Interim Commercial Director

About the job

Interim Commercial Director

Full-time 40 hours per week

Hybrid (at least 3 days per week on-site in Bloomsbury, London)

12-month fixed term contract

£115,000 per annum

Application deadline: 12pm (midday) on 15 May 2026

About the role

We are seeking an exceptional Interim Commercial Director with an international profile to lead our commercial enterprise, the British Museum Company (BMCo), through an exciting period of change, transformation and transition.

The British Museum is entering one of the most significant and ambitious periods in its history. With our Masterplan moving into delivery, and the transformative Western Range programme in development, we are redefining how millions of visitors experience our collections, our buildings, and our stories.

Part of this extraordinary transformation - both physical and intellectual - is already underway. We have built a new state of the art research centre in Reading, have begun work on a new energy centre to support our drive towards net zero, and we have just appointed world-renowned architect Lina Ghotmeh to rejuvenate and redevelop our Western Range - accounting for over a third of our galleries. This will be the biggest building project the Museum has undertaken since the Victorian era, and indeed one of the most exciting cultural renovations in the world, making it a uniquely exciting time to join the Museum.

As Interim Commercial Director, your leadership will ensure we continue to offer an outstanding visitor experience through unavoidable disruption while maintaining strong commercial performance. As these essential works progress, parts of our estate will be temporary closed. Through careful planning, you will balance these disruptions to maximise revenue, elevate our brand, and ensure visitors feel welcomed and inspired.

About you

We're looking for a seasoned commercial leader with experience in complex visitor-focused organisations, ideally across culture, heritage, attractions, retail, hospitality or leisure. You will bring a strong track record of driving commercial growth and operational excellence, along with creative thinking grounded in robust commercial discipline.

You have experience confidently navigating environments with estate closures, redevelopment, or large-scale transitions, and possess exceptional communication skills and the ability to bring people with you through change. You are aware of the role of museums in contemporary society with a passion for culture and public engagement.

Key areas of responsibility

* Strategic leadership: Provide clear commercial leadership aligned with the Museum's strategic priorities, Masterplan objectives, and the Western Range development timeline.
* Operational excellence: Ensure consistent commercial performance during periods of estate change, temporary closures, and shifting visitor patterns.
* Innovation and growth: Identify and activate new revenue streams to enhance the Museum's global brand and support long-term financial stability.
* Stakeholder engagement: Collaborate with internal and external partners, ensuring commercial insights are used to planning, programming, and capital decisions.
* Team leadership: Lead, motivate and develop the Commercial Directorate, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and high performance.

Benefits

At the British Museum Company, we believe our people are at the heart of everything we do. That's why we've designed a benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary. You can read more about our benefits below:

* Free exhibition entry for you and guests, exclusive private views, ICOM and reciprocal museum access.
* 27 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
* Discounts at onsite catering, Museum shops and local Bloomsbury partners.
* Social and wellbeing perks including employee parties, social clubs, and peer support and allyship with five diversity networks for community.
* Learning and development through courses and mentoring with our online learning hub Athena, as well as support for professional qualifications.
* Employee Assistance Programme available 24/7 for counselling, wellbeing support and more.
* Eyecare vouchers for VDU tests and contributions toward glasses.
* Enhanced parental leave including maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
* Support for carers through Employers for Carers.
* Defined contribution pension scheme with generous employer contributions.
* Interest‑free loans including season ticket, rental deposit and bicycle loans.

Our Values

Our values drive everything we do, from how we handle our objects to how we work in our team to fostering a culture where everyone feels heard and empowered:

* Care Deeply
* Embrace the Unknown
* Spark Curiosity
* Value Many Voices

These are a core part of how we recruit. Throughout the application, interview and selection process, we look for examples of how candidates demonstrate these behaviours in their own work and experiences. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with our values and reflect them in your application.


Additional details

If you have any additional needs that we should be aware of to support you with your application, please provide details

We may be able to provide visa sponsorship for this role, subject to meeting eligibility requirements. You can find out more about these here.

The Museum also adheres to the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) for pre-employment screening.

Museum Website: https://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=YW5uYS5nZW9yZ2UuNzA2MjguMTExOTNAYnJpdGlzaG11c2V1bS5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20