National Football Development Manager – Women & Girls

Organisation: The Football Association
Salary: Competitive
Location: Home Based
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 30 May 2025
Job Description: The FA's Grassroots Division are looking for a National Development Manager - Women & Girls, to lead in developing, managing, and delivering FA girls' and women's programmes and projects in a school and community setting.

You will manage and maximise relationships with internal and external stakeholders associated with programmes and projects to achieve sustainable impact for the FA, partners, and participants, and work collaboratively with FA teams to maximise internal systems and processes, delivering programmes and projects efficiently and effectively.

Please include a cover letter with your application clearly outlining your interest in the role and why you feel you meet the criteria.

Please note that should you be shortlisted you will initially be asked to complete an online video interview in mid-June. Candidates who are successful at this stage will be invited to an in person interview on Thursday 3rd July.

What will you be doing?

Provide specialist advice on evolving FA school programmes and activations.
Lead and plan the national implementation of new FA programmes and activations in partnership with stakeholders and partners where relevant.
Lead, plan and implement an England Football School Membership Scheme to provide The FA with a direct relationship with schools.
Lead, plan and implement an England Football Club to School Collaboration model and intervention.
Manage internal and external relationships with stakeholders delivering FA programmes or projects.
Communicate and provide information by relevant methods internally and externally to assist and enable organisational operations and effective service to divisions and key stakeholders.
Executes additional tasks as required to meet the FA's changing priorities.
Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure that the highest standards of health, safety, and well-being can be maintained.
As part of the FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.

What are we looking for?

Essential for the role:

Knowledge

Educated to Degree standard or equivalent.
Experience

Professionally working in football /sports development.
Experience in leading and implementing mass-scale sports/football programmes.
Proven track record of managing multiple projects.
Proven track record of delivering results and raising performance.
Knowledge, understanding, and experience working with women and girls.
Budget management within specific financial parameters.
Knowledge of sports strategy development and implementation.
Track record of developing effective partnerships.
Knowledge of sport equality and barriers facing under-represented groups
Ability to demonstrate effective negotiation skills.
Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
Knowledge and understanding of the schools and education landscape

Technical Skills

Experience using Smartsheet or similar products.
Excellent planning and administration skills.
Reporting writing skills.
Microsoft Office.
Ability to create presentations and present to various key stakeholders.

Beneficial to have:

Knowledge

Project Management qualification, e.g., Prince 2

Experience

Understanding of the role of digital in sport.
Professionally working in football /sports development.
Understanding of County Football Associations and Grassroots Football.

What's in it for you?

We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles, to achieve this we have unique office spaces under the arch of the iconic Wembley National Stadium, which is the home of English Football. We are also delighted to offer a world-class, Elite Performance Centre, St. George's Park in Staffordshire which is an exceptional setting to develop and inspire high-performing England teams and leaders.

We pride ourselves in offering a competitive salary as well as great opportunities to develop and grow in your role. But that is not all; we also have a range of exciting benefits, some of which can be found below:

Access to event day tickets at Wembley Stadium, alongside a host of regular internal events throughout the season, encouraging you to connect and learn with your colleagues and look after your mental health and well-being.
Free, nutritious lunches at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
Free private medical cover.
A contributory pension scheme.
An additional 'Thank You' days leave, volunteering days as well as 25 days annual leave (based on a full-time, permanent contract.)
A hybrid working model which offers greater flexibility.

For more information on what it is like to work at The FA, please visit our FA Careers page, https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/careers

We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.

As part of the FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.
How to apply: For further information and to apply please follow the below link: https://careers.thefa.com/jobs/vacancy/national-football-development-manager--women--girls-hb0241-home-based-/2543/description/