Help transform the UK Potato Industry through Knowledge and Innovation: join CUPGRA as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Are you a practical operator as well as a leader? CUPGRA is seeking a Chief Operating Officer who can combine strategic oversight with a willingness to take direct responsibility for the day-to-day delivery of our work.
This is a senior role that requires someone happy to take ownership of operational activity, coordinate workstreams with various stakeholders, and ensure projects are executed effectively – relieving the Directors of much of the operational workload while helping CUPGRA achieve its ambitious goal to provide benefit through knowledge and innovation to potato growers and the wider potato industry in the UK.
This is a part time, self-employed role and may suit a professional with a portfolio career style of working.
Reporting to the CUPGRA CIC Board of Directors.
What You’ll Lead (and Deliver):
1. Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring smooth delivery across all functions.
2. Translate strategic goals into clear, actionable projects and ensure their execution.
3. Build strong collaboration with research institutes and the wider potato supply chain.
4. Develop an interesting and cutting-edge conference programme and coordinate the event for 200 + attendee
5. Co-ordinate CUPGRA workshops and events (minimum 3 per year).
6. Plan and run the biennial Study Tour.
7. Support delivery of R&D projects – liaising with researchers, ensuring priorities are relevant, and helping translate research ideas from growers into projects.
8. Handle budgeting, financial planning, and compliance requirements.
9. Oversee Secretariat and Marketing functions — supporting a small team but also contributing directly where needed.
10. As a Membership organisation you would be expected to deliver growth with new member acquisition and ensure close management of existing members
You Are:
11. Experienced in agriculture, horticulture, or fresh produce – ideally with exposure to research organisations.
12. Comfortable working at both a strategic and operational level.
13. Highly organised with excellent time management and financial planning skills.
14. A great communicator and enabler of others: able to engage growers, researchers, agronomists, manufacturers, and supply chains.
15. Commercially aware, with some background in PR/marketing or sales an advantage.
16. A problem-solver with a practical mindset and a willingness to take on delivery yourself where required.
17. Able to travel around the UK in pursuit of CUPGRA’s aims.
What’s in It for You:
18. A unique chance to combine senior leadership with meaningful operational delivery.
19. A leadership opportunity within a renowned membership organisation, famous for delivering quality applied research to the potato industry
20. The opportunity to take ownership of operations and free up the Directors to focus on strategy and partnerships.
21. Flexible part-time work (2–3 days per week, with peaks around key events).
22. Contract value equivalent to £35-45K per annum depending on experience.
About CUPGRA:
CUPGRA is a Community Interest Company (Company number: 15357836), whose aim is to encourage study, research and knowledge exchange on potatoes for the benefit of potato growers in the UK and the wider potato industry, including suppliers, processors, packers, retailers and consumers. It is a not-for-profit company where any surplus, is used to invest in research and development relevant to the needs of the community. CUPGRA’s roots were as a grower research organisation with over 40 years of history, connecting researchers with end-users to ensure research is both commercially relevant and practically applied. Founded on Dr Eric Allen’s ethos – “Understanding how potatoes grow determines how to grow potatoes” – CUPGRA continues to help growers and supply chains meet today’s challenges through robust research, which is peer-reviewed and widely shared across the industry.
Ready to bring both strategic insight and operational drive to CUPGRA?
Apply via this website or call Max MacGillivray on 01284 715055, quoting Ref: 5968M, to learn more.
Please note that CUPGRA are working with Redfox on an exclusive basis – any third party applications will be re-directed to Redfox for review.