The FA is looking for a Strategic Lead for Women's Football. Driving the development of the Women's Football Strategy and oversight of its delivery (with understanding of complementary strategies), you will be responsible for the delivery of key strategic areas of the women's football strategy and ensuring internal and external collaboration and operations to enable joined up thinking and execution.

Please note:

This role is a maternity cover contract of up to 12 months, with a start date of January 2025 and ideally flexibility to be available for some handover days in December 2024.

The role can be based from either Wembley Stadium or The National Football Centre, St. George's Park.

Please include a cover letter with your application, outlining your interest and suitability for the role.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday 16th October, and final stage interviews are scheduled for Tuesday 22nd October, also at Wembley

What will you be doing?

Women's Football Strategy

• Lead divisional heads to set the vision and develop strategic priorities for The Women's Game;


• Oversee the operational delivery of the Women's Strategy across the duration of its delivery;

‘Uniqueness of Women's Football' strategic priority delivery

• Drive deliverables of key Women's Football strategic priority  ‘Uniqueness of the Women's Game'

Strategic ‘Golden Thread' oversight

• Oversee delivery of key strategic golden threads, not specific to individual divisions – Female Health and EDI.

Internal Executive Collaboration

• Drive collaboration between FA divisions to ensure connectivity, joined up thinking and synergies across the Women's Game;


• Manage the overall governance structure of the Women's Senior Management Team

Women's Board / Women's Football Forum

• Act as principle executive for matters relating to the whole game, providing oversight to the board on progress against strategic objectives, key updates, and risks to delivery across the game.

Business Planning leadership and connectivity

• Have full oversight of business plan creation and accountability for connectivity across the Women's Game.

Stakeholder Management

• Work with key football stakeholders to build and retain connectivity to ensuring joined up thinking and execution;


• Where beneficial, represent the FA as a subject matter expert on Women's football and the Women's football strategy in England in external groups and events.

Business Reporting Oversight

• Accountability for progress reporting of Women's football strategy to stakeholders across the business;


• Oversee KPI reporting to the Women's Football Board;


• Deliver all women's board papers and reports.

Internal Consulting across the Women's Game

• Guide the business on best practice in project planning and management


• Execute additional tasks as required in order to meet FA Group 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:

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification/experience


• Comfortable and competent with the big picture and translating into operational plans;


• Proven ability to work within complex or matrix structured organisations and galvanise people within non direct reporting structures;


• Experience of strategic and financial planning and management;


• Experience of successful programme and project management;


• Excellent interpersonal, communication and relationship building skills;


• Excellent organisational and planning skills.


• Full, clean driving licence

Beneficial to have:

• Familiarity with FA programme management processes and tools (including Smartsheet);


• Excellent influencing and negotiation skills;


• Proven ability to work across a wide range of stakeholders internal and external;


• PRINCE2 or similar level project or programme management qualification

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 wellbeing.


• 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.


• A hybrid working model offering greater flexibility.