Donnelly will join the Force as the Super Rugby club’s forwards coach after two seasons in that role under Clarke Dermody at the Highlanders.
He has been Otago’s head coach since 2020, having previously served as the assistant NPC coach from 2017, and will head to Perth once his Otago commitments end in October.
The Otago NPC coaching job has already been advertised.
Donnelly, the former New Zealand under-20 coach, steps into the Force role made vacant following Irishman Jimmy Duffy’s return to his homeland at the end of the 2024 season.
"I’m thrilled about taking on this role," Donnelly said.
"Obviously, the opportunity to keep coaching at Super Rugby level is exciting, but talking with the people at the club, like Goody (general manager of rugby Chris Goodman) and Crono (head coach Simon Cron), the ambition of the club really took me aback.
"They want to be a really competitive club in Super Rugby and while they’re in the building phase, the foundations are now in place which is really exciting about where we can go."
Force general manager of rugby Chris Goodman was delighted to secure Donnelly’s services.
"His skillset around lineout and scrums has been a real strength throughout his career and set him apart, as well as his delivery style and his experience as a player at the top level," Goodman said.
"He’s been with a Highlanders group with a similar age bracket to what we’ve got at the moment, so he relates to the players really well and knows the trajectory we’re on.
"He brings a hard-nosed approach to things. He’s pretty black and white which compliments the coaching staff.
"His long-term aspirations as a coach aligns to our thinking as a club around succession and stability too. We’re thrilled to have him on board."
