Leading Beyond the Numbers: Rucelle Soutar on Growth, Challenge and Perspective

Careers rarely unfold exactly as planned, and Rucelle Soutar’s leadership journey is a strong example of that. Now Chief Operating Officer at the Scottish Football Association, she began her career in a very different place.

Rucelle began her studies at Glasgow University in Physiology before pivoting into accountancy. Upon qualifying, Rucelle trained and worked in professional practice before moving into Morrison Construction, where she gained experience across internal audit and corporate finance. It was during this period that her ambition to become a Finance Director first took shape.

Rucelle joined Edinburgh Zoo, progressing to Head of Finance, before going on to spend a decade at Project Scotland, where she held senior finance roles and, at one point, stepped into the position of Interim Chief Executive. This period provided significant leadership experience.

From there Rucelle went on to join The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2014, and it was here that she credited the Executive Women in Leadership (EWIL) programme with helping to build her confidence. Rucelle initially joined as Head of Finance before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2018, where she played a key role in delivering large-scale international events and later helped lead the organisation through the disruption of COVID-19, one of the most complex leadership challenges of her career.

Rucelle then moved to the Scottish Football Association, where she had to adapt to an entirely new set of parameters, transitioning from the cultural sector into the sporting environment. A particular highlight was stepping into a leadership role in the delivery of UEFA EURO 2020 — the first major event to take place in Scotland following the pandemic. The tournament, delayed by a year, was further complicated by ongoing social distancing restrictions, adding significant operational challenges.

Completing EWIL throughout this time helped reinforce that the challenges she was facing were not unique, but part of leadership itself.

Throughout her career, Rucelle placed real value on learning from the experiences of other leaders so for her, one of the most impactful aspects of the programme was the opportunity to hear openly from leaders across different industries facing similar challenges.

“Hearing people and their experiences,” she reflects, “To hear them going through exactly the same issues that you go through. It helped to put things into perspective. You realise that you’re not alone in the challenges you’re facing.”

Another part of the programme that stayed with her was the willingness to discuss issues that are often underrepresented in leadership conversations, including women’s health and life stages that can shape professional experience in powerful ways. Alongside Rucelle’s professional progress, she navigated the realities that many leaders face outside of work, such as the return to work after maternity leave.

Returning to work with young children required careful balance and honest conversations, both personally and professionally.

Rucelle recalls “I had a three-year-old and one-year-old twins when I came back. That’s quite a thing to face when you’re thinking about changing jobs and thinking about your career.”

The openness of the programme left a lasting impression and has informed the way she thinks about supporting women in leadership since.

Since then, Rucelle has continued to invest in leadership development. More recently, she participated in the UEFA Women in Football Leadership Programme, bringing together senior leaders from across the international game. For her, experiences like these reinforce the importance of continuing to grow, no matter how senior you become.

“Going on these types of things just remind you to be the kind of best version of yourself,” she says, “and just keep stretching yourself to be better, be a better leader.”

Now Chief Operating Officer of the Scottish Football Association, Rucelle is helping to lead the organisation into an exciting new chapter, with the Scotland men’s national team qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026, their first appearance at the tournament in 28 years.

Reflecting on her career so far, Rucelle believes one lesson stands out above all others:

“Take a few more risks,” she says. “The world out there isn’t as scary as you think it is.”

What began as a straightforward ambition to build a career in finance has evolved into a leadership journey defined by adaptability, resilience and a willingness to step beyond functional expertise. Her path from accountant to COO shows that leadership often grows not from following a perfect plan, but from staying open to opportunity and continuing to stretch into the next challenge.

Executive Women in Leadership Alumni Spotlight Series

This article forms part of our Executive Women in Leadership Alumni Spotlight Series, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the EWLP programme in September 2026.

The EWLP has since evolved into the Executive Leadership Programme (ELP), delivered in partnership with the University of Edinburgh Business School and open to leaders of all genders across the private, public and third sectors.

For more information about joining the 2026 cohort, please contact elp@fwbltd.com.