Managing Director

A bit about us...

Canopy & Stars is part of the Sawdays group which is a collection of travel brands all centred on a passion for 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. Were proud to be B Corp certified and recognised by them as one of the top 5% places for employees and a top 5 travel B Corp in the world.

We are leaders in sustainable and ethical travel and every team in our business plays a vital role in achieving our impact goals. Our Impact Report outlines our five-year strategy and annual objectives which form the foundation of our company-wide approach. These goals drive every decision we make and we expect all team members to contribute to their success as part of our shared mission.

Your role Managing Director

Were looking for 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.

Youll bring experience from an online B2C environment with proven success in executing strategy driving business development and scaling performance. Youll combine clear strategic thinking with the ability to deliver results.

Youll be an authentic and supportive leader able to inspire and motivate a team and encourage them to exceed expectations and embrace new opportunities. With strong commercial judgement and the ability to lead through change youll play a key role in shaping 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 the Canopy & Stars Managing Director will shape the long-term strategy build a high-performing culture and ensure the business is positioned for continued success
• Provide strategic leadership and overall operational responsibility for the brand
• Accountable for delivering the companys commercial objectives driving sustainable growth and ensuring strong performance across all areas of the business
• Lead the execution of the brands 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
• Bring together our key commercial data into a single accessible system to improve visibility and decision-making across the business. This will support better commercial planning more responsive operations and improved revenue performance
• Develop our revenue management and pricing systems to support sustainable growth and strengthen the business as it evolves
• Lead and develop the Canopy & Stars management team providing clear direction structure and ongoing performance feedback
• Identify and pursue new commercial opportunities
  

Marketing and Brand Development

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

Performance Analysis and Commercial Insight

• Monitor KPIs metrics and performance dashboards to keep targets firmly in sight
• Conduct regular analysis identifying trends risks and optimisation opportunities
• Ability to translate data into clear actionable plans
• Provide insightful reporting and recommendations to drive growth

New Place Development and Operations

• Support expansion through identifying and evaluating new place opportunities
• Work cross-functionally to launch and optimise newly onboarded places
• Connect build and develop successful partnerships with owners of our places and to ensure they receive an outstanding experience with us
• Identity opportunities to improve operational processes and performance

Leadership and Collaboration

• Inspire a small high-performing management team through coaching support and clear expectations
• Build reliable internal relationships to deliver cross-departmental business plans
• Lead by example with energy confidence and accountability
• Ensure our 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 of achieving ambitious targetswithin e-commerce businesses
• Experience managing a P&L at scale
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire senior teams
• Strong strategic thinking combined with operational delivery capability
• Experience working in a fast-growing businessor start-up
• Experience in purpose led brands
• Creativity and 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
• This role requires a minimum of 3 days working in the office however flexi time and hybrid working is possible with the option to work some of the week from home (you must be commutable to Bristol).
• Company pension scheme with enhanced employer contributions at 4% and an optional salary sacrifice scheme
• An employee-owned company: after your introductory period you will be eligible to a share of any dividends
• A special place to work: a colourful upcycled recycled open plan office on Bristols buzzing harbourside
• DEIBA Team: focused on diversity & inclusion efforts for our employees and customers
• 290 per year towards staying in one of our special places
• 20% employee discount and 10% family & friends discount on UK based Canopy & Stars breaks 15% discount on EU based breaks.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• A volunteering day per year
• 15 wellbeing hours per year
• A Climate Journey Day policy which gives you the opportunity to earn up to two paid days per year to travel to and from a holiday destination using low-carbon transport.
• Social and wellbeing events held throughout the year

Applications

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

Our Behaviours and Values

How we work is just as important as the success we achieve at Sawdays. During your time with us you will be expected to treasure protect and embody our behaviours and values every day.

We celebrate quirkiness and difference

We dance to the beat of our own drum

We encourage curiosity and creativity

We champion individuality and the special

We follow head and heart

We are solidly commercial while flexible and human

We are empathetic generous and supportive

We make ethical holistic long-term decisions

We do important things brilliantly

We use business as a force for social environmental and economic good

We are committed to our craft and deliver with ambition and purpose

We relish our role in sustaining a happy healthy world

We bring positive energy

We foster a genuine spirit of togetherness and family

We take pleasure in empowering and delighting others

We are driven to learn grow connect and contribute

Finally

We place a strong emphasis on ethics people and the environment and it is important to us that you understand strongly identify with and are able to develop the company ethos.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and an inclusive company where diverse backgrounds and perspectives are valued and where everyone can bring their full authentic selves to work.

As a Disability Confident Employer we offer a guaranteed interview to any disabled candidate who meets all the Necessary skills listed above and is a commutable distance from the office.

If you need any further assistance with your application or require the application form in a different format please email Charlotte on or call 0.

Required Experience:

Director