Chief Operating Officer

Cathedral; Norwich; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Norwich Cathedral is recruiting for the role of Chief Operating Officer (Chapter Steward). Working closely with the Dean and other senior leaders, this senior role will oversee day-to-day operations, steward the Cathedral's heritage, education and visitor provision, and drive financial resilience.

The successful candidate will help implement the Cathedral’s strategic aims, enable the back‑office infrastructure for growth, and act as an ambassador in the wider community during services and events.

Job description

Norwich Cathedral is currently recruiting for the role of Chief Operating Officer (Chapter Steward).

Norwich Cathedral is one of England’s great churches. Founded in 1096 as the mother church of the Diocese of Norwich, and set in a 36-acre Close for which it is also responsible, the Cathedral is a lively place of Christian worship, learning, service and hospitality, welcoming over 600,000 people each year.

Working closely with the Dean and other senior leaders, the Chief Operating Officer plays a vital role in caring for, stewarding and developing this remarkable inheritance; responsibilities reflected in the historic title of Chapter Steward. They will join as Chapter (the Cathedral’s governing body) is developing a masterplan for the whole Cathedral estate to secure its heritage, enhance its education and visitor provision, deepen its environmental sustainability and build its financial resilience.

The Chief Operating Officer will play a crucial role in delivering this vision, leading on the implementation of the Cathedral’s strategic aims and priorities, while also ensuring that the day‑to‑day operations of the Cathedral are undertaken efficiently and effectively.

Working collaboratively, they will support and enable team members to develop, and ensure that the Cathedral’s ‘back‑office’ infrastructure provides the foundation needed for future growth and development.

The Chief Operating Officer will also be Chapter Steward within the Cathedral Foundation, invited to share in a variety of Cathedral services and events held during the year, and will be an ambassador for the Cathedral in the wider community.

We are looking for candidates who will bring a mixture of enthusiasm, relevant experience and a commitment to the ethos and purpose of the Cathedral, to join us at this exciting time.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 23 November 2026.

Interviews will be held on Friday 11 December 2026.