Training Ground Operations Manager

Overview

In this role you will lead and coordinate day-to-day operations across Cobham and Kingsmeadow to support football activities, events, and business operations. You’ll work with Men’s, Women’s and Academy teams to ensure seamless delivery and an outstanding service environment. You will manage multi-site planning, scheduling, and stakeholder coordination to enable teams to perform at their best. This role offers a hands-on, fast-paced environment with a clear impact on matchdays, training, and events. You’ll contribute to continuous improvement and uphold safety, inclusivity, and high standards across the training grounds.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations at Cobham Training Ground and Kingsmeadow
• Plan and deliver football, business, and site activities
• Act as primary operational contact for internal stakeholders
• Ensure readiness for training, fixtures, events, meetings, and projects
• Own master operational calendar for both sites
• Coordinate scheduling, resources, and facility allocation
• Foster relationships across Football, Women’s, Academy and Business teams
• Identify requirements and align delivery plans with stakeholders
• Support matchday and event operations with broadcasters, officials, and partners
• Develop operational plans, procedures and event documentation
• Lead post-event reviews and continuous improvement actions
• Manage room allocations, meetings spaces, and site resource use
• Coordinate office moves and workspace planning
• Oversee visitor management and ensure first-class experience
• Monitor service standards and seek improvements across departments

Key requirements

• Significant experience in operational management within a complex, fast-paced environment
• Strong planning, scheduling and organisational skills
• Experience coordinating events, fixtures, projects, or multi-site operations
• Exceptional stakeholder management and relationship-building abilities
• Problem-solving capability with composure under pressure
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Solid understanding of health & safety, safeguarding, and risk management
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes
• Customer-focused mindset and commitment to outstanding service
• wDesirable Experience: elite sport/venue operations background, budget management, supplier/vendor management, leadership in an operations team

• stakeholder management
• communication
• problem-solving
• health & safety knowledge
• risk management
• operational planning

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