Participation Officer – South Wales

The Football Association of Wales; Hensol; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The Football Association of Wales is recruiting a Participation Officer to deliver engaging school and community football programmes across Wales. You will develop inclusive, safe and positive football experiences, build partnerships with schools, clubs and providers, and support diverse participation including women & girls and disability offerings.

Working across education settings and community clubs, you will design innovative activities, promote safeguarding, and help grow participation,

Qualifications

• Educated to A level standard or equivalent.
• Experience in participation or engagement in a physical activity context.
• Understanding of grassroots football structure and Welsh context.
• Strong stakeholder and partnership influencing and negotiation skills.
• Understanding of women’s and girls’ football and desire to champion development.
• Understanding of inclusive football and the importance of football for all.

Responsibilities

• Develop recreational and schools football opportunities and establish partnerships with providers (McDonald’s Fun Football, BE FC, CicStart, Primary School Football Framework).
• Develop and implement female recreational and educational programmes (UEFA Disney Playmakers, Huddle, BE Football Schools).
• Support growth by developing impairment-specific and pan-disability programmes.
• Ensure football provision reaches ethnically diverse communities and socio-economic deprived areas per FAW Pawb strategy.
• Increase provision by supporting FAW Club Developers to enhance playing pathways.
• Expand products and identify new approaches to increase participation; develop flexible offers for positive experiences.
• Work with stakeholders to establish a connected approach for long-term engagement including pathways that support growth and retention.
• Collaborate with educational institutions to embed opportunities and ensure inclusive access.
• Raise profile and visibility of initiatives across women’s and girls’ and disability football; engage participants in events and matches.
• Support pre- and post-impact of international matches and major tournaments through awareness and engagement.
• Build positive relationships with external partners, clubs, leagues and associations; promote safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Possibility to coordinate national projects depending on experience.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Motivation

Attention to detail

Innovation

IT skills

Organisational skills

Time management

Social media

Education

A level or equivalent

Job description

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The role will support the FAW’s Participation objectives, primarily focusing on:

• Growing, supporting, and developing people who deliver community football on and off the pitch.
• Increasing participation and retaining more people in football.
• Creating modern, flexible playing formats and clear pathways for community football.
• Promoting safe, welcoming, and positive environments for everyone.

The role will also support the FAW’s other Participation objectives of:

• Developing inclusive, sustainable clubs that benefit their communities.
• Ensuring access to high-quality, inclusive, and sustainable facilities.

We are seeking to appoint a dynamic, energetic and inspirational individual to support with the delivery of engaging and innovative programmes and initiatives to support the sustainable growth of football across Wales.

The Participation Officer will be responsible for supporting and developing approaches to engage and retain players through the implementation and delivery of key football initiatives and development of school’s football provision. Working across key areas of the game including Women & Girls’, Disability and Recreational Football.

The post holder will be innovative and creative in their approach to develop a network of exciting and engaging experiences to grow provision and enhance football opportunities both within the community and educational settings.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY

• Developing and implementing recreational and schools football opportunities and establishing partnerships with existing recreational football providers (McDonald’s Fun Football, BE FC, CicStart, Primary School Football Framework).
• Developing and implementing female recreational and educational programmes. (UEFA Disney Playmakers, Huddle, BE Football Schools).
• Supporting the growth of wide ranging provision in Wales by developing and implementing impairment-specific and pan-disability programmes.
• Ensure that football provision is available to reach both ethnically diverse communities and areas of socio-economic depravation in Wales in line with the FAW Pawb strategy.
• Increasing provision across the region through supporting FAW Club Developers to enhance playing pathways within clubs.
• Expand existing products and identify new approaches using evidence and insight to increase participation in football. Support the development of alternative, flexible and new offers which provide positive experiences to engage and retain players.
• Work with key stakeholders, associate members, recreational providers and clubs to establish a connected approach for long term engagement in football, including the development of appropriate competitive and recreational football pathways that support opportunities for growth and retention.
• Work with key partners to embed inspirational and engaging football opportunities across educational institutions to ensure integrated and equitable opportunities.
• Play a key role across the sport to raise the profile, increase visibility, drive awareness and challenge perceptions across the women’s and girls and disability game.
• Support to maximise the pre and post impact of international matches, major tournaments and events focussed on growth and legacy. Utilise opportunities to engage participants, raise awareness and increase visibility of key initiatives and programmes.
• Create and build positive relationships with external stakeholders, clubs, leagues and partners.
• Promote and follow FAW safeguarding policies, procedures and good practice across all activities and partnerships.
• Identify, report and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns, following FAW procedures.
• Dependent on experience and capacity, the role can include responsibility for coordinating national projects, programmes or events, aligned to the FAW Participation Plan.

The above list of accountability and responsibility is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the duties involved and consequently the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to A level standard (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in participation or engagement in a physical activity context.
• An understanding of sporting and political landscape, ideally in a Welsh context.
• Proven stakeholder and partnership influencing and negotiation skills.
• A sound understanding of the structure of grassroots football.
• Clear understanding of women & girls’ football / sport, and desire to champion continued development.
• An understanding of inclusive football, and the importance of football for all.

Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours

• Passion and drive to engage, increase and retain new audiences into football activity.
• High levels of attention to detail.
• Innovative approach to developing solutions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to motivate and get the best out of people.
• Highly resilient, self-motivated and self-directed.
• Modern IT competencies.
• Sound administration and organisational skills.
• Ability to prioritise own workload and balance conflicting demands
• Effective use of social media.

DESIRABLE

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience of working with educational institutions and structures to deliver physical activity opportunities or training is advantageous.
• Experience of process and project management is advantageous.
• Experience of tutoring and or delivering seminars and workshops
• Understanding and knowledge of funding opportunities accessible to organisations across Wales.
• Experience of marketing and communications.
• Understanding of budget management and control.

Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours

• Knowledge and understanding of the creation of positive environments and inclusive offers.
• Creative thinker who can understand strategy to create practical and deliverable solutions.
• A clear understanding of safeguarding responsibilities, professional boundaries and reporting procedures in sport.
• A strong commitment to creating safe, inclusive and positive experiences for all participants.

ROLE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Given the specific nature of the role and its direct relationship with our volunteer workforce, successful candidates will be expected to regularly work unsociable hours in order to directly support grassroots football clubs i.e. evenings and weekends.
• Travel around the assigned area will be required so access to reliable transport is essential.
• The appointment of the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
• All employees must provide proof of right to work in the UK.
• Spoken and written Welsh are desirable.

FAW VALUES

Excellence – we approach every challenge with determination and a drive to deliver our very best in all we do

Family – we promote a welcoming culture of warmth and belonging where everyone is embraced.

Respect – we believe that different ideas, strengths, interests, and cultural backgrounds are fundamental for success.

Courage - we act with integrity, doing the right thing on and off the pitch