Chief Operating Officer; COO

The NSTA has created the role of Chief Operating Officer to strengthen organisational delivery at a pivotal point in its development. This is a broad leadership, transformation and delivery appointment rather than a conventional corporate services role. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, the COO will be a close strategic partner, providing constructive challenge and turning organisational priorities into coordinated action.

The role has three connected areas of focus:

• ensuring delivery of the NSTA’s Corporate Plan and wider organisational commitments.
• leading change, transformation and continuous improvement across the organisation.
• providing strategic leadership to the NSTA’s core corporate functions.

A central challenge will be to own and drive the organisation’s delivery model. The COO will be accountable for ensuring clarity around annual priorities, resource allocation and accountability while helping colleagues navigate competing demands and dependencies across the NSTA.

This will require skilful influence rather than just command and control. The successful candidate will need to bring people with them, work across professional and organisational boundaries and create the conditions in which senior leaders and their teams can deliver collectively.

Relevant understanding of the oil and gas and carbon storage sectors will be important, but the NSTA is also open to leaders from a range of backgrounds who understand complex operating environments and can combine strategic judgement, organisational leadership and disciplined delivery.

The COO will work closely with the Chief Executive as a trusted adviser, delivery partner and source of constructive challenge. As a key member of the Leadership Team, they will help create alignment around priorities, ensure that decisions translate into action and intervene where delivery is at risk.

The COO will lead the development of annual operating plans which translate the NSTA’s Corporate Plan into a focused and deliverable programme of activity. They will establish clear ownership, milestones and performance information while ensuring that reporting remains proportionate and supports better decision-making.

A key part of the role will be identifying and resolving barriers to delivery. These may include competing organisational priorities, dependencies between directorates, resource constraints or a lack of clarity around accountability. The COO will need the judgement and authority to surface difficult issues, facilitate decisions and secure collective Leadership Team ownership of the agreed way forward.

Alongside the organisation-wide delivery and transformation mandate, the COO will provide strategic leadership to Finance, Human Resources, Procurement and Facilities Management. These functions are led by experienced functional heads and comprise approximately 27 colleagues.

The COO will not be expected to act as the technical specialist in each area. Their role will be to provide leadership, ensure the functions are aligned to organisational priorities and maintain strong standards of governance, stewardship and service.

Particular priorities will include:

• ensuring robust financial planning, control, reporting, audit, assurance and fraud prevention.
• maintaining effective workforce planning and the ability to recruit, develop and deploy high-calibre people.
• supporting the NSTA’s commitment to being a Great Place to Work.
• ensuring effective procurement, facilities and workplace arrangements.
• strengthening the contribution of the corporate functions to organisation-wide planning and delivery.

The COO will also lead change, transformation and organisational effectiveness across the NSTA. Working with the Chief Executive and senior colleagues, they will assess the capabilities and operating arrangements the organisation will require for the future and develop the internal capacity to deliver sustainable improvement.

This is not a mandate to impose a large-scale transformation programme or add layers of process. It is about helping the NSTA become more focused, agile and consistent in the way it prioritises, collaborates and delivers.

The COO will also act as Deputy Accounting Officer when required, bringing a clear understanding of public accountability, governance and the responsible use of resources.

As the NSTA responds to the North Sea Future Plan and its responsibilities continue to evolve, further activities may also come within the COO’s portfolio.