Great Northern Classics
Join Great Northern Classics as their new Managing Director and shape the future of Derby’s unique heritage motoring venue – leading operations, driving business growth, and delivering outstanding experiences for all.
About Great Northern Classics
Great Northern Classics is a premier heritage motoring destination in Derby. This is an opportunity for an experienced and dynamic Managing Director to lead the organisation, overseeing the day-to-day operations of its unique 80,000-square-foot facility.
The Managing Director will play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth functioning of all aspects of the business, including event management, tenant relations, customer experience, and strategic growth.
The ideal candidate will have a passion for the heritage motoring industry, exceptional leadership skills, demonstrating both financial and commercial acumen within a similar environment and a proven track record of managing operations in a customer-focused and commercially driven environment.
This is a unique opportunity to join an inspiring team that has developed an exciting new concept, bringing together automotive enthusiasts, opportunities to preserve and promote engineering skills, and a visitor-facing events venue, and lead its development.
About the role
Great Northern Classics is poised at a pivotal moment in its journey, from a bold start-up to a landmark destination in the heritage motoring world. The new Managing Director will lead this dynamic organisation, delivering seamless day-to-day operations while embedding the strategy and systems necessary for long-term success.
Operating from a distinctive, historic venue in Derby, the Managing Director will oversee a wide-ranging remit, encompassing public-facing events and customer experience, as well as commercial management and strategic growth. This is a rare opportunity to shape an ambitious business that sits at the intersection of heritage, hospitality, and the classic motoring industry.
Working closely with the founders, a committed board, and a small but dedicated team, the Managing Director will be instrumental in unlocking the site’s full potential, especially its events and conference spaces.
With a focus on financial sustainability, operational excellence, and audience development, the role requires a resilient and visionary leader who can thrive in an entrepreneurial and unconventional environment.
Who we are looking for
This role requires an individual who is comfortable and confident leading a small team that delivers across a wide range of activities. A hybrid professional, part venue director, part entrepreneur, part classic car enthusiast, we seek a Managing Director who will have senior-level experience in a similar operational role, ideally across events, hospitality, heritage or automotive sectors.
Commercial acumen and a strategic mindset are key. This role is critical to driving business growth, ensuring GNC’s financial sustainability and continued development, and delivering its core mission of championing and supporting the engineers of the future.
The ideal individual will thrive in an entrepreneurial environment, relishing the variety and complexity of working across public events, private lettings, and tenant relations, enjoying the opportunity to shape the organisation as it grows.
A passion for heritage motoring is an advantage, but it is equally important to bring a flair for problem-solving and people management.
Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Friday 15th August 2025.
To apply for this job please visit www.peridotpartners.co.uk.