Term: Full Time
Hours: 36.5 per week
Salary: £24,381
Employer: Staffordshire Football Association

The Staffordshire Football Association aims to ensure the long term future of the game by providing the best possible environment and infrastructure where football will flourish in the county for all regardless of background or ability. We are passionate about developing grassroots football and we are now actively recruiting a dynamic, energetic and inspirational individual to join our team. 

This exciting role will lead the County’s League Development programmes, working with our traditional and recreational leagues to ensure they are sustainable and entice growth. The role will support league volunteers in their roles and work to develop the county’s match officials to provide individual and collective support, with the aim of ensuring every league fixture has a qualified match official appointed. 

Maximising the opportunity to work with key partners and the grassroots football workforce, the individual will be able to create innovative solutions and inspire innovations to ensure participants from all backgrounds can thrive within the game.

Role Purpose

• To support delivery of The FA National Game Strategy and the Staffordshire FA Business Strategy.
• To support, service and encourage inclusive league structures across the County with complete player pathways through local collaboration and sharing of resources and knowledge.
• To create a culture of volunteer excellence through the provision of high quality volunteer development opportunities to enhance league services.
• To develop and deliver the Staffordshire FA Referee Development Strategy to recruit, convert, retain and develop referees to service the needs of the game.
• To embed Football Development programmes in collaboration with relevant Football Services Officers.
• To contribute to the effective implementation of The FA’s Safeguarding Operating Standard.
• To support the adoption of FA technology systems across grassroots football.

The key work areas include:

• Align leagues ambitions with the National Game Strategy through support services, initiatives and programmes.
• Provide the highest level of customer excellence to support volunteers across all FA Technology systems (FA Events, Whole Game System, Matchday app and Full-Time).
• Gain more FA-accredited leagues (FA Charter Standard) and deliver a programme of services to leagues including the FA Charter Standard renewal process, ensuring safeguarding requirements are met.  
• Review and develop competition and league structures to ensure they meet the needs of all players.
• Work with leagues to ensure they have a good supply of Referees available for all fixtures. Establish referee development programmes for all leagues and their referees, linking to referee courses and Staffordshire FA referee strategies.
• Implement strategies for new referees, to convert them from trainee referees to active referees.
• Lead the Coordination and manage the administration of referee courses.
• Work closely with all leagues in the County to establish referee development programmes to ensure 100% coverage for all matches.
• Provide an offer of, and lead, the delivery of referee development initiatives for grassroots referees, promotion candidates and referees with the potential and opportunity to progress through the refereeing pyramid. 
• Assist in the development of the referee developer workforce: observers, tutors, mentors, coaches and other volunteers involved in supporting referees ensuring that all safeguarding criteria are met. 
• Listen to and consult with under-18 referees on their experiences as part of the Staffordshire FA youth engagement strategy. 

Applicants will be expected to have experience of managing multiple priorities, meeting key deadlines and providing exemplary customer service. Experience of working in a football/sports development network is essential as well as experience in building key strategic partnerships. You need to be passionate and committed to enhancing grassroots football, have the ability to inspire, be innovative and influence to be successful. Excellent administration, IT and communication skills are also required. 

Strong relationship management, the drive to be successful and passion for the game are essential as well as being able to demonstrate both team working and the ability to work unsupervised. Candidates will have exemplary interpersonal skills and be able to inspire individuals and groups.

To formally apply:

Please complete the Staffordshire FA Employment Application Form and Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form and return via email to applications@staffordshirefa.com stating in the subject line ‘Ref: Football Workforce Officer’

Closing date: Wednesday 19 May 2021 at 5pm
Interviews will take place: w/c 24 May 2021

Staffordshire FA are committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Please note: Due to the number of expected applications for the position, if you have not heard from us within five days of the closing date, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful.

RESOURCES

Employment Application Form

Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form 

Job description and person specification