Job title: Director of Cheltenham Racecourse
Based at: Cheltenham Racecourse
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
About the role
Home of the iconic Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival, we have a unique opportunity for a Director to join our business to lead Cheltenham Racecourse, the home of jump racing. Working ‘hand in glove’ with our Managing Director in the successful running of Cheltenham Racecourse working with key stakeholders and colleagues across the group in the strategic and operational leadership of Cheltenham.
Whilst the Managing Director will initially retain full accountability and decision-making authority for Cheltenham Racecourse, this will transfer to the Cheltenham Director over time. Given the complexity and maturity of Cheltenham Racecourse and the Cheltenham Festival, it is expected that this transfer will occur over 12-24 months.
About The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club stages thrilling sporting occasions and live events nationwide including The Grand National, The Cheltenham Festival & The Derby. Owning & operating 15 course’s, millions of people every year enjoy the special experiences we offer through racing, music, food and entertainment on raceday’s and beyond.
As the largest commercial group in British racing, we are guided by our mission to act for the long term good of the sport. Every penny we make goes back into racing to promote excellence within Britain’s second biggest spectator sport. Our people are what makes this possible
At The Jockey Club people are at the heart of what we do and drive our success. We are inclusive and actively seek to attract people with unique backgrounds and perspectives. Diverse, collaborative teams are pivotal to our success and support the potential and growth of all our people.
The Director of Cheltenham Racecourse will
• Build, motivate and develop a high performing team to deliver outstanding service and business results.
• Set clear, ambitious, and realistic objectives and work with the teams (both direct and indirect) to ensure these are achieved.
• Agree and implement a business strategy for Cheltenham Racecourse that is aligned with The Jockey Club overall vision and strategic plan.
• Regularly monitor and review the P&L highlighting areas of risk and opportunity ensuring cost efficiencies are made and commercial opportunities explored.
• Working with the Senior Leadership Team to create an innovative commercial, sales and marketing culture that maximises every opportunity.
• Deeply embed Cheltenham in the heart of the communities that surround the racecourse by developing strong local relationships.
• Act as an ambassador for Cheltenham Racecourse and The Jockey Club in the local, national, and international racing community, including driving awareness.
• Partner the Racecourse Chairman and racecourse committee, ensuring strong relationships are built, networking opportunities are established, and value is gained from specific areas of expertise among committee members.
• Deliver a beautifully presented Group One Racecourse site in line with Jockey Club standards and customer expectations, working closely with the Racecourse Operations Team.
• Deliver best practice Health & Safety at your racecourse and work with the teams across the region to ensure the highest standard of H&S across the site and all events.
About you
• Exceptional people leader recognised by others as setting clear standards, engaging teams in the delivery of those standards, and leading with inclusivity.
• Personable with a strategic, future focused mindset in a focused but flexible manner with a clear idea of the evolution of the organisation.
• Comfortable of managing own time and emotions with self-awareness of own abilities and limitations.
• Effective communicator able to interact and influence a wide range of stakeholders in a variety of ways clearly and succinctly creating lasting relationships.
• Accountable and responsible holding self and others to high standards and values with a super organised approach
• Sets clear goals and persists in achieving them — keeps pushing through challenges and motivating those around them.
• Creative and Innovative comfortable taking managed risks and encouraging others to do the same.
•Commercially savvy with proven experience of successfully managing a Venue/event P&L (within a matrix of delivery) with high standards of Customer Experience
•Adaptable with experience of taking a leading role in delivering change/transformation programmes.
What we offer in return
• All colleagues can go along to any of our race day or music events free of charge - along with 3 friends or family with our TeamPass Ticket scheme.
• An award-winning pension scheme provider with a generous employer contribution
• A healthcare cash back plan enabling you to claim money back on health & wellbeing services.
• 25 days annual leave
• Access to a suite of Learning & Development training resources from renowned providers
• A whole host of other benefits including free eyecare vouchers, a ride to work cycle scheme & discounts across varying retailers & services.
If you think you have everything we’re looking for and more, then we’d love to hear from you. Don’t hang around, our closing date for this vacancy is 9 th November but we reserve the right to bring this forward if we have many applications.
This role may be subject to a criminal record check, standard or enhanced DBS check or BHA Suitability Check. By applying you confirm that you are happy for these checks to be carried out.