2 Chief operating officer jobs in Brighton and Hove

CILIP 

Director of Membership 

Salary: £75,000 per annum for London-based candidates; £70,200 for candidates based outside London 

Working Pattern: Full-time, 35 hours per week (part-time or flexible working patterns may be considered) 

Location: Remote, with regular travel across the UK 

Contract: Permanent 

Atkinson HR Consulting is pleased to be supporting CILIP, the UK’s library and information association, in the recruitment of its next Director of Membership. 

CILIP represents over 8,000 members across the library, information and knowledge sectors. As the organisation enters a period of transformation, this is an exciting opportunity to reshape its membership offer, strengthen engagement and build a more sustainable future. 

About the Role 

As Director of Membership, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across membership, communities and partnerships, events and awards, communications and marketing, and customer services. 

You will develop and deliver a membership strategy focused on reversing declining membership numbers and renewals, improving the member experience and driving sustainable growth. You will lead and develop multidisciplinary teams, strengthen relationships with volunteers and member networks, and use data and insight to ensure CILIP’s offer reflects what members value. 

As a member of the Executive Team, you will contribute to the wider leadership of the organisation, balancing strategic priorities with financial sustainability and leading colleagues through a period of significant change. 

About You 

CILIP is looking for an experienced senior leader from a membership organisation, professional body, charity or similar environment, with a track record of growing membership, improving retention or increasing engagement. 

You will bring strong commercial and financial judgement, experience of leading multidisciplinary teams and confidence in using data to inform decisions and improve performance. You will be comfortable working with volunteers, committees and senior stakeholders, and able to challenge established ways of working while bringing people with you. 

Above all, you will be a collaborative and inclusive leader who shares CILIP’s commitment to social justice, intellectual freedom and evidence-based practice, and is passionate about the power of information, knowledge and libraries to change lives. 

For more information about the organisation and the role, please download the candidate information pack.

How to Apply 

To apply, please submit your CV and complete the application form, answering the following questions: 

• Why do you want to work at CILIP, and how do your values align with ours? 

• Tell us about a time you grew or reshaped a membership or customer offer. What did you do, and what difference did it make? 

• Tell us about your experience of leading a team through change or transformation. How did you maintain and improve performance, and what was the result? 

Each response should be no more than 400 words. 

For an informal conversation about the role or application process, please contact Nida Ashraf at Atkinson HR Consulting.

Key Dates 

Closing date: Friday 13 November 2026 at 12noon 

First interviews: Week commencing 23 November 2026 (remote) 

Final interviews: Wednesday 9 December 2026 (in person)