Job Description

The Football Association has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Talent Lead who will be responsible for shaping and delivering the talent strategy, encompassing recruitment, learning & development and talent management. This role primarily ensures the attraction and development of high-calibre, diverse talent through team leadership, highly effective stakeholder relationships and business partnering, bringing true subject matter expertise across the talent lifecycle.
The Senior Talent Lead manages a team of 4, oversees the recruitment and development of key leadership roles, strategic projects, and partners with senior leaders to support strategic objectives and foster a high-performance culture through delivering a talented and diverse workforce.
In order to apply, please send your cover letter and CV through to Eton Bridge Partners, who we have partnered with to support us throughout this process.
What will you be doing?
Talent Management & Leadership

• Lead the HR talent team to play their part in the successful implementation of our HR strategy, ensuring we build a talented and diverse workforce.
• Partner with senior management and department leaders to align talent strategies with organisational goals.
• Develop internal and external talent pipelines and support succession planning.
• Deliver accurate reporting and insights to inform decision-making.
• Shape and implement strategic initiatives focused on data, technology, and continuous improvement.
• Support organisational culture initiatives and internal communications in collaboration with senior leadership and HR.
• Champion The FA's values and role model behaviours to foster an inclusive, respectful, and high-performing environment that the team enjoy being part of.
• Manage the budget for recruitment, talent programmes and learning and development.

Resourcing & Talent Acquisition

• Lead the end-to-end recruitment and selection process for senior leadership, experienced hires, and talent programmes, ensuring best practice and a leading candidate and hiring manager experience.
• Advise on all aspects of the recruitment cycle, including requirements gathering, attraction, advertising, shortlisting and selection, assessment and offer management.
• Manage recruitment administration, including role advertising, interview scheduling, and CV longlisting.
• Conduct interviews and ensure robust, inclusive selection processes.
• Oversee regular reporting to senior management on recruitment metrics, including cost and diversity, and drive periodic review and improvement of recruitment processes.
• Develop and enhance employer brand, broadening candidate reach and supporting diversity and inclusion objectives.
• Manage relationships with external partners and platforms (e.g. PageUp, LinkedIn, Leaders, Vercida, Evenbreak), including PSL of agencies, head hunters, technology providers, and advertising suppliers.
• Oversee annual apprenticeship programmes and other talent initiatives in the entry level careers space.

Learning & Development

• Guide and support the team in building and delivering a comprehensive learning and development offer across all levels of the organisation, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Enable the team to procure, design, and facilitate leadership and management development solutions, providing direction and support throughout the process.
• Oversee and empower the team in the design and delivery of high-potential programmes, assisting with scheduling, venue management, and logistics as required.
• Encourage the team to monitor and evaluate learning and development solutions, and to take action based on feedback and effectiveness.
• Support the team in managing relationships with external suppliers and partners (e.g., Akenham, Dynamic), including sourcing new suppliers as necessary.
• Work collaboratively with the team and HR Business Partners to address talent, learning, and development needs, offering advice and facilitating solutions.
• Oversee the team as they create learning solutions to support company-wide and compliance education initiatives, both online and in person.
• Lead the team in delivering L&D projects such as induction programmes, core skills development, high-potential initiatives, and leadership pathways, ensuring objectives are met through collective effort.

Other

• Executes additional tasks as required in order to meet FA Group changing priorities.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing can be maintained.
• 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.

What are we looking for?
Essential for the role:

• Extensive experience in in-house recruitment, selection, and talent management.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Proven leadership and team development capability.
• Expertise in project management, able to manage multiple projects and commitments simultaneously.
• Experience in designing competency frameworks, assessment tools, and learning activities.
• Advanced facilitation, presenting, and communication skills.
• Commercial and business acumen, with a flexible and adaptable approach to changing priorities.
• Analytical mindset with experience in data-driven decision-making.
• Advanced Microsoft Office and experience with learning management systems.
• Ability to collaborate and work with different stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience working with external suppliers/vendors and managing effective relationships.
• Knowledge of best practice learning and development in high-performing organisations.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and embracing new ways of thinking.

Beneficial to have:

• Has worked in a sports governance organisation, national governing body or NGO experience.
• Has an awareness of high performance sport including working with coaches and multi-disciplinary performance staff.
• Will be a subject matter expert in a talent discipline.
• CIPD qualified

What's in it for you?
We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles, to achieve this we have unique office spaces under the arch of the iconic Wembley National Stadium, which is the home of English Football. We are also delighted to offer a world-class, Elite Performance Centre, St. George's Park in Staffordshire which is an exceptional setting to develop and inspire high-performing England teams and leaders.
We pride ourselves in offering a competitive salary as well as great opportunities to develop and grow in your role. But that is not all; we also have a range of exciting benefits, some of which can be found below:

• Access to event day tickets at Wembley Stadium, alongside a host of regular internal events throughout the season, encouraging you to connect and learn with your colleagues and look after your mental health and well-being.
• Free, nutritious lunches at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
• Free private medical cover.
• A contributory pension scheme.
• An additional 'Thank You' days leave, volunteering days as well as 25 days annual leave (based on a full-time, permanent contract.)
• A hybrid working model which offers greater flexibility.

For more information on what it is like to work at The FA, please visit our FA Careers page,
Currently, we are working 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. The contractual location of this role can be found on the FA Careers page.
We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association 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.

Skills Required