Chief Commercial & Operating Officer - Place Partnership Trust in Rotherham

Kirklees Council are advertising this role on behalf of Place Partnership Trust. A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Trust as Chief Commercial & Operating Officer (CCOO) at Place Partnership. This role sits at the heart of Place Partnership, connecting strategy with delivery and aligning people, processes and services so that we can deliver the best possible educational experiences for children and young people across Yorkshire.

The CCOO will drive joined‑up delivery across the Trust, translating strategic priorities into action. The CCOO will lead and develop scalable, high‑performing shared services across Governance, Compliance, Estates (including PFI), ICT, Data and operational risk. Through clear standards, a service catalogue and robust SLAs, the postholder will ensure services are responsive to academy need, compliant with statutory and regulatory requirements, and consistently delivered.

Working closely with the Executive Team and Trustees, the role will provide high‑quality assurance, insight and reporting, and strengthen accountability. Commercial leadership is a core element of the post. The CCOO will develop and deliver the Trust’s Commercial Strategy, identifying sustainable growth opportunities, partnerships and efficiencies that build capacity, generate additional income and release increased resource for frontline education. New opportunities will be assessed against operational readiness, ensuring systems, processes and people are in place to deliver successfully.

The postholder will also hold executive responsibility for risk protection and insurance arrangements (including commercial insurance and the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) where applicable), internal audit, business continuity and operational risk. A key aspect of the role will be to build upon the post holder’s skill set and experience; working with the specialists within managed teams to deliver operational compliance and strategic aims.

The successful candidate will be:

• A credible, strategic executive leader with a strong track record of leading teams and delivering strategy across complex operational and commercial functions.
• A natural ‘connector’, skilled at breaking down barriers, aligning teams and creating shared ownership across complex services.
• Commercially astute and growth‑minded, spotting opportunity, building strong partnerships and securing sustainable value that benefits frontline education.
• Operationally strong and disciplined, bringing clarity, structure and consistent standards to improve performance and service user experience.
• Analytical and evidence‑led, comfortable using insight, risk intelligence and performance data to inform decisions and prioritise resources.
• Calm and decisive under pressure, responding to complex and high‑stakes situations with composure.
• Confident, knowledgeable and diplomatic, able to challenge constructively, build consensus and communicate clearly with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Values‑led and integrity‑driven, modelling openness, fairness and accountability, and building trust through consistency.
• Digitally confident, viewing technology as an enabler of better services, smarter processes and stronger organisational resilience.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward‑thinking and ambitious organisation, driven by a genuine passion for the wellbeing, care and education of young people. Place Partnership represents the voluntary merger of two strong and successful Trusts in South and West Yorkshire: Maltby Learning Trust, established in 2014, and Accord Multi Academy Trust, founded in 2016. Both organisations shared a clear ambition - to grow our families of schools, extend the impact of our work, and ensure more children, families and communities could benefit from high‑quality education.

We recognise that by coming together, we will create a larger organisation with greater capacity to deliver exceptional learning experiences, strengthen school improvement, and contribute more meaningfully to the wider education system. From 1 September 2026, we will comprise 12 academies, supporting children and young people from early years through to Post 16. We treat people with care and compassion, building belonging, and hold high expectations because everyone matters. We recognise that our people are our greatest strength, and as such, we offer a comprehensive suite of benefits as part of our commitment to wellbeing and professional growth.

For full details, please see our recruitment pack. For an informal discussion regarding the role or to arrange a visit, please do not hesitate to contact kparker@maltbylearningtrust.com. Place Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, further details of which can be found at www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check.

Place Partnership is committed to providing a culture of inclusion, respect and equity of opportunity that attracts, supports, and retains high quality colleagues from all backgrounds and across all job roles. Candidates will always be shortlisted based on the content of application against the job description and essential criteria without access to the personal details information. Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Place Partnership reserves the right to interview sooner than the specified dates above. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.

Closing Date: Friday 5 June 2026 at 12 noon. Interviews are expected to take place between: 09 June to 12 June 2026.