Site Manager – Cobham Training Ground

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DEPARTMENT: Operations

LOCATION: Cobham Training Ground

CONTRACT: Permanent 40hrs 5.5 in 7 (flexibility required in line with football calendar)

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the position may be filled before the listed closing date. To avoid missing out, please submit your application at your earliest convenience.

JOB FUNCTION: The Site Manager - Cobham Training Ground holds overall responsibility for the day-to-day coordination and strategic oversight of all non-technical operations at the club’s elite training facility. This role ensures that the site remains safe, compliant, and performance-ready at all times, supporting the needs of players, coaching staff, and key departments across the Men’s, Women’s and Academy football structures.

ACTING AS A SENIOR OPERATIONAL LEAD: The Site Manager sets and upholds standards across all site services, including facilities management, technology, security, and event support, and is accountable for aligning all operational activity with the club’s high-performance objectives, driving service excellence, and embedding best practices across departments.

LEADERSHIP & COORDINATION: The Site Manager provides direct leadership to the Facilities Manager and is responsible for managing and coordinating cross-functional relationships with the Football Operations, Performance, Commercial, Facilities, Technology, Security departments and external stakeholders. They oversee budget planning, lead on operational initiatives, and act as the key point of contact for ensuring seamless delivery of all football and commercial activity at the site.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Facilities & Site Management: Oversee the facilities management, technology, security, and presentation of all training ground facilities (excluding pitch maintenance). Manage contractors and suppliers, ensuring delivery against KPIs and SLAs. Act as point of contact for visiting teams, officials, and stakeholders.
• Operations & Logistics: Coordinate daily training ground operations, including room bookings, pitch usage, equipment allocation, and scheduling. Support Men’s First Team, Academy, and Women’s teams with operational requirements. Ensure broadcast, media, and commercial activities at the site are delivered smoothly and to required standards. Collaborate with teams to ensure that site OPEX and CAPEX input into budgets, monitoring costs and driving efficiencies. Support procurement of services and supplies, ensuring value for money. Support sustainability initiatives to reduce energy consumption and improve environmental performance.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Liaise with internal departments (e.g., Football Operations, Performance, Commercial) to align site operations with club needs. Work closely with local authorities, governing bodies, and external partners to ensure compliance and strong relationships. Represent the best interests of the club at internal operational and safety meetings as required. Align their activities to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) outcomes.

MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE:

• Holding formal Health & Safety qualifications such as IOSH or NEBOSH relevant to the role.
• Effectively supporting accessible user groups, demonstrated through implemented accommodations and positive feedback.
• Consistently meeting deadlines and performing under pressure, with a high rate of on-time task and project completion.
• Receiving positive feedback from players, coaching staff, and internal departments on the quality and reliability of site operations.
• Ensuring partner and contractor performance meets or exceeds agreed KPIs and SLAs, with minimal service failures or escalations.
• Achieving high satisfaction ratings from stakeholders involved in broadcast or commercial events hosted at the training ground.
• Maximising training ground readiness, with pitches, gyms, and other facilities available as scheduled the vast majority of the time.
• Providing timely responses and resolutions to maintenance and Helpdesk requests, in line with or exceeding SLA expectations.
• Preventing disruptions to training sessions or matches due to operational issues, maintaining a target of zero disruptions.
• Coordinating site security in alignment with daily activities, ensuring safe and secure operations at all times.
• Implementing new processes or systems that improve operational efficiency, with measurable time, cost, or resource savings.
• Contributing to wider club initiatives, such as sustainability, inclusion, and fan engagement, through active support and participation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Qualifications: H&S training (IOSH as a minimum)

Experience: Proven experience in facilities or operations management, ideally within sport, leisure, or a high-performance environment. Experienced working in a large or complex site and its core delivery. Strong knowledge of health & safety, compliance, and statutory regulations. Budget management and commercial acumen. Excellent leadership, communication, and people-management skills. Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure. Flexible approach, including willingness to work evenings, weekends, and matchdays as required.

Skills and Behaviours: Be an effective Team player. Have excellent Time management skills. Exceptional people management skills. Able to negotiate and resolve complex issues. Ability to work alone and to see a job through to completion. Effective leadership skills. Good at making decisions under pressure. Manage a portfolio of complex initiatives that span one or multiple lines of business.

OUR EXPECTATIONS:

• To embody the club’s BLUE behaviours (Brave, Lead, Unity, Edge) in the approach to work and interaction with others.
• To adhere to the club’s policies and procedures, including Health & Safety, Financial Authorisation, Confidentiality and GDPR.
• To act as an ambassador for diversity, equality, and inclusion, and demonstrate a positive commitment by treating others fairly in line with our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and reporting any acts of discrimination through appropriate channels.
• To create a safe environment and act to protect all young people and vulnerable adults that are either in your care or attending club premises, and report any concerns to the Safeguarding Lead.
• To report any misconduct or suspected misconduct to the HR Department.

25 days annual leave (+ Bank Holidays). After three years’ service, AL days increase to 28. Pension Contribution (5%). Life Assurance (4 x base salary). Private healthcare through Vitality. C2W (Cycle to Work scheme). Chelsea Ticket Membership Program – enables employees to purchase tickets for home games 49 days prior to the match. Free staff lunches at Stamford Bridge (Mon-Fri). Discount on club and club-affiliated products (Megastore, Nike 25% discount, Stadium Tours, onsite bar/restaurant etc). Employee Assistance Program, Mental Health first aiders and a strong well-being community.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: At Chelsea we recognise that the diversity of our people is one of our greatest strengths and we are taking positive action to ensure our existing colleagues and job applicants can fully be themselves and bring their own unique experiences and perspectives to Chelsea FC. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. If you need reasonable adjustments made to the recruitment process, please reach out to your recruiter, who will be able to advise and support you. Chelsea FC is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children, young people and adults at risk (vulnerable groups). We therefore require all successful applicants to complete a DBS Check prior to starting employment. Depending on the role, successful applicants may also be required to undergo other child protection screening where appropriate. This Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive; the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the Club.