Head of Commercial - PBSA

PMR are seeking a Head of Commercial for our client a national Purpose Built Student Accommodation provider with circa 10,000 beds under management.

This role will have a key role in our client's commercial operations and the continuous improvement of the commercial reporting, will play a pivotal part in driving sales, maximising income, and ensuring the financial success of our client's PBSA assets. This role will work closely with Operations, Finance and Marketing teams and the Head of Asset Management to drive commercial performance across the business.
This role will lead in the development and implementing of the commercial strategy for the business and will provide critical information to inform our commercial decisions and business performance.
* Ensure maximum occupancy and income targets are met for all assets
* Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to be trained and rolled out to the Property teams
* Lead collation of all our business information and ensure the integrity of this data is suitable at all times
* Lead on the budget proposals for new business working closely with the investment team, the operations team and the Head of Asset Management
* Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and student housing demands and be the 'go to' expert in the business for this knowledge

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Sales and Income Generation
Lead efforts in maximising income and revenue for all PBSA assets. This involves developing and implementing effective sales and marketing strategies to attract and retain tenants, as well as optimizing pricing structures to ensure financial viability.
* Alongside the Operations team develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to drive occupancy and maximize revenue for PBSA assets, utilising dynamic pricing and other leavers available to achieve income targets.
* Identify target markets, key customer segments, and implement targeted sales campaigns.
* Oversees the occupancy levels of student accommodation assets. Working to maintain optimal occupancy rates through strategic planning, marketing campaigns, and collaboration with the operations team to ensure minimal voids at all times.
* Ensure a positive customer experience throughout the sales process, from initial inquiry to move-in.
* Work closely with university partners and educational institutions to enhance brand visibility and expand outreach, with the goal of securing nominations agreements and group bookings
* Responsible for the delivery of summer income targets across the operating platform alongside the individual Property managers
* Act as the main point of contact and responsible for managing 3rd Party Agents

Business Information Management
The role will lead collation of all our business information and help to convert it into management information that all departments can use to measure success and make decisions based on pertinent data being surfaced.
* Maintaining leasing and commercial reporting to investors and the wider business
* Collating and analysing business data pertaining to all commercial activities
* Taking ownership for the production of quarterly commercial performance presentations to the business and external stakeholders
* Liaise with the Finance team in support of quarterly investor reporting

Business Development
Responsible for creating budgets and producing fee proposals and tenures for new operational opportunities; always looking to align interests to maximise revenues and fee arrangements.
* Manage the process of producing business case proposals, Opex and Rate budgets for the Investment Management team upon identification of a suitable project and to take ownership of their accuracy and timely production
* Work with senior Operations and Marketing team members to ensure all costs are correctly identified and included prior to submission
* Owning any new business proposals alongside the Investment and Asset Management teams
* To manage the process of storing all business case proposals and aligning them by size, territory, asset class etc

Market Insight and Analysis
Monitors market trends, competitor activities, and student housing demands. By staying informed about the industry landscape, making informed decisions about pricing, promotions, and other aspects of the commercial strategy.
* Monitoring and analysing sales trends, customer behaviour and competitors' services to identify profitable commercial opportunities for the business
* Undertaking market research and analysis and producing business plans to fully evaluate all commercial opportunities
* Maintaining an awareness of the market in all operational cities - student numbers, University recruitment strategy, planning applications/pipeline bed numbers etc

Partner Relationships
Cultivate and maintains strong relationships with key investors, partners, and stakeholders. This includes collaborating with universities, educational institutions, and 3rd Party Agents to achieve maximum occupancy and income levels for the future whilst also enhancing the company's visibility and brand awareness.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:
* Strong analytical and quantitative skills
* Excellent IT skills with an emphasis on Microsoft Excel and the ability to create, amend and customise large Excel spreadsheets
* Experience of producing budgets and reforecasting as appropriate
* Used to writing executive reports without support
* Strong understanding of customer and market dynamics
* Experience of working in the PBSA, residential or hotel market across multiple jurisdictions is desirable
* Conscientious with strong attention to detail.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
* Self-motivated with the ability to multi-task.
* A positive, can-do attitude with a desire to achieve outstanding results.
* Ability to plan and prioritise
* Proactive nature and ability to work on own initiative
* Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to build rapport with team, Investors, and colleagues in other functions.
* Ability to travel between multiple locations within UK, from time to time when required