Reports To: Director of People, Culture & Operations
Start Date: TBC
Location: National role - with the option to work from any of FBB’s offices in London, Greater Manchester or the West Midlands
Hours: Full Time
Salary: £42,282 to £49,328
Deadline: Friday 26 June 2026
Football Beyond Borders (FBB) is one of the UK’s leading education and youth organisations.
We exist to support young people from socio-economic disadvantage to thrive in school by building long-term, trusting relationships with adults who believe in them.
We believe every young person should have a trusted adult relationship throughout secondary school.
Since launching in 2014, FBB has grown into a national organisation working with thousands of young people across schools in London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. We combine relationship-based practice, education, youth work and culture to help young people feel seen, supported and successful both in and beyond school.
But our ambition goes beyond programmes.
We are working to help build a country where every young person has access to a trusted adult relationship - and where schools, systems and organisations are designed around belonging, connection and long-term development.
As we grow, we are equally ambitious about the organisation we are becoming internally.
We are trying to build one of the best places in the country to do meaningful work with young people: a relational, developmental and deeply human organisation where high standards and deep care coexist.
That is where this role comes in.
This role exists to shape the experience of working at Football Beyond Borders.
As FBB grows, the challenge is not simply maintaining culture - it is deepening it whilst strengthening leadership, raising standards and building the organisational conditions required for exceptional relational work to happen sustainably over the long term.
culture
leadership
wellbeing
staff development
organisational design
and performance
It is a strategic leadership role focused on helping FBB become an increasingly coherent, disciplined, relational and high-performing organisation - one capable of sustaining exceptional work with young people whilst remaining deeply human.
You will help shape:
the quality of leadership and management across FBB
the lived experience of working here
how culture shows up day-to-day across teams
how staff are developed, supported and challenged over time
how we balance accountability with humanity
and how organisational ambition becomes everyday practice
At its best, this role helps build an organisation where people feel:
At FBB, our culture is rooted in three core principles: Connection, Autonomy and Mastery (CAM).
We believe people do their best work when they:
feel deeply connected to others and to purpose
are trusted to lead and make decisions
are supported to continuously develop their craft
We are intentional about culture.
Connection at FBB is designed, not hoped for. Development is scheduled, not squeezed. Wellbeing is held by the organisation, not left to the individual.
We care deeply about:
We believe the quality of relationships inside the organisation shapes the quality of relationships young people experience through our work.
You will:
Embed FBB’s leadership framework and management expectations across the organisation
Strengthen the quality and consistency of leadership and line management
Build manager capability in:
Design and deliver leadership development initiatives, reflective learning spaces and management development programmes
Work closely with the Head of Adult Learning and Training Team to support practitioner and support staff development through the Practitioner Training Programme (PTP) and beyond.
Provide strategic input into practitioner development pathways and organisational learning
You will:
Lead FBB’s performance management and appraisal approach
Embed the organisation’s Quality Assurance framework across performance processes
Help define and embed what excellent relational practice looks like at FBB
Support managers to navigate:
Ensure probation, appraisal and progression processes are fair, developmental and high quality
Strengthen organisational standards whilst protecting relational depth, sustainability and practitioner wellbeing
You will:
Lead FBB’s wellbeing strategy and staff support approach
Embed Reflective Practice across the organisation
Strengthen organisational approaches to burnout prevention, sustainability and team health
Support managers and senior leaders to build healthy, high-functioning teams
Help build a culture where people feel psychologically safe, supported and able to grow
Support complex staff situations including:
wellbeing support
health adjustments
relational repair
staff support processes
You will:
Help shape and protect FBB’s relational culture as the organisation grows
Strengthen a culture rooted in:
connection
accountability
growth
belief
hard work
relational practice
Lead key organisational rituals including:
residentials
celebrations
reflective spaces
staff gatherings
recognition moments
Support identity forums and belonging spaces across the organisation
Strengthen cohesion, alignment and connection across teams and regions
You will:
Line manage and develop operational People Team staff
Ensure strong delivery and quality assurance across People processes
Use staff insight and organisational data to identify emerging patterns, risks and opportunities
Bring proactive recommendations and interventions into leadership discussions
Help ensure organisational growth remains sustainable, relational and high quality
We are looking for someone who:
deeply believes in relational leadership and people development
can balance high standards with deep care
is an exceptional coach and manager developer
can navigate complexity, challenge and difficult conversations with humanity and clarity
understands how culture is built day-to-day through leadership, systems and behaviours
is strategic whilst remaining deeply people-centred
can connect organisational vision to everyday practice
believes meaningful work with young people requires meaningful investment in the adults doing the work
You may come from:
People & Culture leadership
Organisational Development
Learning & Development
Education leadership
Youth work or youth sector leadership
Coaching or leadership development
Or a combination of these worlds
There is no single “type” of leader at FBB.
We know excellent leadership can look different across personalities, communication styles and lived experiences. More important than your exact background is your ability to build trust, develop people and help organisations become healthier, clearer and more effective.
We particularly welcome applications from people whose identities, experiences or backgrounds are underrepresented within senior leadership across the charity, education and youth sectors.
Before You Apply
You do not need to meet every requirement to apply.
If this role excites you and you believe you could contribute meaningfully to FBB’s mission, we would love to hear from you.
Some of the best leaders grow into roles over time. If you are reflective, relational, ambitious and committed to learning, we encourage you to apply even if you are unsure whether you tick every box.
You’ll join an organisation working towards a country where every young person has a trusted adult relationship throughout secondary school.
Your work will directly shape the culture, leadership and staff experience behind that mission.
At FBB, we believe:
connection matters
people grow through challenge and support
leadership exists at every level
wellbeing should be organisationally held
culture should be deliberately designed
and meaningful work should be sustainable over the long term
We are ambitious about impact whilst refusing to lose the humanity, reflection and relational depth that make the work matter.
We invest heavily in staff development and wellbeing, including:
reflective practice
coaching and supervision
leadership development
learning and development budget
mentoring and growth opportunities
regular team connection spaces and staff residentials
Benefits & Perks
40+ days annual leave (including organisation-wide shutdown periods)
Wellbeing budget
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Reflective Practice and clinical supervision
Nike staff kit
Access to football tickets through partners
Dedicated learning & development budget
Coaching and mentoring opportunities
Team socials, celebrations and retreats
Travel expenses covered for work-related travel
Safeguarding at FBB
Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do.
We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all young people and expect all staff to share this commitment.
All appointments are subject to:
Enhanced DBS checks
Two professional references
Safeguarding training and compliance processes
Ongoing safeguarding CPD and learning
By joining FBB, you are committing to upholding the highest standards of safeguarding and care for young people.
How to Apply
Please submit:
We look forward to hearing from you.
