Chief Operating Officer

Ongoing closing date (we will close the advert once there are sufficient applications)

Competitive salary

Permanent, full time (35 hours per week)

Chesterfield, Derby, Leicester or Nottingham with agile working. Additional travel required

[email protected]

03333200333

Find out how to apply

scroll down to read full details and instructions on how to apply

Overview

Why the post exists

Ready to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of one of the East Midlands’ most influential business organisations?

Looking for an executive leadership role where strategy, people and operational excellence come together?

Want to work alongside an ambitious Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team to make a genuine impact across the region’s business community?

We are excited to announce a rare opportunity that has arisen to join our Senior Leadership Team as the Chief Operating Officer. Working alongside the Chief Executive, Board and Senior Leadership, you’ll play an instrumental role in shaping the future of the region’s leading business support organisation, ensuring ambitious strategic plans are translated into operational excellence, commercial sustainability and exceptional service for members, customers and stakeholders.

Overview

Key areas of responsibility

• Alongside the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team, you’ll translate the Chamber’s ambitious strategy into operational excellence, ensuring the organisation delivers outstanding outcomes for members, customers and stakeholders.
• Lead multiple business functions through senior leaders, creating a high-performing, collaborative culture that empowers teams, develops talent and drives organisational success.
• Provide executive oversight of organisational performance, financial sustainability, governance and risk, ensuring resources are deployed effectively and decisions support the Chamber’s long-term ambitions.
• Champion continuous improvement by driving transformational change, strengthening systems and processes and enhancing the customer experience across every part of the organisation.
• Build trusted relationships with the Board, Executive colleagues, members and external stakeholders, providing strategic leadership and representing the Chamber with credibility and influence.
• Identify opportunities to improve commercial performance, operational efficiency and organisational resilience, ensuring the Chamber continues to evolve and deliver exceptional value to the regional business community.

Overview

Applicants will possess

• A proven senior operational leader with experience managing multiple business functions within a complex organisation.
• Comfortable operating at Board and Executive level, influencing strategic direction and organisational performance.
• Commercially astute with strong financial experience including demonstrable budget management and resource allocation experience.
• Experienced in leading organisational change, transformation and supporting continuous improvement programmes.
• An exceptional relationship builder, able to engage confidently with colleagues, Board members, and business leaders.
• Passionate about developing people and creating a high-performing culture that delivers outstanding outcomes.

Benefits

What you can expect in return

#1

25 days holiday plus bank holidays each year (pro rata for part time)

#2

8% employer contribution to pension scheme (non-contributory for employee)

#3

Wellbeing support including access to Westfield Health plan, Mental Health First Aiders, self help toolkits, discounts and more

#4

Your Birthday off plus an extra day of leave after 5 and 10 years' service

#5

Life assurance (death in service support scheme) for your beneficiaries

#6

Agile working and dress for the day policy (role dependent)

#7

Two CSR days to take per year (volunteering activity)

#8

Access to tax-free childcare and Bike2Work schemes

#9

Special leave for bereavement, compassionate leave & dependent related time off

#10

Learning and professional development opportunities

#11

Flexibility to take unpaid leave, paid study leave & special leave for territorial army

#12

Recognition and engagement schemes including Praise Exchange

#13

Tax free 55p per business mile for cars (up to 10,000 miles per year)

Company Overview

About us

East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire) is a well-respected and award winning membership, representation and business support organisation that aims to enhance businesses and communities in the three cities and three counties. With more than 4,100 members and working with 12,000 businesses each year, we have established a reputation as the voice of the region’s business community.

Our accreditations and awards

How to apply

Found a great role? It’s easy to work for us. Simply follow the three steps below. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Step 1: Apply for a role

Complete our equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) monitoring formhere. You can learn about why we collect this information and how it is utilised in the form introduction.

For this vacancy, we are working with ER Recruitment. Please visit: https://eileenrichards.co.uk/job/SK849 to apply.

If you’re successful at this stage, you will hear from ER Recruitment and participate in initial shortlisting. If you haven’t heard from them within seven working days of applying then unfortunately your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Step 2: Interview stage

First, you’ll be invited to participate in an in-person interview. If your interview goes well, you may be invited to attend a second interview or receive an offer.

At the end of each interview, the interviewer will confirm the timeline for next steps.

Virtual interviews are approximately 30-minutes and in-person interviews usually last an hour. There will be a mix of competency based interview questions and practical tasks.

Step 3: Final decisions

Decisions will be made at each stage of the process, as we score applicants against the role criteria. If you’re successful, ER Recruitment will contact you to make an offer (subject to satisfactory employment checks). This will be followed up in writing and a contract will be sent to you once a start date is confirmed. You will receive information on your induction and what you will do on your first day. If you have any questions, please just get in touch.

If you’re unsuccessful, ER Recruitment will either write to you or contact you by telephone, and if you’ve attended an interview we’re more than happy to provide feedback. You’re welcome to apply again for another role in the future.

Chamber Statement

East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) is an equal opportunities employer and Disability Confident Leader.

All suitably qualified people are encouraged to apply for vacancies regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Applicants require current eligibility to live and work in the UK, they must also disclose any unspent convictions or cautions and company director disqualifications in their covering letter. Please inform [email protected] of any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process. The business is dedicated to retaining talent and therefore it may decide to prioritise and support internal applicants.