Chief Operating Officer

Job Role

Location: Flexible / Hybrid (UK and Ireland travel required)

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

Closing Date: 4 November 2026

Seetec is at a defining moment in its journey. Over many years, the organisation has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality employability, justice and skills services that make a positive difference to people, employers and communities across the UK. As commissioning models evolve and new opportunities emerge, we are now focused on strengthening performance, increasing financial resilience and preparing for the next generation of services beyond 2028.

Seetec is seeking an exceptional Chief Operating Officer to play a pivotal role in a critical phase of performance improvement, transformation and growth.

We are seeking a leader who can combine operational rigour with strategic insight - someone who can stabilise and improve performance where required, while also helping us re-shape how we deliver services in the future. The period ahead will involve improving contract profitability, developing new labour market services, embedding technology, and transitioning toward a more integrated OneSeetec regional capability model. This role is critical to making that transition successful.

Key Responsibilities

As COO, you will have overall accountability for Seetec’s operational performance across employability, justice and commercial services, ensuring high-quality outcomes for participants, strong contractual delivery and improved financial performance.

Working closely with the CEO and Group Executive Board, you will translate strategy into delivery, drive operational excellence, and lead the transition toward a OneSeetec regional capability model aligned to future commissioning needs.

Key areas of focus include:

• Improving contract profitability and driving strong financial performance, enabling reinvestment and long-term financial freedom
• Developing new labour market services, including readiness for Restart and National Employment Service (NES) successor programmes
• Embedding integrated, regionally aligned services at scale, reducing duplication and sharing capability across the organisation
• Delivering selected, sustainable growth to protect and enhance Seetec’s core revenue streams
• Leading transformation, digital adoption and operational change to improve efficiency, insight and service quality

What You’ll Be Responsible For

• Overall operational leadership across a complex, multi-site and multi-disciplinary environment
• Delivery of contractual performance, quality, compliance and safeguarding standards
• Driving improved profitability, productivity and value creation
• Developing and leading high-performing executive and director-level teams
• Leading operational transformation and culture change
• Building strong relationships with commissioners, regulators and partners
• Providing assurance to the Board on performance, risk and governance

Skills and Experience

What We’re Looking For

You will be a credible, values-led senior leader with:

• Proven experience in a senior operational leadership role within a complex service organisation
• A strong track record of improving performance, profitability and outcomes
• Experience operating in multi-site, multi-regional environments
• Strong financial and commercial acumen
• Experience leading large-scale change and transformation
• The presence and judgement to influence at Board and executive level
• A collaborative, inclusive and resilient leadership style

Next Steps

Successful applications will be followed by a three-stage interview process that will be competency based including a strategy proposal presentation and role profiling assessment.

Additional Information

Seetec is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share and uphold this commitment in conjunction with the requirements of the Prevent Duty and the positive promotion of modern British values.

Dependent on the role you are applying to, you may be required to process a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS/DS) check. Seetec supports the recruitment of ex-offenders and will not discriminate in any way. Our full policy statement of “Ex-Offenders” can be found on our website under “About us”.

Seetec is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.