College of West Anglia – Chief Operating Officer

Salary

c £100,000 per annum, Senior Postholder

Closing date

9am on Monday 30 November 2026

Interview date

Monday 14 December 2026

Lead Consultant

Jo.Johnston@fea.co.uk
FE Associates

Interested in this role?

Click below

Register your interest

Introduction

The College of West Anglia is committed to delivering an excellent, inclusive and safe experience for all learners. With a clear ‘learner first’ culture, our strategic direction focuses on continuous improvement, inclusion throughout the student journey and positive outcomes for every student. We are proud of our open, collaborative culture where visible and approachable leaders inspire trust and teamwork.

We are seeking a Chief Operating Officer to act as a trusted strategic advisor to the Principal & Chief Executive Officer and the Corporation, providing professional leadership across Finance, Human Resources, Health & Safety, Funding and Property Services. The postholder will help shape the College’s strategic direction, strengthen financial resilience and operational effectiveness and lead on governance, commercial strategy, sustainability and major capital investment programmes. The role requires membership of a relevant professional body, such as ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA and a qualification to degree level or equivalent.

We have appointed FE Associates to support us with this important appointment. Prior to submitting an application, interested parties should arrange an initial conversation with our FE Associates lead consultant, by emailing Jo.Johnston@fea.co.uk, to discuss the role.

 

Working in West Norfolk

Supporting documents.

Strategic Plan 2025-2028

Accountability Statement

Annual Report and Accounts July 2025

Ofsted Report March 2025

How to apply

If you have the very special qualities and the passion to make a real a difference to the future of our students and business, then we would like to hear from you.

Please complete the registration form below to access the candidate information pack, online application form and the equality and diversity form.

NB: Please ensure you complete all fields and click on both the Terms and Conditions check box as well as the Consent check box to enable access to the documents.

We have appointed FE Associates to help us find the right person. Prior to submitting an application, interested parties should arrange an initial conversation with our FE Associates lead consultant to discuss the role before the closing date.

Thank you for registering your interest. You can now download the information relating to this vacancy.

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Step 1: Complete the form below.

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Candidate Information.

Candidate Information Pack

Leadership Success Profile

Step 2: Submitting your application.

Prior to submitting an application, interested parties should arrange an initial conversation with our FE Associates lead consultant, by emailing  Jo.Johnston@fea.co.uk, to discuss the role before the closing date.

Once you have obtained the full information and had an informal discussion with the lead consultant, you must complete the online application form and equality and diversity form by the closing date deadline. Applications received after this time will not be considered.

Key dates for submitting your application:

  • Closing date: 9am on Monday 30 November 2026
  • Interview date: Monday 14 December 2026
Apply now

Step 3: Ethnicity and diversity form.

Thank you for taking the time to complete your application for College of West Anglia – Chief Operating Officer.

Our team will now review your application against the requirements of the role. Should your application be shortlisted, we will be in touch to arrange the next steps in the selection process.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact us at recruitment@fea.co.uk.

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Step 3: Ethnicity and diversity form.

Thank you for completing the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion form.


We appreciate your time and your support in helping us build a more inclusive workplace.