Essendon Football Club has officially commenced the recruitment process to appoint its next Senior Coach.

A five person sub-committee led by Chief Executive Officer, Xavier Campbell, will oversee the appointment.

The sub-committee consists of;

Xavier Campbell - CEO

Chris Heffernan – Essendon Football Director and Premiership Player (2000)

Lisa Lawry - General Manager of People and Culture

Neale Daniher - Essendon Captain, Melbourne Coach (1998 -2007), and GM Football Operations West Coast Eagles (2008 – 2013)

Brad Sewell – Hawthorn Premiership Player (2008 and 2013) and AFLPA Board Member

As part of the selection process the sub-committee will also consult with a number of internal and external stakeholders.

“We have assembled the sub-committee and established a thorough recruitment process to ensure we can appoint the best person available to be the next Senior Coach of the Essendon Football Club,” Campbell said.

“When we sat down to form the panel we wanted to ensure the final sub-committee had diverse experience across the AFL industry.

“Neale, Brad and Chris understand what’s required to build a successful football culture, they have firsthand knowledge of the demands of coaching at senior level, they have a strong grasp of the day-to-day operations of a professional football club and a clear understanding of how the game is evolving.

“Lisa is an important member of the Club’s executive and will manage the recruitment process. We look forward to drawing on her vast corporate experience gained during her time at BP.”

The Club expects it will be in a position to make an announcement in October ahead of the 2016 pre-season.

“This is a particularly important decision for the football Club,” Campbell said.

“The process will take several weeks, and will conclude with the Board’s endorsement of the successful candidate.”