales support across the organisation.
• Optimising income-generating areas through strategies such as bundling, upselling, and cross-selling across UK and international markets.
• Implementation of cutting-edge digital technologies and platforms to enhance the digital-first approach, delivering strong commercial value and customer support.
• Identification of business opportunities and partnerships; development, closing, and managing sales and business solutions.
• Ensuring programme delivery excellence, focusing on ROI, customer satisfaction, and to drive digital, print, and in-person learning.
• Development of go-to-market strategies for our client’s products and services, in close collaboration with Communications and Marketing teams to maximize revenue opportunities.

The ideal candidate

The role requires strong experience in commercial strategy and programme management, with a focus on marketing and bringing products to market effectively. The successful candidate will need to collaborate closely with the marketing team, helping implement new channel strategies and drive innovation in alignment with RIBA’s ambitious growth targets.

A strong project management capability to develop and implement clear and effective ‘go to market’ strategies, as well as experience of customer service excellence gained in a commercial environment through the creation and implementation of SLAs, are also key to achieving the objectives of this role.

Additionally, our client is looking for someone who is:

• An experienced interim.
• Proven experience in a senior commercial role, ideally within a professional body.
• Experienced in both matrix and direct line management of senior roles, through clear objectives and reporting mechanisms to ensure effective leadership.
• Able to effectively interim manage a motivated team – proactively supporting them in their own personal development and career progression.
• Experienced in taking an intrapreneurial approach in the identification, evaluation and launch of business opportunities.
• A strategic thinker who sees opportunities for product growth and commercial optimisation gained in both UK and International markets
• Experienced in managing a budget of ca £11mln or bigger
• Able to drive P&L through cost management and margin growth to maximise financial returns whilst maintaining quality at all times
• Able to represent the organisation at the highest level and effectively deliver partnerships with a range of internal and external stakeholders

Our client

RIBA is a professional body for architects, primarily in the United Kingdom, with an international presence. For nearly 200 years, RIBA’s mission has been to serve its members and society, aiming to contribute to the creation of better buildings, places, and stronger communities. Notably, RIBA is dedicated to setting and upholding high standards in the architectural profession.

They are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive culture, ensuring a workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive.

How to Apply

Job Types: Temporary. Salaries: 80,000 - 100,000.

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