Director- Referees

All India Football Federation; Delhi; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

All India Football Federation is seeking a senior resource to manage and develop elite refereeing in India, acting as Director of Referees, coordinating assessors, referees and national officials, and serving as primary liaison with AFC and FIFA on refereeing matters.

The role involves designing a referees development pathway, working with state and regional HORs, and leading coaching teams to raise performance standards across the country.

Qualifications

• Ex-FIFA Referee with a minimum of five years international officiating experience.
• Ex/current AIFF/AFC Elite panel Referee Instructor/Assessor.
• Strong English communication and writing skills.
• Good IT/computer skills.
• Thorough understanding of technical skills, coaching and training needs for elite officials.
• Full knowledge of State refereeing structure.
• Able to make informed judgments and use data insights.

Responsibilities

• Manage the elite and national match officials group on a day-to-day basis.
• Develop and appoint Level 1-5 match officials for League and National Competitions.
• Appoint elite/referee assessors and instructors; oversee futsal and beach soccer officials.
• Ensure performance merit tables are updated and available.
• Develop standardised technical training programmes for officials.
• Manage national examinations and promotion processes to Level 5.
• Ensure accuracy of assessor reports and grading.
• Maintain active registration and retention data for referees, assessors, and instructors.
• Provide performance information and feedback to officials.
• Maintain merit lists for referees and assistant referees.
• Oversee coaching team and liaise with AIFF Referees Committee.
• Provide feedback on on-field decisions raised by clubs.
• Prepare provisional match appointments and maintain records.

Skills

English skills

IT skills

Coaching

Data insights

Budget management

Job description

Role Overview

The All India Football Federation wishes to hire a senior resource to manage and continuously develop elite refereeing in India, ensuring the required performance standards for the Competitions. The Director of Referees will be responsible for appointing all elite referee assessors, elite referees, and national match officials, and for ensuring officials receive appropriate coaching, training, development, and mentoring, as well as for reporting on their performance. The role will also be expected to manage relationships with the Competitions and all stakeholders. In addition, the role will act on behalf of the AIFF and will be at the forefront and a first point of contact with the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA on refereeing matters.

The Director of Refereeing will be expected to fully contribute towards the design and delivery of a referees development plan, including the creation of a pathway, thus enabling promotion opportunities for future generations of elite Indian referees. Working closely with the HOR’s covering state and regional refereeing matters will be key. As a senior member of the AIFF, the Director of Refereeing will fully contribute to the design and delivery of the strategic aims and objectives (where appropriate) of the AIFF and provide leadership to the refereeing community across India.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing the elite & national match officials group on a day-to-day basis
• Management, development and appointment of all Level 1-5 men and women match officials to nominated League & National Competitions.
• Manage and assurance and appointment of Category A-C Elite & national referee assessors and instructors
• Management, development and appointment of all FUTSAL and Beach Soccer match officials to National FUTSAL and National Beach Soccer tournaments.
• Ensure Elite and National match officials' performance merit tables are regularly updated and available
• Develop standardised technical training programmes to be delivered at all (Elite & National match officials)
• Effective management for the National Examination and after-action for the promotion of match officials to Level 5.
• Assurance of all Elite & National Referee Assessor reports and grading of Elite & National Referee Assessors.
• Ensure effective annual registration of all active referees, assessors and instructors, maintaining accurate active numbers and retention comparison.
• Provide appropriate performance information, advice and feedback to elite referees, national referees , referee assessors including performance reviews.
• To maintain merit list for both referees and assistant referees (men & women)
• Overseeing and giving direction to the coaching team to manage those officials
• Attend AIFF Referees committee meetings to provide professional advice and support towards the committee’s responsibilities
• Provide feedback when clubs raise issues relating to on-field decisions
• Prepare provisional match appointments
• Maintain records of all appointments
• Introduce a quantifiable merit list for assessors and other performance measures.

Essential Qualifications/experience

• Ex-FIFA Referee with a minimum of five years international officiating experience
• Ex/current AIFF/AFC Elite panel Referee Instructor/Assessor
• Good English communication & writing skills
• Good IT/ Computer skills
• Thorough understanding of technical skills, coaching and training needs required of Elite & national match officials.
• Full knowledge of State refereeing structure
• Able to make informed judgements and decisions and use data insights

Desirable

• Experience of officiating as a top Indian match official
• Experience of FIFA/AFC/AIFF technical educator/Assessor.
• Experience of managing Budgets

Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a virtual interview.