Job Title: General Manager (Non-Football)
Organisation: Southend United Football Club Ltd
Location: Roots Hall Stadium
Reports to: Board (via Chairman)
Contract: Full-time
About Southend United Football Club
Southend United Football Club is entering a pivotal phase of its development. Following
a period of stabilisation, the Club is now focused on long-term regeneration, both on
and oF the pitch.
The Club has clear ambitions to return to the EFL, is investing in its football department
to support that objective, and is successfully re-engaging its supporter base,
commercial partners and the wider community. In parallel, Southend United is
progressing significant stadium and infrastructure regeneration plans, including the
future redevelopment of Roots Hall, which sit outside the day-to-day remit of this role.
The General Manager will play a central role in delivering high-quality non-football
operations during this period — operating an ageing stadium safely and eFectively,
supporting growth in commercial and community activity, and ensuring operational
readiness through periods of transition as regeneration projects progress.
Role Purpose
The General Manager (GM) is responsible for the leadership, coordination and delivery
of all non-football operations at Southend United Football Club.
The role provides senior operational leadership across finance, operations, media,
commercial support functions and governance, ensuring the Club operates safely,
compliantly and efficiently.
Working closely with the Board and senior leaders, the GM translates strategic priorities
into effective execution and drives high standards of operational performance across
the Club.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Organisational Management
* Provide day-to-day leadership of the Club’s non-football departments.
* Translate Board strategy and priorities into executable plans, objectives and KPIs.
* Foster a professional, accountable and delivery-focused culture across non-football functions.
* Act as the senior escalation point for non-football operational issues.
* Act as the senior executive accountable for Health & Safety across the
* organisation.
Operational Oversight
* Lead and oversee all non-football departments, including:
o Operations (including Training Ground and Stadium facilities)
o Finance
o Commercial support functions
o Media & Communications
o Administrative and office functions
* Ensure effective coordination between departments, avoiding silos and operational bottlenecks.
* Chair regular senior management and operational coordination meetings.
* Hold accountability for non-football budgets, cost control and financial discipline.
* Work closely with the Financial Controller to:
o monitor cashflow,
o review management accounts, and
o track financial KPIs and risks.
o Provide accurate, timely, and useful financial reports to the Board.
Governance & Compliance
* Ensure robust governance, compliance and internal controls across all non-football activities.
* Maintain clear ownership and escalation pathways for regulatory, safety and compliance matters, including formal engagement with the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) and other statutory authorities.
* Support the Chairman and Board with accurate reporting on operational performance, risks and issues.
Stakeholder & External Engagement
* Represent the Club operationally with key external stakeholders, including:
o local authorities,
o regulatory bodies, and
o suppliers and partners.
* Support or lead commercial partner relationships as required.
People & Performance
* Line-manage senior non-football leaders, including the Operations Manager, Media Manager, Commercial Manager and Financial Controller.
* Set clear objectives, performance expectations and development plans.
* Ensure appropriate resourcing, succession planning and effective use of external providers where required.
Person Specification
* Proven experience in a senior operational or general management role, leading multiple functions in a complex organisation.
* Strong operational leadership skills, with the ability to translate strategic direction into effective execution.
* Experience managing budgets, cost control and financial discipline, working closely with finance teams.
* Sound understanding of health & safety, compliance and risk management in a regulated environment.
* Experience leading and developing teams, setting clear objectives and driving accountability.
* Strong organisational, communication and decision-making skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
* Experience working within football, sport, entertainment or a similarly public facing environment.
* Experience operating or managing facilities, stadia or complex physical assets.
* Exposure to organisational change, turnaround or transition environments.
* Experience working with senior leadership teams and external stakeholders, including regulators or local authorities.
Equality & Diversity
Southend United FC is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its employment policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.
Eligibility for Employment in the UK
In accordance with current legislative requirements the successful applicant must produce documentary verification of their eligibility to work in the UK and will not be allowed to start work until this has been received.
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