Overview

REPORTING TO: Chief Executive OfficerSALARY: £58,000-£65,000CONTRACT: Full-time, permanentPLACE OF WORK: On-site, the City Ground, NottinghamThis is a senior leadership role and evening, and weekend work will be required.The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Nottingham Forest Community Trust (NFCT) will be responsible for the operational excellence of the charity. Reporting to the CEO, the COO will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, supporting the development of the charity’s strategy and having responsibility for delivering its impact and outcomes. The COO will be an ambassador for Nottingham Forest Football Club (NFFC) and NFCT at all times and create and manage a high performing, motivated team that meets all of its stakeholder expectations by delivering outstanding programmes to the highest standards.

External Leadership and Strategy

Deputise for the CEO as and when requiredSupport the CEO and Board of Trustees with the development of the NFCT strategyDevelop and deliver an Operational Plan that clearly links all project delivery to the charity’s strategic objectivesMaintain and develop relationships with external stakeholders to ensure their support for NFCT’s work is unwaveringWork closely with NFFC to maximise engagement between the club and local community whilst ensuring alignment between the two organisations

Leading the Team

Develop a culture of inclusion, engagement, and continuous improvement and lead the delivery of initiatives that support thisBuild and lead a high-performing, motivated, and diverse team and develop a values-led approach to their career journeyCoach and mentor staff as appropriate to develop performanceDevelop an effective performance management process for staff incorporating an annual review

Governance and Finance

Establish and embed a delivery model where the impact of NFCT’s work is clearly understood and communicatedEnsure that all required processes and procedures are in place to deliver the strategy including reporting processes to the CEO, Committees and Board of TrusteesDevelop and manage clear governance structures, risk management, reporting and operating models which ensure excellence in governance, compliant with all regulatory requirements and The Premier League’s Capability Code of PracticeDevelop and manage clear financial processes to ensure transparency and accuracy of decision makingEnsure Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are embedded across all areas of NFCT

Values, Knowledge and Experience

Leading by example and acting with integrityGrowth mindset, with a positive attitude towards innovation and impacting othersCommitted to the personal development of self and othersPositive attitude to problem solving in all situations

Knowledge

Political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental landscape influencing the sport for development sectorGovernance structures within high performing charitiesDelivering, measuring and communicating impact in this, or, a comparable sectorCommunity development and engagementFacility development and operations

Skills

Leadership and strategic planningExcellent communication skills – verbal, written, presentation and non-verbalThe ability to inspire, coach, mentor and manage staff to achieve a high performing teamBuilding culture and embedding valuesFinancial management and budget planning

Experience

Senior leadership within a successful, sustainable charity or business in this sector or a comparable sectorNegotiating successful outcomes with partners from different sectorsManaging significant budgetsDeveloping and managing Operational Plans to ensure excellence in deliveryLeading high performing teamsWorking with Boards to provide strong governance and oversight of an organisation

To download the Chief Operating Officer Job Candidate Pack, click here.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 30th October 2025

The recruitment process for this role is being managed on behalf of Nottingham Forest Community Trust by Evans Coaching and Consultancy Limited.

To apply, please send your CV (maximum 2 pages) and a covering letter (maximum 1 page) explaining why you feel you are the ideal candidate for this role by email to Mike Evans at mike@evanscandc.com. Applications which exceed these page lengths will not be considered. The deadline for applications is Thursday, 30th October at 5pm, however early applications are encouraged wherever possible to smooth the process. A 30-minute online or phone interview will be offered to those candidates whose written applications meet the criteria. These will be scheduled as applications are received and take place no later than Wednesday 5th November. First face-to-face interviews will be held on Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th November. Stage two interviews will be held on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th November. All face-to-face interviews will take place in Nottingham. If you are unable to make any of these dates, please state this clearly in your application.

Equality Opportunities

Nottingham Forest Community Trust is an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Privacy Notice

Nottingham Forest Community Trust is committed to being transparent about how it handles your personal information, to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information and meeting its obligation under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. For more information, please see our Privacy Notice.

Safeguarding

At Nottingham Forest Community Trust, we have a holistic and person-centred approach to safeguarding. Where concerns about any child or adult at risk are raised, NFCT staff will always act with the best interests of the individual at the forefront of all actions. We accept and acknowledge our responsibility for the wellbeing and safety of all participants engaged in NFCT programs and activities. It is the duty of our staff and volunteers at NFCT to ensure that all participants are safeguarded by creating and maintaining activities and environments that protect them from harm. Safeguarding is the responsibility of all.

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