Operations Manager (Girls Academy)

Organisation: Aston Villa Football Club
Salary: £30,000 - £35,000 per annum dependent upon experience
Location: Bodymoor Heath Training Ground
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 13 July 2025
Interview date: 23 July 2025
Job Description: 1. The Department
Our Girls Academy Department has established itself as a leader in girls youth football development, consistently delivering the highest standards in coaching, education and training across 10 teams with players aged U10 – U21. We are committed to nurturing talent and creating a supportive and professional environment and we are proud of the role we play in shaping the next generation of female footballers as demonstrated in our recent success with our U21s winning the Professional Game Academy Plate.

To support our continued growth and success of our programme we are seeking a proactive and detail-orientated Operations Manager to join our team.

2. The Role
The Operations Manager is a key person who will lead and manage the daily operational delivery across our Girls Academy. You will support the technical and strategic aims of our programme through effective co-ordination and compliance, logistical oversight and stakeholder communication aligning with FA and Club processes to ultimately play a crucial part in creating the right environment to enable our players and staff to thrive both on and off the pitch.

This will be an incredibly varied role where no two days will look the same. Your responsibilities and accountabilities will involve leading and overseeing day-to-day administration, co-ordinating the full range of Girls Academy activities (including matchdays, player registration, travel arrangements and facility bookings), and the organisation of our Professional Game Academy (PGA) tours. One key duty will be ensuring effective and timely communication with all our key stakeholders such as staff, players, parents / guardians, Club partners and liaising with internal stakeholders. You will also lead on the Girls Academy audit ensuring that all compliance and documentation is in line with requirements.

For further information about the Role, please see the Role Profile.
3. The Person
This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual with a genuine passion for operational excellence and girls’ youth sport development with a real chance to make a huge impact.

You will need to have demonstrable experience in an operational role – being organised and able to manage your time, multi-tasking and prioritising effectively. You must be able to communicate clearly and concisely with the ability to liaise and build successful relationships with a range of stakeholders at all levels, demonstrating personal credibility. You will need proficient IT skills in Microsoft Outlook and be able to work accurately with a close attention to detail.

This role will align with the Girls Academy schedule so you will need to be available to work flexibly as the Club requires which will include evenings and weekends.

Ideally, you will have experience of working within a professional sporting environment with an understanding of FA governance and audit requirements and be competent in using sport administration systems and digital platforms such as IFAS, Club Portal, GotSport. A UK driving licence with access to your own vehicle to travel between our different sites will also be beneficial.

4. Why join us?

There has never been a better time to join Aston Villa Football Club. This season, we are celebrating our milestone 150th anniversary and our drive to succeed is visible on the global stage, we are building a family ethos and culture to be proud of, and realising our ambitious plans for the expansion and improvement of our world-class facilities. If you are already excited by this challenge and want to play your part in our historic Club, then you'll be pleased to hear about our amazing staff benefits you'll receive whilst working for us! See our Staff Benefits booklet to find out more.

As part of your application, you will be asked to:
1. Upload your CV

2. Answer the following question:

a) Please outline your key skills, qualities and experience (using examples) which make you the ideal candidate for this role (400 words maximum)
For further information, the Role Profile and to apply please go to careers.avfc.co.uk/jobs

Right to Close Vacancy Posting Early
The Club reserves the right to close any advertised vacancies earlier than the advertised closing date if sufficient applications have been received.

Equality Statement
Aston Villa Football Club celebrates the diversity of its Club and embrace equal opportunities for all.

We welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, race, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, sex and religion or belief.

Safeguarding Statement
Aston Villa Football Club is fully committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk across our Club. As such, we adhere to Safer Recruitment processes and for some roles a satisfactory enhanced disclosure via the Disclosure & Barring Service may be required prior to starting in a role at the Club. For more information, please see Aston Villa Football Club | The official club website | AVFC - Safeguarding
How to apply: https://careers.avfc.co.uk/jobs