Salary / Fee Budget
- £45,000 FTE, pro-rata up to 0.8 FTE (min 3, up to 4 days per week)
- Therefore £27,000 (3 days) to £36,000 (4 days) equivalent.
- We will also consider applications from IR35-compliant contractors (day rate to be agreed, aligned to salary equivalent)
Working pattern
Up to 0.8 FTE (typically 3–4 days per week) with flexibility by agreement. Some evening/weekend work will be required for events and engagement activity.
Contract options
- PAYE employment (permanent contract, subject to BID term funding; includes probation period), or
- IR35-compliant contract for services (fixed term / rolling contract with review points)
Reporting to
Leatherhead BID Chair and BID Board Directors.
About Leatherhead
Leatherhead is an attractive and well-connected market town in an affluent part of Surrey, benefiting from an exceptional location adjacent to the M25 and with strong rail links into London. It also sits as a gateway to the Surrey Hills National Landscape, offering a distinctive “town meets countryside” identity. Like many lower order town centres, Leatherhead faces many challenges including retail vacancy, footfall pressure and the loss of national chains; however, the town is at a key moment of change with major planned regeneration of the town centre (including the Swan Centre and Bull Hill). This is progressing through the planning process and is positioned to transform the heart of Leatherhead into a more vibrant place to shop, work, spend time and invest.
Leatherhead BID is a newly established Business Improvement District, which began operating on 1 January 2026, representing around 230 levy‑paying businesses within a wider town centre area of more than 350 businesses.
This is a rare opportunity to join at the launch stage and play a pivotal role in shaping Leatherhead town centre’s success over the coming five years.
Role purpose
The BID Coordinator / Manager is the operational lead for Leatherhead BID, responsible for delivering the BID business plan, ensuring levy payer value, coordinating projects and suppliers, and acting as the visible “face” of the BID in the town centre.
This role blends hands-on delivery with place leadership. The postholder is expected to bring ideas, identify opportunities, and provide recommendations to the BID Board as well as implement approved priorities.
This role:
- Is a delivery leadership post: coordinating multiple workstreams and keeping momentum high
- Is high-profile stakeholder-facing: engagement with levy payers is central to success
- Is a place-shaping role: bringing ideas and solutions to the Board and partners
- Is a role supported by contractors/suppliers for specialist delivery
Key delivery themes (workstreams)
The postholder will coordinate delivery across BID themes, such as:
1. Town centre marketing and profile
2. Events and footfall-driving activity
3. Business engagement and communications
4. Safer town initiatives and partnership working
5. Town centre improvements / experience
6. Added value funding: sponsorships, grants, partnerships
(Exact workstream / programme priorities will align to the BID Business Plan and Board decisions.)
Key responsibilities
A) BID management, leadership & stakeholder engagement
- Lead day-to-day BID operations and coordinate delivery of the annual delivery plan aligned to the 5-year BID business plan
- Act as the primary point of contact and ambassador for Leatherhead BID
- Build trusted relationships with levy payers, listening to concerns and ensuring visible value delivery
- Establish effective partnerships with:
- Mole Valley District Council and Surrey County Council (and LGR successors)
- Police and community safety partners
- Property owners, agents, landlords and key stakeholders
- Town centre/community networks
- Maintain regular on-street/on-site visibility with businesses
B) Project management, procurement & supplier oversight
- Develop clear project briefs, procurement requirements and timelines
- Procure and manage suppliers/contractors (e.g., marketing, events, cleaning, security initiatives)
- Ensure supplier performance, delivery quality, compliance and value-for-money
- Maintain project plans, risk logs and delivery reporting
C) Marketing, communications & levy payer engagement
- Lead BID communications including:
- Newsletters / bulletins
- Stakeholder updates
- Business surveys and feedback loops
- Website and social media coordination
- Ensure all BID communications are levy payer-focused, outcomes-driven and evidence-based
- Promote Leatherhead as a destination and business location through campaigns and partnerships
- Produce accessible updates showing what the BID is delivering with levy investment
D) Events & place activation
- Plan and coordinate events and town-centre activation programmes
- Work with partners and contractors to deliver safe, high-quality events
