Manly are hoping Joe Kelly’s appointment as chief executive officer can help transform the NRL heavyweights into a world-class sporting organisation.

Manly chairman Scott Penn announced the highly-rated administrator’s recruitment on Tuesday, a day after the club sacked general manager David Perry as part of an ownership restructure.

Kelly, who has spent the past eight years as second in charge at South Sydney and was formerly head of finance of current English Premier League leaders Chelsea, will take up the post on November 24.

“(But) we’ll try to get him a little bit earlier if we can. He comes very well credentialled,” Penn said.

“Joe is clearly one of the most talented executives in the game and has been instrumental in the turnaround at the Rabbitohs.

“We are committed to improving our off-field performance and making the Sea Eagles a truly world-class organisation.

“Joe’s appointment is a crucial first step in that transition. We will create the club our members and sponsors deserve.”

Kelly said he’d admired Manly’s on-field efforts to reach the NRL finals for the 10th straight year in 2014 despite a season of off-field bickering and that he was looking forward to working with the club’s new owners and coach Geoff Toovey.

“Firstly, I would like to thank Scott and his family, along with the board of the club for giving me this incredible opportunity at the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles,” he said.

“As a resident of the Northern Beaches, this is a very special day for both my family and myself.

“When the Penn family effected the shareholding changes last Wednesday, it was no doubt a defining moment for the club.

“By providing the much-needed unity and stability at board level, it creates a clear path for Geoff, myself and the rest of the organisation to drive success at the club.

“From the conversations that the three of us have had, we are on the same page and we have an common purpose and a single focus on making this club the best it can be.

“We need to be successful on field, we need to be viable and sustainable, and importantly, we need to connect and engage deeply with the community.”

Kelly will be integral to Manly upgrading its outdated home ground at Brookvale, with Penn saying the Sea Eagles had long been in dialogue with the state and federal governments about gaining their financial support to redevelop the venue into a full-blown community precinct.