Para Operations Manager: Tournaments & Fixtures

Organisation: The Football Association
Salary: Competitive
Location: National Football Centre, St. George's Park
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 6 June 2025
Job Description: The FA Para Team are looking for a Para Operations Manager to support the England Para Football Programme/Technical Delivery team through the operational planning, delivery and review with specific focus on senior tournaments and fixtures, in line with the England Para Football season plan.

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

We work within a hybrid working policy and the individual in role will be required on site at The National Football Centre, St. George's Park 3 days a week. The remaining days can be worked remotely. Please do consider whether you can commit to this prior to submitting your application.

What will you be doing?

Responsible for the preparation, delivery and review of the operational plan and logistics for tournaments and fixtures across all senior Para squads.
Ensure the effective implementation and ongoing management of the following processes & events:
Programme communication
Programme Conference co-ordination
Programme Calendar co-ordination
In conjunction with Payroll & HR, manage the processing of player expense claims for tournaments.
All aspects of operational support for the England Para Football teams including venue recce's, administration of squad selection and itinerary, staffing, travel, accommodation, facilities, match and training venues, liaison with federations, liaison with players and clubs. Includes all on road operational & administrative support.
Delivery key operational processes for senior tournaments and fixtures, consistent with other members of the operations team (e.g. safeguarding plans, risk assessments, emergency action plans, crisis management plans).
Lead, coordinate and report on MDT process for each tournament/fixture.
Proactive engagement with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure outstanding delivery for the programme, including domestic facilities, national/international federations, local organising committees, tournament directors.
Effectively manage the kit, equipment and resourcing requests aligned with each tournament/fixture.
Manage the major events budgets including budget allocation (with the approval of the Head of Para Performance), tracking of expenditure and budget reporting.
Provide clear and accurate communications to players, coaches and staff.
Support the Senior Lead – Para Technical Performance and Technical Performance Manager with the operational and logistical planning and implementation of the season tournament/fixture plan.
Update and maintain player appearance records.
Attend domestic training camps in a Team Manager capacity on a rota basis.
Travel to home and away matches / training camps / tournaments with the teams, as required.
Designated safeguarding officer when Team Manager for activity.
Executes additional tasks as required to meet the FA's changing priorities.
Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure the highest standards of health, safety, and wellbeing 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

5 GCSEs grade C or above or equivalent qualification.
Knowledge and understanding of elite sport.
Experience

Line management experience
Proven track record of delivering effective operational and logistical plans in an elite sports environment, both at home and abroad.
Proven track record of successfully managing multiple tasks/events and deadlines simultaneously.
Technical Skills

Excellent planning and project management skills.
Budget management skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Proficient skills in Microsoft Office including Excel
Flexible approach to working hours, with some travel
Ability to create presentations and present to, and influence a wide range of key stakeholders

Beneficial to have:

Knowledge

Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures.
Knowledge and understanding of elite para sport
Experience

Experience within elite Para Sports environments/teams.

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 offering 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/para-operations-manager-tournaments--fixtures--nfcsgp0466-national-football-centre-st-georges-park/2556/description/