Managing Director

Overview

Canopy & Stars is part of the Sawday’s group, a collection of travel brands centered on special places to stay. Since 2017, the company has been 52% employee-owned, with the rest made up of a Charitable Trust and the founding family. We are B Corp certified and recognised as a top 5% place to work among B Corps globally.

We are leaders in sustainable and ethical travel. Our Impact Report outlines our five-year strategy and annual objectives, which form the foundation of our company-wide approach. All team members are expected to contribute to these goals as part of our shared mission.

Your role

Managing Director — we’re seeking an experienced leader to step into this newly created role to support our next phase of growth. This is a broad and influential position with responsibility across the entire Canopy & Stars business, spanning e-commerce, marketing, customer experience, product development and operations.

You’ll bring experience from an online B2C environment, with a proven track record of executing strategy, driving business development and scaling performance. You should combine clear strategic thinking with the ability to deliver results.

You’ll be an authentic and supportive leader, able to inspire and motivate a team to exceed expectations and embrace new opportunities. With strong commercial judgement and the ability to lead through change, you’ll shape our future direction.

This is a hands-on role, suited to someone who enjoys working closely with a small but ambitious team.

Reports to

Group Managing Director

Works closely with

• Marketing Department
• Pricing & Revenue Management
• Account Management
• Business Development
• Guest Experience Team
• Platform Team
• Leadership Team

Main tasks and responsibilities

• Strategy Implementation & Revenue Growth
• Ensure we continue to be the leading brand for breaks in nature, in the most inspiring places to stay
• As a key member of the Leadership Team, shape long-term strategy, build a high-performing culture and position the business for continued success
• Provide strategic leadership and overall operational responsibility for the brand
• Accountable for delivering the company’s commercial objectives, driving sustainable growth, and ensuring strong performance across all areas
• Lead the execution of the brand’s five-year strategy and achieve revenue targets
• Drive business growth, revenue performance and profitability
• Ensure robust financial management, including budgeting, forecasting and performance tracking
• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring efficiency, quality and consistency across all functions
• Champion a high-performance culture aligned with company values
• Consolidate key commercial data into a single, accessible system to improve visibility and decision-making
• Develop revenue management and pricing systems to support sustainable growth
• Lead and develop the Canopy & Stars management team with clear direction and ongoing feedback
• Identify and pursue new commercial opportunities

Marketing and Brand Development

• Support the marketing team with brand review outcomes
• Brand health and awareness
• Overview of commercial and marketing performance

Performance Analysis and Commercial Insight

• Monitor KPIs, metrics and performance dashboards
• Conduct regular analysis, identify trends, risks and opportunities for optimisation
• Translate data into clear, actionable plans
• Provide insightful reporting and recommendations to drive growth

New Place Development and Operations

• Support expansion by identifying and evaluating new place opportunities
• Work cross-functionally to launch and optimise newly onboarded places
• Build partnerships with owners to ensure outstanding experiences
• Identify opportunities to improve operational processes and performance

Leadership and Collaboration

• Inspire a small high-performing management team through coaching and clear expectations
• Build reliable internal relationships to deliver cross-departmental plans
• Lead by example with energy, confidence and accountability
• Ensure core values of sustainability and ethics are adopted

Necessary Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in a senior leadership role (Managing Director, CEO, or equivalent)
• Commercial background including leadership in B2C sales and marketing with a proven track record in e-commerce
• Experience managing a P&L at scale
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire senior teams
• Strong strategic thinking with operational delivery capability
• Experience in a fast-growing business or start-up
• Experience in purpose-led brands
• Creativity and an innovation mindset
• Insight-led approach to growth and innovation

Salary & Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 26 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
• Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
• Minimum of 3 days in the office with hybrid options; commutable to Bristol
• Company pension scheme with enhanced employer contributions at 4%
• Employee ownership with potential dividends after introductory period
• Colourful, upcycled office on Bristol’s harbourside
• DEIBA Team focused on diversity & inclusion
• £290 per year towards staying in one of our special places
• 20% employee and 10% family/friends discounts on UK breaks; 15% discount on EU breaks
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• A volunteering day per year
• 15 wellbeing hours per year
• Climate Journey Day policy: up to two paid days per year for travel with low-carbon transport
• Social and wellbeing events throughout the year

Applications

• Applicants need to be within a commutable distance of Bristol for in-office work
• Closing date for applications: 31 July 2026

Our Behaviours and Values

We celebrate quirkiness, curiosity and creativity. We value sustainability, ethics and the wellbeing of our people. We expect all colleagues to embody our behaviours daily and to contribute to a collaborative, inclusive culture.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we offer a guaranteed interview to any disabled candidate who meets the necessary skills and is commutable from the office.

If you need any further assistance with your application, please email us at charlotte@sawdays.co.uk or call 0117 204 7828.