Assistant Private Secretary

Confidential; Manchester, Salford; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Flexible benefits

31.5 days annual leave

Hybrid working 40% in office

Sick pay

Maternity leave

L&D programme

Cycle-to-work

Job summary

The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) seeks an Assistant Private Secretary in Manchester. The role supports the Director, Deputy Director and Head of the Supervision Office, coordinating priorities and ensuring smooth decision-making.

You will manage complex regulatory matters, engage with external stakeholders and help drive governance across the organisation. Salary range £38,856–£43,174 with flexible and hybrid working (40% in office).

Qualifications

• Ability to work at pace and stay calm under pressure.
• Strong organisational skills to balance competing priorities.
• Strategic thinking to anticipate issues and risks.
• Leadership skills to collaborate with colleagues across levels.
• Analytical mindset to provide proactive insights and recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to the Director, Deputy Director and Head of the Supervision Office; understand priorities and environment.
• Manage diaries, meetings and travel to align with objectives.
• Coordinate decision-making forums; prepare agendas and briefing materials.
• Support supervisors overseeing clubs in distress or crisis; prioritise issues and assess risks.
• Undertake supervision of clubs when required and engage with external stakeholders.
• Oversee high-risk clubs; identify trends needing regulatory attention.
• Maintain collaboration with football competition authorities (Premier League, EFL, National League).
• Work with colleagues across the organisation to drive departmental priorities.
• Build relationships with senior leaders across the Directorate.
• Manage complex, sensitive regulatory matters and deliver reporting and governance support.

Skills

Work at pace

Organisational skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Strategic analysis

Job description

Assistant Private Secretary

Closing date: 04/11/2026, 23:55

Location: Manchester

Position Type: Full Time

Salary: £38,856 - £43,174

The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has been established to protect and promote the sustainability of English football, for the benefit of fans and the local communities football clubs serve.

The IFR will help improve financial sustainability of clubs, ensure resilience across the leagues, and safeguard the heritage of English football. It will operate a licensing regime; set corporate governance standards and monitor, protect, and promote financial resilience. It will also enforce compliance with requirements on financial regulation, club ownership and directors, fan engagement, and heritage protection.

The IFR will also have powers to prohibit clubs from joining competitions that are not fair or meritocratic, or that threaten the heritage or sustainability of English football.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide support to the Director, Deputy Director and Head of the Supervision Office, developing a strong understanding of the Football Regulator's priorities, operating environment and the wider football industry.
• Manage the time and priorities of the Director, Deputy Director and Head of the Supervision Office, ensuring diaries, meetings and travel align with business needs and strategic objectives.
• Coordinate key decision-making forums, preparing agendas and briefing materials, recording decisions, and ensuring actions are delivered.
• Support supervisors overseeing clubs in distress or crisis, helping to prioritise critical issues, assess risks and support effective decision-making.
• Undertake the supervision of clubs when required, acting as a key point of contact and supporting engagement with external stakeholders.
• Support the oversight of high-risk clubs, identifying emerging risks, trends and issues requiring regulatory attention.
• Maintain effective collaboration between the IFR and key football competition authorities, including the Premier League, EFL and National League.
• Work closely with colleagues at all levels, representing the Director's Office and helping to drive departmental priorities.
• Build strong working relationships with senior leaders across the Supervision Directorate and the wider organisation.
• Manage complex and sensitive issues relating to regulated clubs and corporate matters, while delivering high-quality reporting, briefings and governance support.

Essential Requirements

• The ability to work at pace, driving progress in the face of a range of competing views and being calm and resilient in pressurised situations.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to balance competing priorities and pressure.
• Strategic thinking to understand the sensitivities of the brief and spot the key issues and risks before they arise.
• Leadership skills and ability to form effective working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders internally and externally, and at various levels of seniority.
• Strategic analysis skills to provide challenge and fresh ideas across a broad range of issues and in response to breaking events.

Desirable Skills

• Familiarity with Non-Departmental Public Bodies, especially Regulators, and their relationship to Government.
• Some supervisory exposures, ideally from a regulator.
• Knowledge of the football industry.

Terms and Conditions of Employment

If successful, you will join a Non-Departmental Public Body and will be employed as a Public Servant.

If you are an existing Civil Servant or a DCMS employee, you will no longer have access to Civil Service benefits including the Civil Service pension.

The terms and conditions of employment include:

• Pension 12% An employee contribution of 5%, with an employer contribution of 7%.
• Flexible Benefit 8% Employees can choose to invest 8% of their base salary into their pension or take as cash (post tax).
• Reward We will have a performance-based reward programme.
• 31.5 days annual leave.
• Flexible and hybrid working 40% in office attendance.
• Occupational sick pay.
• 9 months paid Maternity Leave and generous paternity and adoption leave.
• A bespoke L&D programme to help you achieve your personal CPD, including paid membership fees.
• Cycle-to-work scheme and much more!