The FA is seeking to recruit a Head of Women's Data, Technology & Insights to join our Women's Technical division. This role will lead the Data & Technology function, setting strategic direction, prioritising investment, and ensuring data, insight and technology drive performance, enhance decision-making and accelerate delivery across the England pathway.
What will you be doing?
Strategy, direction and prioritisation:
- Define and deliver an outcome-led Women's Data, Technology & Insights Strategy aligned to performance priorities, which aligns stakeholders and investment behind highest-impact work.
- Provide clear, decision-ready insight and updates to SLT on priorities, progress and risks.
Leadership, capability and ways of working:
- Lead and develop the Data, Technology & Insights function, establishing clear roles, expectations and development pathways.
- Establish an operating model and disciplined ways of working which create sustainable systems and are scalable. It protects capacity, reduces ad-hoc demand and improves delivery pace.
Decision support:
- Embed data, technology & insights at the heart of decision-making across coaches and senior leaders within Women's Technical.
- Set standards for insight quality, interpretation and communication alongside clear principles on data production, insight and decision ownership.
Data, technology and delivery foundations:
- Ensure strong data quality, governance, accessibility and operational foundations are in place.
- Develop a clear understanding of the performance technology landscape (tools, suppliers, emerging capabilities) and what world-class looks like in elite women's sport.
- In collaboration with the Digital Technology Division and the Head of Football Intelligence and Innovation, guide selection, integration and evolution of tools to ensure they support performance outcomes, improve delivery and remove bottlenecks.
- Lead the strategic management of Women's Technical data and technology partners, ensuring value for money, strong governance and alignment to performance priorities.
- Work with other technical teams to identify opportunities for efficiencies, shared services, platforms and standards where appropriate
Innovation and continuous improvement:
- Working in collaboration with the Digital Technology Division and the Head of Football Intelligence and Innovation:
- Maintain oversight of the evolving data and technology landscape, including emerging tools, suppliers and capabilities
- Lead the identification, assessment and trial of new technologies that could enhance performance or operational efficiency
Other:
- 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 well-being 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:
- Senior leadership experience across data, technology, insight or performance environments.
- Strong stakeholder leadership, with the ability to align multiple groups around a clear direction.
- Experience improving efficiency, ways of working and team sustainability in complex organisations.
- Strong understanding of how data and technology translate into performance decisions.
Beneficial to have:
- Experience in football or elite sport environments.
- Exposure to performance data, analytics or applied sports technology.
- Awareness of modern data platforms, tooling and emerging technologies.
- Experience of managing roadmaps, projects or multi-team delivery environments.
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 on 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, encourages 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' day's leave, volunteering days, as well as 25 days of 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
Currently, we are working within a hybrid working model whereby the expectation is to work from your contractual location for part of the week, and as and when required by the team. The remaining days can be worked remotely. We will continue to monitor this model, and it may be adjusted in future if deemed necessary. The contractual location of this role can be found on the FA Careers page.
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.
