Chief Operating Officer

The COO will lead the club's internal operations and deliver approved projects safely, effectively and within budget. A principal responsibility will be to lead the new training ground from planning and business case through design, construction, commissioning and occupation.

In this role you will have overall leadership and oversight of the Club's internal operations, including people, facilities, safety, compliance, procurement and project delivery, working through specialist departmental leads who retain responsibility for day-to-day delivery and technical compliance within their respective areas.

The main roles & responsibilities in this role are as follows;

• Provide overall leadership and coordination of the Club's operations across the stadium, training facilities and other sites, ensuring effective delivery through departmental leads.
• Provide direct line management of the Senior Head Grounds Person and overall leadership of the grounds team, ensuring the effective maintenance, preparation and development of playing surfaces across the Club's sites, including Blundell Park, training facilities and Academy locations.
• Oversee the effective coordination of facilities, safety, security, matchday operations, catering, maintenance, HR and business continuity through the relevant departmental leads, ensuring clear accountabilities, effective collaboration and appropriate escalation of operational issues. The Safeguarding & EDI Manager retains professional leadership and accountability for the Club's safeguarding function and responsibilities as Senior Safeguarding Manager (SSM).
• Set clear objectives and performance standards for direct reports and maintain effective operating procedures and management information.

Training Ground

• Act as the club's senior responsible owner for the training ground programme, reporting to the CEO and Board.
• Own the brief, master plan, feasibility work, business case, cost plan, programme, funding dependencies, risks and approvals.
• Lead and oversee the design, planning, procurement and construction programme, including cost, quality, risk, change control and stakeholder engagement, appointing and managing appropriate external project and technical specialists as required.
• Lead operational readiness, equipment procurement, staffing, policies, commissioning, relocation, handover and post-occupancy review.
• Work closely with the Head of Facilities and Safety and Senior Head Grounds Person to ensure operational requirements, stadium and site safety, pitch specifications, grounds maintenance, equipment requirements and long-term facilities management considerations are incorporated into the design and delivery of the new training ground.

• Prepare business cases and confirm scope, funding, payback, cash impact and sequencing before projects proceed.
• Lead fair and controlled procurement and contract management, operating within delegated authorities.
• Deliver approved training-ground and stadium projects on time, within budget and with measurable benefits.

• Identify, assess and deliver approved investment in stadium infrastructure that increases commercial opportunities and improves the supporter experience, including hospitality areas, food and beverage facilities, fan zones and digital connectivity. Each investment must have a clear scope, funding plan, commercial rationale, expected return and delivery sequence before it proceeds.

• Manage operational and project budgets with the finance lead, including forecasts, commitments and corrective actions.
• Maintain operational risk registers, controls, insurance, contract records and audit trails.
• Report material risks, incidents, control weaknesses and forecast departures promptly to the CEO and Board.

• Provide senior oversight and assurance of the Club's safety, security, accessibility, emergency planning and facilities compliance arrangements, working through the Head of Facilities and Safety, who retains responsibility for day-to-day facilities and safety compliance and the Club's designated Safety Officer duties. Grounds operations will be managed separately through the Senior Head Grounds Person, who reports directly to the COO.
• Oversee the Club's operational compliance with applicable legislation, IFR requirements, EFL and FA rules and licence conditions, ensuring clear allocation of responsibilities to relevant departmental leads and appropriate reporting and escalation arrangements.
• Support the Safeguarding & EDI Manager/SSM in ensuring appropriate organisational arrangements are in place to meet the Club's safeguarding obligations, without assuming the SSM's professional safeguarding responsibilities.
• Ensure appropriate regulatory records, reporting and stakeholder relationships are maintained, supporting departmental leads in their specialist regulatory responsibilities and acting as a senior escalation point where required.
• The Head of Facilities and Safety retains responsibility for operational stadium safety compliance, including liaison with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA), Safety Advisory Group (SAG) and relevant EFL representatives on stadium safety matters, subject to the Club's formal safety certificate and designated responsibilities.

• Lead and develop the operational team, ensuring effective workforce planning, welfare, training and performance management.
• Establish and maintain clear reporting lines, delegated authorities and decision-making responsibilities across the Club's operational functions, including direct oversight of the grounds department and clear separation of grounds management from facilities and safety responsibilities, while preserving specialist technical accountability within each function.
• Work with supporter and community leads so operational decisions consider the club's heritage, supporters and community impact.

This Job Description should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline indication of the areas of activity and will be amended in consultation in the light of changing business needs.