Deputy Director - Investigations and Enforcement

The Independent Football Regulator; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 81,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A national regulatory body in Manchester is seeking a Deputy Director - Investigations and Enforcement. You will provide strategic leadership overseeing investigations and enforcement to promote sustainability in English football. The role requires strong legal knowledge, excellent stakeholder management, and leadership skills. Competitive salary and flexible working arrangements offered.

Benefits

Pension contribution

Flexible benefits

Performance-based reward programme

Generous annual leave

Hybrid working model

Occupational sick pay

Paid maternity and paternity leave

Learning and development programme

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven track record of leading enforcement activity in a regulatory or compliance environment.
• Strong understanding of legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills.
• Outstanding communication and judgment.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the Investigations & Enforcement function.
• Lead on complex and high-profile investigations.
• Oversee enforcement activity including sanctions and referrals.
• Develop and maintain investigation and enforcement policies.
• Provide authoritative advice to senior leaders and stakeholders.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Communication

Judgment

Leadership

Job description

Deputy Director - Investigations and Enforcement

Location: Manchester

Business Unit(s): Senior Leadership Team

Position Type: Permanent

Salary: £81,000 to £130,000

Job Description

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.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the Investigations & Enforcement function, ensuring effective delivery of proportionate, fair, and evidence-based regulatory action.
• Lead on complex and high-profile investigations into potential breaches of regulatory requirements, ensuring robust case management and clear outcomes.
• Oversee enforcement activity, including sanctions, settlements, and referrals, ensuring decisions are legally sound and procedurally fair.
• Develop and maintain investigation and enforcement policies, processes, and frameworks, embedding best practice and continuous improvement.
• Work in conjunction with the supervision function to ensure a consistent and robust approach delivering proportionate regulatory outcomes.
• Provide authoritative advice and recommendations to senior leaders, Ministers, and stakeholders on sensitive and complex enforcement issues.
• Represent the Regulator externally, including with football clubs, leagues, supporter groups, government departments, and international partners, maintaining credibility and independence.
• Lead, motivate, and develop a diverse and high-performing team, fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture.
• Contribute to the senior leadership of the Football Regulator, playing a key role in corporate strategy, governance, and organisational development.

Essential Requirements

• Proven track record of leading enforcement activity within a regulatory, legal, or compliance environment, delivering fair, proportionate, and robust outcomes.
• Strong understanding of legal and regulatory frameworks, with the ability to make evidence-based, defensible decisions in sensitive and high-profile contexts.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate, and build credibility with senior leaders, Ministers, external partners, and regulated entities.
• Outstanding communication and judgment, with the ability to present complex issues clearly and provide authoritative advice under scrutiny.
• Significant experience of strategic leadership, including setting direction, building capability, and driving delivery across a large and diverse team.

Desirable Skills

• Knowledge of the football sector, its governance, ownership, and integrity risks.
• Experience of designing or embedding regulatory frameworks, including enforcement and compliance strategies.

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.

Terms and Conditions

• 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 + 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!

Interested Click apply and you will be redirected to our careers site to complete your application.