Paul Green is the new chief football officer of Bay FC, taking up a similar role that he had as one of the architects of Chelsea's dominant run as England's top team over the past decade.
Green will lead Bay FC sporting operations, including roster strategy and technical staff.
The NWSL club said he will work closely with head coach Emma Coates to "build a team tailored to the club's playing identity, competitive ambitions, and long-term vision."
Green will report to Kay Cossington, the CEO of Bay Collective, which is the ownership group's wider umbrella organization that is expected to include multiple clubs.
"Paul is an exceptional football leader whose experience, standards and understanding of what it takes to build a winning environment will be invaluable to Bay FC," Cossington said in a statement.
"He has been part of sustained success and understands how to bring together recruitment, player development, performance and culture in service of a clear football vision.
"Paul will be a key partner for Emma as we shape a roster that maximizes her strengths as a coach, reflects the way we want Bay FC to play and gives us the foundation to build a championship-caliber team."
Green was integral to Chelsea's dominance after joining in 2013, playing a key role as the club collected 19 trophies during his tenure, including eight league titles and six FA Cups.
Over his 13 years at the club, Green -- whose father was also a scout -- became deeply involved in Chelsea's professional development.
In the early days, before the club had a sophisticated analytics or scouting operation, Green and then-manager Emma Hayes, now head coach of the United States women's national team, would travel to matches themselves, assess players and make recruitment decisions.
His responsibilities extended well beyond scouting and recruitment. Green was heavily involved in the team's day-to-day operations, overseeing everything from travel schedules and meal timings to training days and rest periods.
He was also closely involved in player contracts, managing renewals and extensions as well as negotiations for new signings.
He played a key role in bringing Hayes' successor, Sonia Bompastor, to London.
Sources described him as one of the best in the business and commended his depth of skills across operations and negotiations.
But that influence began to diminish after Hayes' departure.
Sources close to the club said there was surprise that Green did not leave alongside Hayes, choosing instead to remain at Chelsea.
Following Bompastor's appointment, Green's role and influence were reduced as the club's overall direction shifted and the structure behind the scenes changed. Sources said tensions had grown between Green and senior figures at the club.
Then, after a difficult run of results -- including a 5-1 defeat by Manchester City followed by a 2-0 loss to Arsenal, results that effectively ended Chelsea's hopes of winning the 2024-25 title -- Green ultimately paid the price as the club viewed it as the right time to move away from the manager-led model amid a broader internal restructuring.
He departed Chelsea in February. At Bay FC, Green said he will focus on building the team's identity and improving its depth.
"I'm delighted to join Bay FC at such an exciting stage in the club's development," Green said in a statement. "What attracted me to this club was the ambition, the vision and the opportunity to help shape its next chapter. The foundations here are solid, and we have a tremendous opportunity to develop something special and build a team that the Bay Area and our fans can be proud of."
Green takes over a Bay team with talented young players such as midfielders Claire Hutton and Kennedy Fuller, and forward Alex Pfeiffer -- and a side that struggled through 2026.
Bay FC defeated Racing Louisville FC at home on Sunday, with Green in attendance, to break a tie on points between the two teams that were jointly second from the bottom of the table.
Bay FC now sits 13th in the 16-team NWSL, ahead of Boston (each on 26 points) on goal difference. Last season, Bay FC finished tied with the Chicago Stars for the fewest points (20) in the league.
Coates was hired as the team's new head coach ahead of the 2026 NWSL season. The 35-year-old took over after nearly three years in charge of England's U23 team.
Bay FC narrowly made the playoffs in its expansion season in 2024.
The team has endured turnover in its brief existence. Original head coach Albertin Montoya and general manager Lucy Rushton each left their roles within the team's first two seasons.
Green's role also adds to a hierarchy that is more complicated than most NWSL teams.
In addition to Green and Cossington, the wider Bay Collective group has Patricia González as global sporting director and Anja van Ginhoven as global director of operations.
Former NWSL head coach Matt Potter is also the sporting director of Bay FC.
Bay Collective formed in January 2025 with the intent of becoming a multi-club organization.
The group announced in April that it had agreed to acquire a majority stake in Sunderland AFC Women.
Sunderland currently plays in WSL2, England's second division.
