Vacancy description
Key Information
- Division:CEO and Chair's Office
- Location:Wembley Stadium
- Closing Date:3 August 2025
FA Council Member Representing Football Communities
Our Organisation
The Football Association (The FA) is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England, dedicated to promoting the sport and inspiring positive change through the game. We are responsible for developing and advancing football at every level, from grassroots to the professional game, generating revenue to support investment in English football.
The FA oversees all England international teams, including men's, women's, youth, and para football. We manage FA competitions such as the Emirates FA Cup, the FA Youth Cup, and the Adobe Women's FA Cup. Additionally, we oversee men's and women's leagues below the professional level. Our remit includes the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
The Role
The FA is seeking to appoint a new Football Communities Representative onto The FA Council, with a specific remit to represent women's football, ideally from the perspective of someone who participates and understands the game at the grassroots level.
Skills, Knowledge and Experience
You should be under 65 and be able to demonstrate:
- An understanding of the history of women's football, through its evolution and transformation to the modern day.
- Knowledge of the challenges facing the future development of the women's game at the grassroots level; an understanding of the whole development cycle through to the semi-professional and professional levels would be a strong advantage.
- Current or previous experience in the women's game, for example you may be a current or former player, coach, manager, match or club official or have held a league or administrative development role.
In addition, the following attributes are desirable across the membership of The FA Council:
- The ability to clearly articulate the views of those that you represent;
- To contribute on all aspects of football, not exclusively the area you represent;
- The ability to speak, present and network in an ambassadorial role;
- The ability to mix with diverse groups of people in a wide variety of situations;
- The ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with others (including fellow Council Members, FA Staff and colleagues from across the football family);
- The ability to scrutinise and challenge in a positive and constructive manner;
- A willingness to act in the best interests of The FA without regard to personal interest or benefit.
This position will be appointed by our People & Culture Committee.
We are continually seeking to ensure that The FA Council better reflects the inclusive and diverse nature of English football and this appointment will contribute to that goal. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications from individuals with protected characteristics which are currently under-represented within The FA Council.
The FA Council is part of The FA's governance structure with the objective to future proof the game in England.
As a Council Member, you will be required:
- To debate issues at Council meetings, using your skills, knowledge and experience from within the game, whilst acting in the best interests of The FA;
- To act in an ambassadorial role at local, regional, national and international events and in accordance with The FA's Code of Conduct;
- To serve on committees or working groups within The FA which reflect your skills, knowledge and experience within the game;
- To participate constructively in and positively promote the good governance of The FA; and
- To contribute to debate and the decision-making process in order to further develop the game.
Time Commitment
Council Members should be available to attend each of the 4 scheduled Council meetings per annum. Meetings are usually on a weekday, commencing at 11.00am. 2 meeting are held at Wembley Stadium, 1 meeting at St. George's Park and the other through Microsoft Teams.
You may also be appointed onto one or more committees where we feel that your knowledge and experience can make a positive contribution. Committee meetings are held at differing intervals but are usually on a weekday at Wembley Stadium, either in person or through Microsoft Teams.
Council Members can claim allowances and expenses for meetings they attend. Additionally, they will be invited to FA and England matches played at Wembley Stadium.
Council Members can serve for a maximum of 3 terms of 3 years.
How to Apply
Please apply with a CV and covering letter detailing the qualities and attributes you would bring to contribute to The FA Council. Applications close on 3rd August 2025.
If you require any further information on The FA Council and this role please contact Richard McDermott, Company Secretary at richard.mcdermott@thefa.com.
Interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place during mid-August and early September. The appointed candidates will join The FA Council during the 2025-2026 season.
The Football Association promotes equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcomes applications from everyone who meets the criteria. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please detail this in your online application and covering letter.
ABOUT US
The Football Association [The FA] is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game, and generates significant revenue to support investment into English football each year.
The FA oversees England international teams across men’s, women’s, youth and disability football, as well as running the National League System and FA Competitions including the Emirates FA Cup, and the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, and the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park, all with a purpose to inspire positive change through football.
Our game can tackle some of society’s core challenges. It can bring communities together, nationally and locally. It can be a platform for inclusion, ensuring there is a place for all. It can get people active and promote wellbeing often at a time when we need it most. With UEFA EURO 2028 – hosted in the UK and Ireland – on the horizon, we have an incredible opportunity to transform football across the country.
Now is the time to inspire positive change.
We currently work 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.
Your contract with The FA will specify a fixed location of Wembley Stadium or St. George’s Park unless the role is advertised as a homebased contract. The contractual location of this role can be found at the top of this advert on our FA vacancy page.
THE PROCESS
We believe that assessment and selection should be robust, fair, and inclusive.
Following receipt of your application and the closing of the application process, you can expect a period of circa two weeks for us to thoroughly screen and shortlist, ahead of any next stage and interview.
Please note, we receive a high volume of applications so this can vary but we ensure that our assessor panel reviews all applications, and no use of automated screening or AI is used.
At an interview, we want to ensure that we see the best of you as an individual and increase our understanding of your skills and experience relevant to the demands of the role. It is very much a two-way process with importance placed on the candidate experience so that regardless of outcome, you feel valued, and treated fairly and hopefully have a positive experience.
No process is ever the same, but we would like to create an environment that is welcoming and ensures the experience is as enjoyable as possible.
We tailor our assessment and selection depending on the nature and demands of the role. The FA Resourcing Team will provide you with as much notice as possible about the process and the format of any interview will always be communicated to you in advance, including what to expect on the day and who you will be seeing.
We often receive a high volume of applications, and for certain roles, we will supplement your application, utilising our on-demand video interviewing platform. On-demand video interviews enable you to answer preset questions, in the comfort of your own home or office setting and at a convenient time for you, giving us greater insight into you as an individual and the skills and experience you might bring to the role and working at The FA.
We also utilise Microsoft Teams for virtual interviews and of course host you at our world class venues, Wembley Stadium and our National Football Centre, St. George’s Park.
GROUP STRATEGY
WE HAVE MOVED FOOTBALL FORWARD.
From 2020 - 2024, we have – in collaboration with our key partners – been able to deliver meaningful change across the game.
From winning our first major tournament in over 50 years to delivering thousands of high-quality pitches to the grassroots game.
BUT WE CAN’T STOP NOW - AND WE WON’T.
This new strategy is about doubling down. Our game can tackle some of society’s core challenges. It can bring communities together, nationally and locally.
It can be a platform for inclusion, ensuring there is a place for all. It can get people active and promote wellbeing often at a time when we need it most.
With UEFA EURO 2028 – hosted in the UK and Ireland – on the horizon, we have an incredible opportunity to transform football across the country.
NOW IS THE TIME TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE.
Our ultimate purpose is to ‘Inspire positive change through football’ – everything we do ultimately ladders up to this end goal.
The 2024-2028 strategy focuses on tackling four long-term strategic challenges that will fulfil this purpose and drive real change across the game, our ‘Game Changer’ objectives.
Underpinning these Game Changers are then four activities and approaches that will enable us to meet challenges head on, our ‘Drivers’.
EDI STRATEGY
Our equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy forms an integral part of our long-term commitment to using our influence across English football to create a game free from discrimination.
A GAME FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION
Our 2024 – 2028 strategy outlines three fundamental pillars for delivering a game free from discrimination – Boosting Representation, Driving Inclusion and Tackling Discrimination.
These pillars ensure that our work uniting communities, improving lives, and inspiring positive change on and off the pitch will remain a core priority for English football for years to come.
We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The FA 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.
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