Vacancy description
Key Information
- Division:Human Resources
- Location:Home based
- Closing Date:25 September 2026
Our Organisation
The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England. We are responsible for promoting and developing the game at all levels; from grassroots through to the professional game, The FA Cup and the England Teams, and we have two world class assets: Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
Our vision is to inspire positive change through football; our national game that breaks down barriers and unites people from very different backgrounds. Today, we are the governing body of a national community that includes more than 15.7 million football participants, almost 30 million fans and more than 90,000 grassroots teams.
At The FA mental health and wellbeing is a core enabler of everything we do, personally and professionally, on the field and off the field, in how we perform, deliver, and navigate the world around us.
The Role
As an organisation we are increasingly responding to a range of complex mental health related cases that often involve ethical, psychosocial, and occupational challenges that impact individuals as well as presenting, in some cases, increased organisational risk. As we continue to evolve our internal support structures, we recognise the value that an independent expert panel will bring.
The purpose of the Independent Mental Health Expert Panel (IMHEP) is to bring together specialists to provide independent multidisciplinary oversight, consultation, reflective supervision and expert guidance regarding complex mental health cases. The focus of the panel is to support our internal workforce of c.1000 colleagues, for whom we have a duty of care to support and protect mental health and wellbeing.
We are looking for individuals with a strong passion for delivering human centred, multidisciplinary mental health care, and a broad knowledge of the mental health challenges faced by individuals working in high performance sport cultures. We are seeking individuals with a sound understanding of the modern game of football in its various forms, and who have a comprehensive working knowledge of the most up to date policy and research progressions in their respective field.
Key Accountabilities
As a member of the IMHEP you will be required to:
- Provide twice yearly independent expert case consultation for the Mental Health and Wellbeing (MH&WB) and HR teams
- Improve quality and consistency of internal case management
- Strengthen safeguarding and risk management
- Ensure the safety of, and ethical practice by, internal practitioners and the organisation
- Identify common themes and learning opportunities
- Support the MH&WB and HR teams (and in some cases line managers) in managing particularly complex cases (where such support is requested by the MH&WB and HR teams)
- Offer advisory recommendation, observation and learning
- Where appropriate support psychologically informed governance and policy
The panel will offer recommendation only and The FA retains operational, legal, clinical, safeguarding and managerial accountability for all decisions.
The MH&WB team will be responsible for coordinating the panel, chairing meetings, recording and securely storing/sharing relevant information, and remain accountable for all case related decision making.
There will be two formal meetings per year where a selection of complex cases will be taken to the panel for review and discussion. Examples of selected cases might include:
- High-risk mental health concerns
- Suicidality or self-harm concerns
- Repeated safeguarding concerns
- Complex interpersonal challenges or behavioural risk
- Significant psychological or emotional trauma
- Ethical uncertainty
- Multidisciplinary or cross function conflict of interest
- Organisational risk
- Longstanding mental health and/ or performance support needs
What we are looking for
Members of the Panel will include:
- Consultant Psychiatrist
- Clinical Psychologist
- Occupational Psychologist or Organisational Consultant
- Neurodiversity Specialist
- Health and Safety Representative
- Human Resource Specialist
Members of the Panel will be expected to participate independently and objectively, and within the boundaries of their professional competence. Any conflicts of interest (case specific or in relation to the organisation whole) must be declared to the Chair of the Panel prior to participation. Contributions must be constructive and offered for the good of The FA and its employees. Members are expected to promote safe and ethical practice at all times and maintain confidentiality throughout (The panel may decide that confidentiality be broken where there is a legal obligation to disclose information, where there is a risk of serious harm to an individual or others, or where the sharing of information is needed to safeguard an individuals welfare)
Time Commitment
As a minimum, IMHEP members should attend two scheduled meetings per year to review and discuss a selection of identified complex cases. Meetings will usually be face to face on weekdays at The National Football Centre St George's Park, or Wembley Stadium. Additional Panel meetings may be called at the discretion of the Panel Chair. Panel members will also be available for ad hoc consultation on specific matters within the Panel's remit as required. Ad hoc meetings will be kept to a minimum and usually be held online.
