Impact, on and off the pitch...

The FA has an exciting opportunity for Match Official Talent Scouts (Pathway to Talent Performance) to join us on a consultancy contract.

The Match Official Talent Scout – Pathway is responsible for identifying referees with the potential to progress from talent programmes into professional football environments.

Scouting will focus on referees participating in the CORE Men's and Women's Programmes, the Women's National League (Division 1 and Premier), and the National League Men's System. The role evaluates referees' alignment with the FA Refereeing DNA and their readiness for the demands of professional football, providing evidence-based insights to support progression pathways.

The engagement is offered on a consultancy basis, where you will be paid a fixed fee per match attendance as well as being paid for eligible expenses. 

What You'll Do?

• Talent Scouting: Identify referees in the CORE Men's and Women's Programmes, Women's National League (Division 1 and Premier) and the National League Men's System (National League North and South), focusing on their alignment with the FA Refereeing DNA.
• Growth Potential: Prioritise referees' capacity for future development, assessing their ability to transition into the professional game and meet long-term performance standards.
• Performance Assessment: Evaluate referees holistically, focusing on tactical awareness, decision-making, physical readiness, and psychological resilience in line with the demands of the professional football environment.
• Collaboration and Communication: Work with National Talent Managers, and National Referee Managers to ensure consistency and alignment in scouting activities across talent levels.
• Reporting and Insights: Prepare comprehensive, evidence-based scouting reports, highlighting referees' strengths, areas for growth, and readiness for progression.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with FA referee representatives and other stakeholders to create officiating opportunities for referees identified as ready to advance.

What You'll Need?

Essentially for the role:

• Pathway/Semi-Professional/Professional Football Expertise: Experience in refereeing, coaching, or playing, with the ability to assess referees' potential and bring practical insights from football to the scouting process.
• Understanding the DNA: Strong understanding of the FA Refereeing DNA and its application in talent identification and progression pathways.
• Proficient Analysis: Proficiency in video and data analysis tools, such as WyScout, to evaluate refereeing performance and provide evidence-based scouting insights.
• Strong Communication: Excellent communication and organisational skills, enabling effective collaboration with stakeholders and the ability to produce detailed, timely scouting information.
• Inclusivity Commitment: Dedication to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring equitable opportunities for referees across all levels of the game.

Beneficial to also have:

• Experience in Refereeing, Coaching, or Playing with the ability to provide developmental support, foster individual growth, and bring unique insights from practical football experience into the scouting process.
• Pathway Knowledge: Knowledge of professional football environments and refereeing demands within the Women's National League, National League
  Men's System, and CORE Programmes.
• Analytical Mindset: Analytical and problem-solving skills to evaluate long-term growth trajectories and recommend referees for targeted progression opportunities.
• Trend Awareness: Awareness of emerging trends in professional refereeing, including modern techniques and the integration of technology, with the ability to adapt scouting strategies accordingly.

What's in it for you?

We pride ourselves in offering a competitive rate of pay as well as great opportunities to develop and grow.

We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles, and by doing this we offer top-of-the-range facilities across two core business locations. 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 have 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 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.