Sporting Jobs
Chief Operating Officer
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The Opportunity
Sporting Jobs is retained by a growing, ambitious football club in the North of England to appoint a Chief Operating Officer. Off the back of strong progress on the pitch, the Club's ownership is now investing seriously in its commercial, operational and international future, and this hire will play a central role in shaping what comes next.
Reporting directly to ownership and the Board, the COO will take charge of day-to-day operations while driving the execution of an ambitious international growth strategy, spanning football operations, business operations, commercial development and global expansion. It's a rare kind of role, part operator, part strategist, part diplomat, suited to someone as comfortable improving matchday processes as they are negotiating an international partnership.
What You'll Be Doing
- Leading the Club's operational strategy, translating ownership's vision into an executable plan, and building the leadership team, KPIs and governance to deliver it.
- Overseeing football operations, including first-team support, academy operations and football administration, working closely with the Sporting Director, Head Coach and football department.
- Driving the Club's international growth strategy, building partnerships with clubs, academies, universities, governments and commercial organisations worldwide.
- Identifying new international revenue opportunities across academies, tournaments, player pathways, education partnerships, licensing and strategic investment.
- Supporting commercial teams on sponsorship and partnerships and working with marketing to strengthen the Club's global brand and fan engagement.
- Overseeing stadium operations, facilities, matchday, finance, HR, IT, administration, compliance and risk management.
- Managing operational budgets, evaluating investment opportunities, and reporting regularly to the Board on performance.
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What We're Looking For
Significant senior leadership experience within professional football or elite sport, likely as a COO, CEO, Operations Director, Head of Operations, General Manager or senior football executive, gained at a club competing in the Football League. You'll have managed large, multidisciplinary teams and bring genuine commercial and financial acumen.
We're particularly keen to hear from candidates who bring some combination of the following:
- International football operations or cross-border business development
- Experience building global football partnerships or expanding a club into overseas markets
- International academy development or football investment projects
- Familiarity with multi-club ownership models or global brand development
- Stadium development, infrastructure projects, or digital transformation within a sports organisation
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Above all, this role calls for a genuinely global perspective on modern football, someone who understands how clubs grow beyond their domestic market and can balance football priorities with commercial ambition. Strong negotiation skills, high emotional intelligence, sound judgement under pressure and an existing network across the football industry are all essential.
Why Apply
This is a genuine opportunity to shape the future of one of English football's most ambitious clubs, playing a pivotal role in its transformation into a globally connected football organisation. The Club's identity is being kept confidential at this stage of the search; full details will be shared with shortlisted candidates.
How to Apply
This search is being handled exclusively and confidentially by Sporting Jobs. To apply or find out more, contact Max or Harry at Sporting Jobs in confidence.
All enquiries and applications will be treated with complete discretion.
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