Head of Business, Markets and Town Centres

Job Introduction

Head of Business, Town Centres & Markets

Shape the Future of Royal Greenwich's Economy

Royal Greenwich is one of London's most dynamic and ambitious boroughs. With significant investment, major regeneration programmes and thriving town centres, we are committed to creating inclusive economic growth that benefits residents, businesses and communities alike.

We are now seeking an exceptional leader to join our Economy & Skills team as our new Head of Business, Town Centres & Markets.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the senior leader responsible for Economy & Skills, you will lead the Council's work on business engagement, town centre development, markets and street trading, helping to shape the economic future of one of London's most distinctive boroughs. The role provides strategic leadership across services that directly influence business growth, placemaking and economic vitality.

This is an exciting time to join Royal Greenwich. We are strengthening our support for local businesses, exploring the introduction of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), developing our approach to High Street Rental Auctions, and creating new opportunities for markets and street trading to play a greater role in supporting vibrant town centres and local enterprise.

The successful candidate will help shape the future of Royal Greenwich's high streets at a time of significant opportunity and change. From Business Improvement Districts and High Street Rental Auctions to town centre activation, business growth and market development, this role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact across the borough.

You will lead a talented team and work closely with elected Members, senior officers, businesses, investors, traders, landlords, developers and local partners to deliver ambitious outcomes across the borough.

What You'll Be Doing

You will:

• Lead the Council's approach to business engagement, town centre renewal and high street vitality, including town centre activation, curation, events programming and partnership development.
• Develop strong relationships with landowners, commercial landlords, employers, business organisations, developers and strategic partners.
• Drive innovation and improvement across our markets and street trading services.
• Champion the future of Royal Greenwich's town centres, supporting their transformation and resilience.
• Drive commercial performance and income generation whilst identifying and securing opportunities for external investment and funding.
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders and Members on business growth, town centre management, markets, street trading and related policy.
• Represent the Council at local, regional and national forums.

About You

We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking leader who can combine strategic vision with practical delivery.

You will bring:

• Significant experience in business engagement, economic development, inward investment or regeneration.
• Experience of leading place-based economic development, town centre regeneration or business growth programmes.
• Experience of managing complex partnerships and stakeholder relationships.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Commercial awareness and a track record of delivering outcomes and service improvement.
• A solid understanding of markets, street trading, place management or town centre development.
• The ability to influence at senior levels and work effectively in a political environment.
• A passion for creating thriving local economies and supporting businesses to succeed.

Why Royal Greenwich?

Royal Greenwich is a fantastic place to live and work. Home to world-renowned heritage, growing business districts, diverse communities and outstanding transport connections, the borough offers a unique opportunity to influence economic development at scale.

We value our staff and are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive and flexible working environment.

Our benefits include:

• Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Ongoing professional development
• Staff wellbeing support and networks
• Reduced-rate gym membership
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• GreenwichCard discounts and offers
   

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you are a strategic, collaborative and ambitious leader who is passionate about supporting businesses, revitalising high streets and shaping thriving places, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion please contact Michelle Rankin, Assistant Director, Economy & Skills at michelle.rankin@royalgreenwich.gov.uk 

Diversity Statement: Royal Borough of Greenwich values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this. We therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community.

Advert Close: All vacancies close at midnight unless otherwise stated. 

Early Advert Close: Royal Borough of Greenwich reserves the right to close any job advert earlier than the advertised closing date where there is reason to do so (for example high volume of applications).

How Applications are Scored: Each application is scored according to how well the supporting statements addresses each point on the Person Specification for the role. Candidates will be short-listed for interview on the extent to which they meet the specific points within the Person Specification. The Person Specification is supplied with the job advert. When completing your application, please use the supporting statements section to tell us how you meet each of the points on the Person Specification. We need to have this information in order to consider your application.

Salary: Salaries advertised are for a standard working week of 35 hours unless otherwise stated. Please use this 'Salary Calculator to help you calculate a pro rata salary.

Our Staff Values: Our Staff Values are important to us. Candidates will be continuously assessed against our staff values throughout the recruitment process. Where candidates demonstrate views and behaviours that do not meet the standards of our staff values, we reserve the right to reject their application/ registration.