Vacancy: Head of Commercial (Wigan Warriors)

As Head of Commercial, you will be responsible for shaping and executing the commercial strategy for Wigan Warriors. This role is focused on driving sustainable growth by leading all revenue-generating functions, including sales, business development, partnerships and club focused events. A deep understanding of market trends, customer behaviour, and emerging opportunities will be critical to success.

• Location: Robin Park Arena
• Reports To: Chief Executive

Key Responsibilities & Duties:

Revenue Generation

• Oversee the development and implementation of core revenue streams across Wigan Warriors, including partnerships and club events.
• Identify and capitalise on new business opportunities that maximise financial returns without compromising the fan experience or reputation.
• Monitor and optimise revenue performance through regular reporting, forecasting, and performance analysis.

Partnerships

• Negotiate and close high-value, multi-year partnerships, ensuring contracts align with the Wigan Warriors commercial objectives.
• Proactively engage with new large multi-national organisations to support Wigan Warriors community focused ambitions.
• Drive fan engagement through exclusive partner activations, digital collaborations, and community focused initiatives.
• Ensure that partnerships are successfully managed, and partners are retained on a year-on-year basis.

Leadership & Strategy Implementation

• Lead the execution of Wigan Warriors commercial strategy to drive sustainable growth ensuring alignment with both business and sporting objectives.
• Deliver a clear unified vision to the commercial team that blends sporting success with commercial profitability while maintaining the integrity of Wigan Warriors brand values.
• Lead a high-performing commercial team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability. Ensure team structure and roles support the groups commercial priorities.

Data-Driven Decision Making

• Leverage fan data and analytics to drive personalised fan experiences, engagement, and monetisation strategies.
• Implement data-driven methods to measure and analyse commercial initiatives, optimising strategies for continuous growth.
• Stay ahead of trends in sports, entertainment, and technology to identify emerging commercial opportunities.
• Foster innovation within the commercial team, including embracing new technologies that create new engagement or revenue opportunities.
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of commercial initiatives using data-driven insights and KPIs, providing regular reports to senior management and the board.

Corporate Social Responsibility & Community Engagement

• Oversee the development and execution of CSR initiatives that strengthen the clubs positions in the community, enhancing local relationships while supporting national commercial strategies.
• Champion initiatives that promote social responsibility, sustainability, and positive community engagement while also driving brand value.

Additional Responsibilities

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong, collaborative relationships with internal teams (marketing, operations, finance) and external stakeholders (sponsors, fans, community groups)
• To ensure the retention of valid skills and appropriate qualifications where appropriate.
• To work unsociable hours including bank holidays, early mornings, evenings, and weekends if required.
• To organise and to attend relevant training as and when necessary.
• Comply with all Club polices relevant for your area of Leadership in particular staff policies.
• Lead, support or contribute to specific projects as requested.
• Hold a commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace.

Health & Safety

• Fully endorse, demonstrate and carry out the company’s health and safety policy.
• Comply with all company policies and statutory regulations relating to health and safety, safe working practices, hygiene, cleanliness, fire and COSHH. This will include your awareness of any specific hazards in your work place, and assist if required with the amending of risk assessments periodically.
• Have a full knowledge of procedures for evacuation with regard to fire.
• Identify and report maintenance requirements or hazards within the workplace and encourage any workforce to do the same to avoid injury.

Safeguarding

• The company is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to endorse this commitment.
• The employee must act to protect all young people and vulnerable adults that are in their care or attending the company’s premises. The employee must report any misconduct or suspected misconduct to the Head of Safeguarding.

General

• Cooperate fully with colleagues and be flexible when assisting them in response to business needs of the company.
• Ensure a positive commitment towards equality and diversity by treating others fairly and not committing any form of direct or indirect discrimination, victimisation or harassment of any description and to promote positive working relations amongst employees and customers.
• The above job description is not intended to be exhaustive; the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the company.

Person Specification

Experience

• +5 years commercial experience within sport.
• Experience of working in a high-performance sales environment.
• Experience in use of CRM systems.
• Proven track record of securing sponsorships agreements in sport.
• Experience in delivering commercial budgets.

Qualifications

• Ideally educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualifications.

Knowledge, Skills & Qualities

• Exceptional presentation skills – written and verbal.
• Ability to lead and motivate the staff.
• An in-depth understanding of ways to monetise digital assets.
• An excellent networker.

How To Apply

Please download the application below and return via email to [email protected]

Head of Commercial Application Form

Please note that the deadline to apply is 11:59pm on Saturday 21 February. A DBS check required.

Wigan Sporting Events Limited are committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its employment policies for recruitment are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Wigan Sporting Events Limited are committed to safeguarding children, young people, and adults at risk during events and activities. The Club recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of these vulnerable groups by a commitment to procedures to protect them. The Club expects all staff and volunteers to respect them.