- Ensure appropriate planning: permissions, risk assessments, stakeholder coordination, evaluation reporting
- Identify opportunities to grow an events programme and establish new signature activity for Leatherhead
E) Governance, reporting & performance management
- Service BID Board meetings (agendas, papers, minutes, action logs)
- Prepare regular performance dashboards and levy payer impact reporting
- Support AGM processes and ensure strong transparency/accountability
- Maintain BID records and compliance documentation (including contracting/procurement records)
F) Budget and financial oversight
- Track budgets and expenditure against delivery priorities
- Provide budget reporting to Board and support annual planning/budget setting
- Identify and pursue additional income sources:
- Sponsorship
- Grants
- Partner funding
- Collaborations and in-kind support
G) Compliance, risk and professional standards
- Ensure compliance with relevant standards (GDPR/data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, event safety guidance etc)
- Maintain appropriate insurance requirements and supplier compliance
- Maintain a risk-managed approach to delivery and decision-making
Person specification
Essential
- Proven experience delivering multiple projects or programmes with deadlines and stakeholder expectations
- Strong relationship management skills, with evidence of building partnerships
- Confident communicator: able to write clear updates and present to senior stakeholders/boards
- Experience managing budgets and tracking spend against plans
- Strong organisational skills and ability to work independently
- Comfortable using Microsoft 365, databases/CRM systems and social media tools
- Energetic, proactive mindset with a “make things happen” approach
- Willingness to be visible in the town centre and actively engage levy payers
Desirable
- Experience working in a BID, town centre management, regeneration, economic development or similar partnership setting
- Marketing/PR/event delivery experience
- Procurement or supplier/contract management experience
- Knowledge of Leatherhead / Surrey town centre context
Why join Leatherhead BID?
This is a unique “launch phase” role: the BID is new, the business plan is ambitious, and there is genuine opportunity to shape delivery, partnerships, and the town’s profile.
The BID Coordinator/Manager will:
- Help define what “excellent BID delivery” looks like for Leatherhead
- Be supported by an engaged Board and town centre partners
- Create visible change that businesses can see and feel
What success could look like (first 90 days)
First 30 days – Foundation & visibility
- Meet BID Board, priority levy payers and partners
- Understand business plan priorities and translate into a practical 12-month delivery plan
- Establish regular visibility and engagement schedule with businesses
- Set up communications rhythm (newsletter cadence, social channels, reporting templates)
First 60 days – Delivery mobilisation
- Agree what delivery is outsourced vs managed internally
- Procure/brief key suppliers: marketing support, events ops, priority “quick wins”
- Launch early visibility actions (e.g. BID introduction bulletin, listening sessions, business survey)
- Establish baseline KPIs and reporting dashboard
First 90 days – Momentum & proof of value
- Deliver a strong 90-day programme with tangible outputs
- Publish first levy payer impact update showing delivery and “what’s next”
- Present pipeline plan for the next quarter (costs, timelines, priorities)
- Produce first quarterly Board performance report
What we offer (employment option)
- High autonomy, high impact role
- Flexible working pattern (3–4 days)
- Support from an active Board and key town centre partners
- Opportunity to shape a BID from launch stage
- Professional development encouraged (BID sector networks, training, conferences as appropriate)
Contractor applications (IR35 compliant)
We welcome applications from IR35-compliant contractors. The successful contractor will be expected to:
- Work to agreed outputs/deliverables aligned to BID priorities
- Maintain regular town centre presence and stakeholder engagement
- Provide evidence of IR35 compliance route (e.g. umbrella or PAYE contractor arrangements)
- Provide agreed reporting and governance documentation aligned with BID Board requirements
Recruitment process
How to apply
Please submit:
- CV plus
- Covering letter (max 2 pages) outlining:
- Why you’re interested in Leatherhead BID
- Relevant delivery experience
- An example of stakeholder engagement / place-based delivery work
Contact:
For an informal discussion about the role please contact BID consultant Simon Matthews on 0330 043 1891 or smatthews@matthewsassociates.co.uk.
Application deadline Friday 20th February 2026, shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview.