Members will receive a set fee for attending meetings, and reasonable expenses incurred in order to travel to meetings will be reimbursed.
Members will be appointed for an initial term of two years, after which they will be eligible to reapply for another two years, up to four times (maximum of 8 years). Members can resign from the Panel at any point with written notice, and The FA can also terminate appointments where necessary.
Role Descriptors
The FA are looking to appoint the following specialist roles:
Consultant Psychiatrist
Providing specialist medical and psychiatric expertise regarding complex mental health presentations, risk assessment considerations, diagnostic complexity, treatment pathways, and psychiatric considerations.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide expert psychiatric consultation
- Advise on risk formulations
- Consider diagnostic complexities
- Provide expert understanding of severe mental illness
- Advise on treatment considerations and appropriateness of support plans
- Contribute to reflective discussions
Essential Qualifications
- Registered medical practitioner
- Specialist registration in psychiatry
- Professional registration with General Medical Council (GMC) and indemnity insurance
- Significant experience in the management and review of complex mental health
Clinical Psychologist
Providing psychological formulation, behavioural understanding, trauma-informed diagnosis, and psychologically informed perspective on complex cases.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide psychological formulation
- Advise on trauma-informed approaches
- Identify behavioural and systemic factors
- Advise on safe and ethical practice
- Support reflective learning process
Essential Qualifications
- HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist
- Current professional registration
- Significant experience working with complex cases
- Experience working within a multidisciplinary team
Occupational Psychologist or Organisational Consultant
Providing expertise on workplace mental health and wellbeing, psychosocial risk factors, systemic stressors, and psychologically well organisations.
Key Responsibilities
- Advise on workplace psychosocial risk factors
- Consider organisational impact
- Provide perspective on psychologically informed workplace approaches
- Support broader workplace wellbeing considerations
Essential Qualifications
- Registered Occupational Psychologist or relevant equivalent
- Relevant professional memberships, including HCPC registration
- Significant experience in organisational mental health
Neurodiversity Specialist
Providing expertise on neurodiversity, psychosocial risk factors, equality and inclusion support, and systemic risk factors concerning neurodiverse cases management.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide expert advise on appropriate support infrastructure for cases involving neurodiverse diagnoses
- Advise on behavioural and systemic factors
- Support reflective learning process where neurodiverse factors are involved
- Support escalation process where required
Essential Qualifications
- HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist
- Current professional registration
- Significant experience working with neurodiverse populations in the workplace
Health and Safety Representative
Providing expertise regarding workplace health and safety requirements, psychosocial risk management, and organisational safety obligations.
Key Responsibilities
- Support organisational safety considerations
- Identify systemic risk implications
- Advise on safe systems of work
- Support governance and risk compliance
- Advise on psychosocial risk management
Essential Qualifications
- CertIOSH or CMIOSH membership, or equivalent MIIRSM membership
- Significant experience working with organisational risk management
- Understanding of organisational risk management legislations including ISO45003
- Working understanding of psychosocial risk factors
- Working understanding of supporting organisational wellbeing obligations
Human Resource Specialist
Providing expertise on employment practice, people management, workplace policies, employee relations, and organisational processes to inform consideration of complex workplace mental health cases.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide advice on HR policies and employment practices
- Consider employee relations and workplace processes
- Advise on reasonable workplace adjustments and organisational procedures
- Support fair, consistent, and legally compliant decision-making
- Contribute a people management perspective within multidisciplinary discussions
Essential Qualifications
- Chartered Member or Fellow of the CIPD (or equivalent professional body)
- Significant senior HR experience, including employee relations and complex workplace cases
- Experience advising on workplace wellbeing, absence management, and organisational policy
- Experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams
If you feel that you have the relevant skills and experience, please do apply, and select which panel position you are applying for on the application form.
We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities organisation. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.
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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