Project Manager (Programmes)

With the recent announcement that £205 million of government funding will be made available to invest in community sports facilities across England in the next three years, the Football Foundation is well-supported to continue to invest in pitches and communities across the nation. This investment will be used by the Football Foundation to target communities up and down the country who will benefit most from access to better sports facilities.

To help us with this important mission, we currently have a vacancy for a Project Manager (Programmes) to provide critical support to our ambitious Multi-sport Grass Pitch Programme over a three year fixed term contract. The aim of this Programme is to support the improvement of grass pitches at Cricket, Rugby League and Rugby Union grounds the length and breadth of the country. 

We are the Football Foundation - the Premier League, the FA and government’s charity delivering upon a shared vision to help communities improve their local football facilities through our investment. We are the only example of a partnership between a national Government and a national sport coming together to support communities throughout the country.

Over the last 20 years we have been planting the seeds to grow grassroots football, transforming communities where demand is greatest, and the impact will be strongest. We have worked closely with local authorities, County FAs, and other passionate people in communities up and down the country to deliver over 17,000 sports projects worth over £1.8 billion and we’ve got big plans to revolutionise England’s grassroots facilities over the next decade.

This important role will require a strategic thinker, who can be flexible and proactive in working across the Multi-sport Grass Pitch Programme. You will work with National Governing Bodies (RFU, RFL, ECB) and their stakeholders over an initial three-year period to agree delivery and investment plans to improve their grass pitch stock in a sustainable way. You will also be key to the implementation and successful delivery of a volunteer strategy for Groundkeepers to help recruit, train and retain volunteers. This role will be challenging, but it provides the right candidate an opportunity to be at the centre of transformational change for grassroots facilities in England.

How we achieve our goals is equally important to us. We are striving to be an inclusive and diverse organisation which reflects the diverse communities, users and beneficiaries of our work and the outcomes we deliver. Becoming part of the Football Foundation team, will give you the chance to deliver a positive impact in every community in England; to help transform lives and communities through great places to play; and to be part of a supportive and inclusive staff team that works hard and plays fair to achieve its goals.

You don’t need to be passionate about football or have a detailed knowledge of how to improve grass pitches to apply, but it is expected that you have a genuine interest in using your skills and experience to help the Foundation achieve our charitable and strategic objectives.

You must have experience in a similar project management role, managing multiple projects and building and maintaining stakeholder relationships.  You will have experience of providing an advisory or consultative service in either sports development, community facility development or a similar voluntary sector initiative, related to the development of business plans and operational plans. 

A sound knowledge of the operational mechanics of National Governing Bodies and third sector organisations and the role that they play within the management and maintenance of sports facilities, and how they can be influenced and persuaded is essential; as is an understanding of the operations and challenges faced by grassroots football clubs, community organisations, and the voluntary sector, as well as an understanding of the inequalities that exist in supporting active lives across socio economic groups. 

For full details of the role and requirements, please download our recruitment pack below.

The salary band for this role is £37,000 - £44,000 per annum, dependent on relevant skills and experience. 

You will start on 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (which increases after 2 years), plus additional time off to volunteer. We also offer a generous pension scheme (8% employer contribution), collective bonus scheme, free health care provision, a monthly gym subsidy, interest-free season ticket loan, death in service benefit and access to selected match tickets.

We are committed to helping our team members maintain a healthy work-life balance, so offer flexible working around core hours to help achieve that.

We request that all applicants complete our equal opportunities form as part of the application process. This anonymous and confidential form helps the Football Foundation to build up a picture of who is applying to join the organisation, and to monitor progress in this area. The link to complete this is in the application process. 

The Football Foundation is committed to, and values the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment where all our team feel respected and supported in fulfilling their potential. We encourage and welcome applications from all, regardless of background and are particularly interested to hear from individuals belonging to under-represented groups including diverse ethnic communities, individuals with a disability and those from the LGBTQI+ community.

Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview stage, please contact us at jobs@footballfoundation.org.uk.
 

To apply, please follow the steps outlined below:

1.    Please send the following to jobs@footballfoundation.org.uk

• CV
• Cover letter - please highlight briefly and clearly how your skills, abilities and experience equip you for the role, together with your reasons for applying. 

2.    Complete an anonymous Equal Opportunities form: 

Click here to fill it out. Please only fill out one form when you apply. If you need any help, please let us know.

The closing date for applications is: 12pm on 19 October 2022. First interviews are currently scheduled for 4 November 2022.

All applications received will be short listed against the role requirements and person specification. Those most closely matching our requirements will be invited to take part in an online interview.

Due to the volume of applications received for most roles, the Foundation only contacts candidates if they are shortlisted for interview. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, you should assume your application has not been successful.

Please note that you must be eligible to work in the UK to apply.