Location: Marldon, Devon
Salary: Competitive + Performance Bonus + Long-Term Career Opportunity
About Us
Marldon Christmas Trees is one of the UK's leading Christmas tree farms, recognised nationally for producing award-winning Christmas trees and delivering an exceptional customer experience during one of the busiest and most demanding retail seasons in the country.
For decades, we have built a reputation for quality, innovation, and excellence. Each Christmas, we welcome thousands of customers and operate one of the South West's most recognised Christmas destinations.
Now, we are entering an exciting new chapter.
Spanning a prime 7-acre estate, we are transforming from a highly successful seasonal business into a thriving year-round destination. Our ambitious growth plans include weddings and events, luxury holiday lodges, retail and catering concessions, hospitality experiences, agricultural diversification, and new commercial opportunities designed to generate revenue throughout all twelve months of the year.
The boots we are filling are big.
We are not looking for corporate theorists, excuse-makers, or passengers. We are looking for a proven leader—someone who can inspire a team, make confident decisions, take ownership, and drive performance across every area of the business.
This is a hands-on leadership role for an ambitious, commercially minded operator who can build budgets, set targets, create opportunities, develop people, and ensure the entire operation runs on track, on time, and on budget.
The Opportunity
This is far more than a management position.
You will be responsible for leading the day-to-day operation of a diverse and growing business while helping shape its future direction.
During the Christmas season, you will oversee one of the country's most recognised Christmas tree destinations, managing high visitor numbers, retail operations, staffing, logistics, customer experience, and site presentation.
Throughout the remainder of the year, you will lead the continued development and profitability of the wider estate, including weddings, events, hospitality, accommodation, retail, catering and agricultural operations.
Key ResponsibilitiesFinancial Management & Budget Ownership
- Full responsibility for operational budgets and financial performance.
- Build, manage and deliver annual budgets.
- Forecast costs, monitor expenditure and protect margins.
- Drive profitability across all business areas.
- Develop commercial strategies to maximise revenue growth.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead by example and inspire those around you.
- Recruit, train, develop and manage teams across multiple departments.
- Set clear objectives, expectations and KPIs.
- Create a positive, accountable and high-performing culture.
- Support, mentor and develop future leaders within the business.
Events, Weddings & Hospitality
- Develop and grow the weddings and events side of the business.
- Plan, coordinate and oversee event delivery.
- Build relationships with suppliers, clients and partners.
- Ensure exceptional customer experiences and profitable outcomes.
Retail, Catering & Commercial Operations
- Oversee retail and catering operations.
- Source and manage concession partners.
- Monitor performance and maintain exceptional standards.
- Identify and implement new revenue opportunities.
Holiday Lodges & Guest Experience
- Oversee the operation of luxury holiday accommodation.
- Ensure outstanding guest experiences and high occupancy levels.
- Maintain compliance, presentation and service standards.
Estate & Agricultural Operations
- Work closely with farming and maintenance teams.
- Support infrastructure improvements and site development projects.
- Ensure efficient operation across the entire estate.
Sales, Networking & Business Development
- Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers and industry contacts.
- Identify opportunities for growth and expansion.
- Develop strategic partnerships.
- Drive sales performance and business development initiatives.
Experience & Background
We are seeking someone with experience across several of the following sectors:
- Event planning and event management
- Weddings and hospitality
- Catering operations
- Staffing and people management
- Retail management
- Holiday lets or accommodation management
- Sales and business development
- Farming, agricultural or estate operations
- Customer service management
- Budget management and commercial performance
- Project management and operational leadership
The Person We Are Looking For
You will be:
- Ambitious and driven
- Positive and enthusiastic
- Loyal and committed
- Inspirational and able to motivate others
- Hard-working and resilient
- A confident decision-maker
- A strong team player
- Fair and consistent in your approach
- An excellent listener and communicator
- Organised and highly accountable
- Comfortable working under pressure
- Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment
- Hands-on and willing to get involved when required
Most importantly, you lead from the front and never ask your team to do something you wouldn't do yourself.
What Success Looks Like
- Financial targets consistently achieved or exceeded
- Growth in weddings, events and hospitality revenue
- High-performing teams with clear accountability
- Outstanding customer reviews and guest experiences
- Strong retail and concession performance
- Projects delivered on time and within budget
- Continued development of Marldon Christmas Trees as a leading year-round destination
What's In It For You?Competitive Salary & Performance Bonus
We reward results. An attractive salary package is available alongside performance-based bonuses linked directly to business growth, profitability and operational success.
Genuine Autonomy
You will work closely with the ownership team while having the authority and freedom to lead the operation and make decisions.
Career Defining Opportunity
This is an opportunity to take a leading role within one of the UK's most recognised Christmas tree businesses as it evolves into a major year-round destination venue.
If you are an ambitious leader with the vision, commercial awareness and determination to drive a unique and growing business forward, we would love to hear from you.
Apply Now
Please submit your CV together with a covering letter outlining:
- Your relevant experience
- The three most significant budgets, projects, events or commercial initiatives you have successfully delivered
- Why you believe you are the right person to lead the next chapter of Marldon Christmas Trees
Join us and help shape the future of one of the UK's most recognised and award-winning Christmas tree destinations.
Pay: From £45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
