City Centre & Visitor Economy Partnership Manager

We are seeking a proactive and strategic City Centre and Visitor Economy Partnership Manager to play a crucial role in leading the Council’s approach to supporting the local visitor economy and developing city centre partnership working.

Working within the Economy and Place group, you will balance policy development with hands-on partnership management to steward the environmental, social, and economic health of Cambridge city centre. You will collaborate with businesses, strategic partners, and internal services to ensure our historic city centre remains a vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive place to live, learn, work, visit, and do business.

This high-impact role involves shaping strategic policy, building stakeholder relationships, securing investment, and integrating data-led decision-making across our visitor economy agendas.

In this role you will:

• Lead Cambridge’s involvement in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) and Destination Management Plan delivery.
• Take forward the ‘Thriving City Centre for All’ motion to shape a shared, vibrant, accessible, clean, and safe city centre vision.
• Shape local strategic approaches to emerging opportunities, including preparations for a potential local Visitor Levy.
• Liaise with key partners such as Cambridge BID, Visit Cambridge, the Chamber of Commerce, and regional or national tourism bodies.
• Build and maintain a comprehensive city centre data dashboard using wide-ranging datasets to support evidence-based decision-making and policy.
• Identify and secure external investment, capital, and revenue funding to enhance the city centre and manage visitor economy impacts.
• Collaborate across internal teams and regional frameworks (such as the Combined Authority and Greater Cambridge Partnership) to align place-making, transport, and operational workflows.

About You

We are looking for an innovative and collaborative leader with a strong track record in economic development, tourism management, visitor economy delivery, or town centre regeneration within a complex heritage or urban setting. You will be adept at navigating political sensitivities, working across organisational boundaries, and driving positive change.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Essential Experience: Proven success in establishing and managing strategic partnerships across public and private sectors, drafting and implementing economic or visitor strategies, and delivering complex multi-dependency projects.
• Data & Policy Skills: Outstanding analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex datasets (such as footfall or tourism metrics) to justify policy changes, establish baselines, and support funding bids.
• Communication & Influence: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the presence and diplomacy to build consensus, influence diverse networks, and work closely with Elected Members.
• Qualifications: A relevant degree-level qualification e.g., geography, economic development, place-making, public policy, tourism management) or equivalent professional experience.
• Values & Commitment: A strong commitment to inclusive and sustainable development, championing diversity, wellbeing, and climate action.

Experience working within local government, commissioning external consultants, and a understanding of the local Cambridge city centre landscape would be highly desirable.

The candidate must have a Full UK Driving Licence

Why join us?

As well as being part of a supportive team delivering meaningful work that directly impacts our communities, we offer a supportive and rewarding working environment along with a wide range of benefits, including:

• Excellent learning and development opportunities supported via a range of sources and methods and, where applicable, recognised through Digital Badges
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme(LGPS) and Additional Voluntary Contribution (Shared AVC) Scheme
• Agile and Flexible working options
• Generous annual leave starting at 25 days, rising to 30 days after five years’ service, plus 8 days public holidays (pro rata for part time), with the option to purchase additional leave
• Family friendly policies and Flexible Bank Holidays
• Confidential wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme and Your Care wellbeing platform
• Staff reward and recognition framework, including an annual staff awards ceremony
• Professional Membership Fees paid for, dependent on role
• Salary sacrifice schemes including Cycle to Work, Gym Membership and Home & Electronics
• Lifestyle Savings with over 750 discounts from the UK’s leading retailers, restaurants, supermarkets, attractions and more
• Free swimming at CCC swimming pools
• Subsidy for public transport
• Relocation Assistance may be payable in approved cases
• Annually negotiated pay and award progression

Hours: This is a full-time role, for 37 hours per week (flexible working options available)

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £41,771 - £47,181 per annum (City Pay Band 6), pro rata for part time.

Location: Mandela House, Cambridge / Agile Hybrid Working

Interviews: Thursday 15 October 2026 (TBC)

More Information:

You can click on the links here to find out more information about Staff Pay and Benefits, Working for the Council, our Values & Behaviours, Equality & Diversity in Recruitment or Our People & Culture Strategy.

If you would like an informal chat, please contact David Wright, Inclusive Economy & Climate Manager on: david.wright@cambridge.gov.uk

Application Process:

To be considered for this role, please click ‘Apply Online’ and submit an application.

If you are an internal candidate you can apply by logging in to your Employee Self-Serve (ESS) and access the ‘Useful Links’ (top right of the dashboard, under the person icon) and click on ‘CCC Job Opportunities’.

Cambridge City Council recognises the value of digital badges in evidencing skills, knowledge and competencies, and welcomes their inclusion within job applications as verifiable indicators of achievement and capability.

Cambridge City Council is an Equal Opportunity employer and embraces diversity, creating an inclusive environment for all employees.