Loughborough Sport
Full time and open ended
This role is based on-site
Are you ready to shape the future of football at one of the world’s leading sporting universities?
Loughborough Sport is home to a globally unique ecosystem, where elite performance, cutting-edge research and an exceptional student experience combine to create lasting impact across the sporting landscape. From Olympic success to professional pathways, our football programme plays a central role in our ambition to lead the game nationally and internationally.
We are seeking an outstanding Director of Football to provide visionary leadership across all football and futsal activity. This is a rare opportunity to define and deliver a bold strategic direction, influence the wider football system and position Loughborough as a flagship environment for performance, development and innovation.
What you’ll do:
- Set and deliver a long-term football strategy that drives excellence across performance, participation and pathways.
- Lead and inspire a high-performing, multidisciplinary team to deliver elite programmes and outstanding student-athlete experiences.
- Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with The FA, BUCS, professional clubs and key stakeholders across the football landscape.
- Oversee talent identification, recruitment and progression pathways into professional football and wider industry careers.
- Champion innovation, data and insight to enhance performance and inform decision-making.
- Act as a senior ambassador for Loughborough Sport, representing the University at national and international level.
What we’re looking for:
- A proven senior leader with significant experience in football or high-performance sport environments.
- A strategic thinker with a strong track record of delivering long-term impact and organisational change.
- Exceptional leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to operate across complex stakeholder environments.
- Deep understanding of football performance pathways, talent development and the wider football system.
- A passion for developing people, driving innovation and promoting wellbeing and inclusive practice.
- FA Level 3 (UEFA B) coaching qualification (or equivalent).
Join us and play a pivotal role in shaping the next chapter of football at Loughborough, where excellence is the standard, collaboration drives success, and your impact will be felt across the game.
For more information on the role please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification.
Please see the Candidate Pack for the role.
Informal enquiries to: Paige Norris, PA to Director of Sport, [email protected]
Closing date for receipt of applications: 16th August 2026
First stage interviews: 27th August 2026
Second stage interviews: 7th, 9th and 11th September 2026
Our Benefits
At Loughborough, our benefits are designed to support your life inside and outside of work, helping you to thrive and feel valued as part of our community. Examples of our benefits include:
Time off - generous holiday allowance, including 14 university closure days and bank holidays, with the option to buy extra through our holiday purchase scheme
Where you work – access to a range of fantastic facilities with plenty of green space across our 523-acre East Midlands campus, plus an exciting community at our London campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Financial wellbeing – competitive pay, two excellent pension schemes, and everyday savings opportunities
Support for you and those close to you - through our range of life event leave policies as well as access to an on-site nursery at our East Midlands campus, flexible and hybrid working options.
Health and wellbeing – discounted gym memberships and access to world-class sporting facilities, including physiotherapy, plus healthcare offers such as eyesight testing and wellbeing support
Travel and sustainability - access to our electric vehicle and cycle-to-work schemes, as well as a variety of travel offers to support sustainable commuting
Discover more about the full range of rewards and benefits at Loughborough University.
