Para Performance Support Lead

Organisation: The Football Association
Salary: Competitive
Location: Home Based
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 13 July 2025
Job Description: The FA Para Division are looking for a Performance Support Lead to direct, lead and manage a progressive and impactful performance support team (PST) to achieve maximum performance impact for senior players in all England Para Football formats. You will also support the Senior Technical Performance Manager in the logistical and practical delivery of the WITTW model for England Para teams.

Interviews are scheduled to take place in person on the 7th and 8th August at The National Football Centre, St. George's Park.

What will you be doing?

Play a lead role alongside the Head Coach and players of each team in the performance planning process, bringing in creative and innovative ideas to enhance existing practice in line with the WITTW model.
Work with coaches, players and performance support team (PST) to develop appropriately phased performance support in line with player individual development plans (IDPs) and be responsible for the provision of answers to identified/relevant performance questions.
In conjunction with the Senior practitioner of each discipline, oversee the design, implementation, development and management of the performance support provision for players.
Support technical planning meetings with coaches and practitioners to identify priority performance plans that capture the objectives and outcomes that performance support will have on performance.
Provide real-time feedback to England Para Football SLT, coaching and performance teams on operational delivery, clearly articulating how it is helping support player performance and technical plans.
Drive significant understanding of performance support disciplines to the understanding of the WITTW model.
Work with the Athlete Health Lead to ensure the balance of player health is maintained while retaining a focus on performance goals.
Create and implement a long-term strategy for performance support knowledge capture and provision.
Optimise appropriate connectivity and collaboration between all aspects of performance support and medical teams.
Project manage any SLT-approved innovation/research projects.
Collaborate with the Senior Technical Performance Lead and the Senior Operations Officer in the allocation of performance support staff to training camps, matches and tournaments with demonstrable purpose and clarity of roles/responsibilities of performance support staff.
Facilitate knowledge sharing and the cascade of expertise throughout the England Para Football pathway.
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

A degree in Sport Science or a related degree.
In-depth understanding of performance support services in the elite sport environment.

Experience

Experience of leading and managing a team of specialists/practitioners.
Experience working with multidisciplinary teams, managing staff and coordinating performance support plans.
Track record of delivering outstanding results on the international stage.

Technical Skills

Extensive experience of Excel
High level of numeracy
Advanced Reporting Writing skills
Advanced Microsoft Office
Ability to create presentations and present to a wide range of key stakeholders

Beneficial to have:

Knowledge

Postgraduate qualification or professional certification in a relevant field.
Membership of a relevant professional body.

Experience

Experience of a performance support role in elite Para sport
Experience of strategic planning.
Evidence of innovative and creative.

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 detail and to apply please follow the below link: https://careers.thefa.com/jobs/vacancy/para-performance-support-lead-hb0252-home-based-/2605/description/