We are an award winning, internationally recognised Living Museum with 50 historic buildings and gardens set in the beautiful South Downs National Park. With extraordinary buildings, fascinating artefacts, glorious surroundings and friendly, dedicated people, the Weald and Downland Living Museum is a unique and rewarding place to work.
Job Title: Group Sales and Business Development Co-ordinator
Reports to: Retail and Visitor Operations Manager
Working pattern: 21 Hours a week, working flexibility, including occasional evenings and weekends
Location: Weald & Downland Living Museum, Singleton, West Sussex
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: £26,390 FTE
About the role
Group visits are one of the Museum’s most efficient sources of earned income, since a group arrives at a site that is already open and staffed and most of what they bring converts directly into charitable contribution. The function has until now operated reactively. This role changes that. The postholder will take ownership of group income as a commercial portfolio, approaching operators who do not yet visit us, growing midweek and off-peak season business where our capacity is greatest, and converting more of the enquiries we already receive. The role also remains the operational owner of the group bookings process and the main museum telephone line.
Key responsibilities:
Business development and sales
- Own an annual group income target and take active responsibility for delivering it.
- Build a prospect pipeline of operators, group travel organisers and clubs who do not currently visit and make direct approaches to them.
- Target defined groups including coach and tour operators, U3A, care settings, and cruise operators serving international visitors.
- Grow midweek and off-peak season business, where the Museum has the most available capacity.
- Develop and price group propositions, including themed tours, behind the scenes access and pre-booked catering.
- Represent the Museum at trade shows and operator events and host familiarisation visits.
- Track competitor attractions and their group offer and contribute to the group income budget and forecast.
Booking management and customer service
- Monitor the group bookings inbox and telephone line, following every enquiry through to a confirmed booking or a recorded reason for loss.
- Manage the entire booking process, from enquiry through quotation, confirmation, invoicing and follow up, working with the Schools Officer where relevant.
- Raise invoices through Sage, monitor payment and pursue overdue balances.
- Welcome group arrivals, and act as first point of contact on the main telephone line
- Handle complaints professionally and support the Admissions team in meeting its targets.
Data, reporting and collaboration
- Maintain an accurate record of enquiries, conversions and repeat business and report monthly against the agreed measures.
- Provide a rolling pipeline forecast and attend the monthly Logistics meeting.
- Work with the Marketing Manager on trade facing marketing, the F&B Manager on group catering, and the Membership Coordinator on converting visitors to membership.
Performance measures
Targets are set collaboratively at the start of each financial year, baselined against the most recent completed year and form part of the annual appraisal. The main measures are group admissions income against target, new operators secured, repeat booking rate, enquiry to booking conversion, the share of visits falling midweek and in the October to March period, average group size, group catering value and the value of confirmed bookings held in the pipeline. Discounting outside the published group rates requires prior approval.
Person specification
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of proactive sales, business development or account management, in any sector.
- Confidence in making direct approaches by telephone, email and in person, with resilience in following up.
- Strong administrative discipline, able to manage a high volume of enquiries and bookings accurately.
- Excellent written and spoken communication, adapting tone from a coach driver to a commercial director.
- Confident with Excel and Outlook, comfortable working to targets, and able to work independently.
- A genuine enjoyment of working with people, and willingness to work occasional weekends, evenings and trade events.
Desirable
- Experience in group travel, coach tourism, heritage, attractions or hospitality, and existing operator relationships.
- Understanding of Gift Aid and experience of EPOS, PDQ and Sage systems (training given).
- An interest in the purpose of the Museum and an understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion.
This job description is not exhaustive and may be reviewed and updated
What we offer:
- Company pension scheme
- Free car parking
- Staff discount in the museum shop and café
- Free entry to the museum for friends and family
- Access to learning and development opportunities
- The opportunity to work in a unique heritage environment
- Supportive team within a charity dedicated to preserving historic buildings and rural life
- The chance to shape a commercial function from the ground up
Our heritage is richer when it includes all voices. We are working to make our organisation an open, inclusive, and accessible place for people from every background. If you share our passion for connecting people with history in meaningful and inclusive ways, we’d love to hear from you. We’re happy to discuss any support you might need during the application process.
All candidates must already hold the legal right to work in the United Kingdom.
Please send a covering letter, CV and answer the following questions:
- Why do you want to work at the Weald & Downland Museum?
- To promote the museum, some travel to trade shows / networking events is expected in this role. Do you have a reliable means of getting to and from our remote site in Singleton and other locations?
- This role involves proactively contacting potential customers. How comfortable are you with making regular outbound calls to businesses, travel organisers or community groups to promote the Museum?
Closing date: 6 September 2026
Pay: £26,390.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
Work Location: In person
