Chief Operating Officer

Role description

Over the past two years the current Chief Operating Officer has successfully taken the Cathedral through the governance and organisational changes required to conform to the Cathedrals Measure, enabling the Cathedral to become registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales at the start of this year. After 11 years working in both finance and as COO, the current post holder is now moving on to become the first COO at a local secondary school.        

The Cathedral Chapter is therefore seeking to appoint a full-time Chief Operating Officer to lead us forward in this new era and contribute across a number of strategic and managerial aspects of Cathedral life. Our new COO will drive and manage the delivery of the Cathedral’s strategy and will work with the Chapter to ensure that the Cathedral is effectively and efficiently run. They will have a key role in the delivery of the Cathedral’s recently updated vision and mission priorities.

The successful candidate will report to the Dean, have oversight of all operations within the Cathedral, provide support to the Chapter in its strategic planning, and be responsible for finance, governance, administration, property and for staff who are employed to support the Cathedral’s work. They will need to have experience of being responsible for a broad range of operational functions, an understanding of working within a complex governance and charitable structure, be able to inspire our staff team and have the desire and motivation to nurture and encourage a strong sense of community. For the right candidate this offers an exciting and inspirational opportunity.

Main purpose of role  

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the most senior lay officer and their relationship with the Dean is key. The COO role acts as a link between the lay and the clergy staff members, between the business of making a Cathedral run and the Cathedral as a place of worship. The COO supports the Dean, working in partnership with the Chapter and has overall responsibility for the effective and efficient business administration and operations of the Cathedral.

The COO contributes to the formulation and implementation of the Cathedral’s strategy through participation at Chapter and with the Senior Management Team. As Clerk to the Chapter, he/she is the adviser on issues of governance and good practice and ensures compliance with all policies and procedures and relevant statutory legislation.  As well as being the clerk to the Chapter, the COO attends the following Chapter committees: Finance, Audit and Risk and Nominations. The COO also attends the Fabric Advisory Committee, the College of Canons, the Alban Foundation, and the Music Trust and Education Trust meetings.

Our next COO will inspire and grow the staff team to enable them to fulfil their potential and play their part to help the Cathedral meet our agreed vision and strategy.  The COO reports to the Dean. The COO’s direct reports comprise: Head of Finance, the Head of Development and Fundraising, the Head of Marketing and Visitor Experience, the Director of Property and Fabric, and the Head of HR & Office Support. The COO chairs the Senior Management Team.

A planned restructure of the finance team has recently been completed following registration with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 1 March 2024. Therefore, the Cathedral will very shortly be recruiting for a Chief Finance Officer (CFO) who will report directly to the COO. It is hoped the successful COO candidate will have an opportunity to be involved in the recruitment for the CFO post. Until the CFO is appointed, the existing finance structure of Head of Finance and Finance Assistant will remain in place. Once implemented, the new finance team structure will comprise a part time CFO and highly experienced full time Finance Manager.  

The COO oversees the care and conservation of the fabric of the Cathedral church and its estate, taking into account the expert views of the Cathedral’s Fabric Advisory Committee and other independent regulatory bodies. The COO manages the Cathedral’s relationship with the Cathedral Architect and Cathedral Archaeologist.

The COO has oversight and leadership in the generation of additional income from commercial events and activities. The post-holder is a director of Cathedral Enterprises (St Albans) Ltd, a trading company wholly owned by the Cathedral responsible for the retail, catering and venue hire operations.

The COO has overall supervisory responsibility for all 50 lay employees, several of whom work part-time, and an annual operating budget of £2-£3 million, plus funded fabric projects amounting to anything between £250,000 to £4million a year. The COO also works closely with the Cathedral Wardens and lead volunteer roles at the Cathedral.

The COO is the senior responsible officer for data protection, health and safety and security. They also have strategic oversight of the Cathedral’s risk management processes.

The COO is supported in the area of Safeguarding by the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer who reports to the Canon for Mission and Pastoral Care and attends the Safeguarding Committee meetings.

The deadline for applications: Friday 17 May 

Interviews: Monday 3 June

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete some online assessments and have a remote feedback session with a Chartered Occupational Psychologist, coordinated by Green Park Recruitment Consultants before interviews on 3 June  

Shortlisted candidates will also be offered information gathering meetings with the Diocesan Secretary, Chair of the Finance Committee & Head of Finance – meeting the latter 2 in a single meeting.