Chief Operating Officer

Carrington West; England; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A civic organization in Portsmouth is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to lead business development and ensure measurable social value is delivered for the city. The successful candidate will have senior experience in partnerships, proven leadership abilities, and a passion for community impact. This full-time role offers a salary range of £45,000 to £50,000 per year, with hybrid working available.

Benefits

Flexible and hybrid working

Enhanced family friendly policies

Professional development support

Pension benefits

Additional day off for birthday

Qualifications

• Senior experience in business development or income generation within a non-profit context.
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, particularly in marketing or funding.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Strong understanding of digital communications and brand management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver business development strategy.
• Oversee marketing, communications, and digital engagement.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and event delivery.
• Champion values and contribute to long-term planning.

Skills

Business development experience

Team leadership

Relationship building

Funding and sponsorship securing

Strategic thinking

Job description

Are you ready to help shape the future of Portsmouth by leading a small but powerful team that connects business, education and community across the city. Carrington West is advertising the role on behalf of Shaping Portsmouth. Shaping Portsmouth is recruiting a Chief Operating Officer to act as strategic partner and deputy to the Chief Executive, driving income growth, strengthening our visibility, and ensuring measurable social value is delivered for the city. This senior role will suit a motivated self-starter with proven leadership, relationship building and income generation experience, who is passionate about making Portsmouth the number one city in which to invest, live, learn, work and visit. The role is full time, based at Portsmouth Guildhall with hybrid working, and offers a salary in the region of 45,(Apply online only) to 50,(Apply online only) per year.

Why Join This Team

• Play a central leadership role in a respected city wide‑non‑profit that is directly influencing Portsmouth’s future.
• Enjoy a flexible, supportive and inclusive working environment with strong focus on wellbeing, development and Employee Success conversations rather than traditional appraisals.
• Access generous benefits including flexible and hybrid working, enhanced family friendly policies, professional development support, pension, partner event invitations and an additional day off for your birthday.
• Join a small, collaborative team where your ideas, leadership and initiative will have visible impact across the city.

As Chief Operating Officer, you will be at the heart of our growth and sustainability. You will lead business development, marketing and communications, impact reporting and patron management, ensuring that programmes, events and external activity are aligned, coherent and strategically planned across the year. You will work closely with the Chief Executive on governance, planning and performance, and confidently represent Shaping Portsmouth at key business networks, civic forums and stakeholder events.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver a clear business development and income strategy, growing patron income, partnerships, paid services and grant funding, including being self‑funding through successful bid writing and external investment.
• Provide senior leadership across marketing, communications and digital engagement, ensuring a consistent, high quality narrative that showcases our impact and raises our profile across the city and beyond.
• Oversee impact measurement and reporting, translating programme data into compelling insight for patrons, funders, the board and civic partners, and driving performance against key organisational measures.
• Lead patron and stakeholder engagement, team line management and the delivery of flagship events such as the annual conference and awards, ensuring excellent planning, sponsorship and delegate experience.

Alongside these core areas, you will help build a collaborative culture across the organisation, reduce siloed working and support colleagues to deliver consistently high standards. You will champion our values, model a supportive and empowering leadership style, and contribute actively to long term planning and diversification of income.

Required Skills

• Senior experience in business development, partnerships or income generation, ideally within a non‑profit, civic or partnership driven context, with a strong track record of securing grants, sponsorship or commercial support.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate multi‑disciplinary teams, particularly across marketing, funding or partnership functions, and to manage complex programmes or high profile events.
• Excellent relationship building, communication and influencing skills, with confidence engaging senior business and civic stakeholders, and a strong understanding of digital communications and brand management.
• Strategic thinker who can work under pressure, balance competing priorities and use data and impact frameworks to inform decisions, alongside a strong personal commitment to Shaping Portsmouth’s mission and values.
• An understanding of Portsmouth’s business ecosystem, and experience within a CIC, charity or business support environment would be an advantage, as would familiarity with impact measurement and customer relationship management tools. Above all, you will bring integrity, professionalism, adaptability and resilience, and a genuine desire to make a difference for the people and businesses of Portsmouth.

Shaping Portsmouth is proud to be an equal opportunities employer and is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates and operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled candidates, care leavers, those with experience of foster care and armed forces veterans who meet the essential criteria. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable people, and all appointments are subject to appropriate pre employment checks including an Enhanced DBS check and right to work verification.

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the Chief Operating Officer role to (url removed) by Sunday 14 December 2025. For an informal conversation about the opportunity, you can contact (url removed).

If you are excited by the chance to use your leadership, income generation and storytelling skills to help shape a vibrant future for Portsmouth, we would be delighted to hear from you. Apply today and take the next step in your career with Shaping Portsmouth.