Head of Strategy & Delivery in Lincoln, Lincolnshire

GBR Recruitment Ltd are delighted to be working in exclusive partnership with Lincolnshire Football Association in recruiting for a new Head of Strategy & Delivery management professional who is strong in putting together growth strategies & delivering operational excellence.  

This key stakeholder role will support the delivery of The FA’s Grassroots Football Strategy & the Lincolnshire Football Associations Business Strategy through effective leadership & effective stakeholder engagement, positioning the Lincolnshire FA as a recognised strategic leader, convening football stakeholders & key partner agencies to initiate, develop & embed collaborative partnerships maximising football’s contribution to wider social, health, well-being & community outcomes.

You will develop, implement & monitoring the Associations Local Football Plans
ensuring alignment with local strategic priorities delivering a real impact.

Strategically leading the football programmes, performance initiatives, player pathways, & other strategic projects, whilst driving excellence, innovation & sustainability.

• Develop and maintain the Association’s football strategy, ensuring alignment with the strategic objectives of the Association.
• Lead the co-ordination and writing of the Association’s Local Football Plans with input and alignment across partners, stakeholders and Lincolnshire FA colleagues
• Oversee the management and implementation of Local Football Plans through the Associations Football Delivery team.
• Ensure football programmes support the Association’s performance, participation, and commercial goals.
• Identify, establish and lead geographic based stakeholder groups to create local football development and delivery plans and track progress risks and delivery against outcomes.
• Identify, build, manage and develop relationships with key partners to meet the strategic objectives of the Association.
• Identify additional resources and investment opportunities through engaging with key stakeholders for the development of football and its wider social impact.
• Work closely with the CEO to identify opportunities for growth, improvement, and innovation.
• Utilise data and insight, from national and local sources, to inform local priorities and delivery on a local level.
• Analyse, and use data and insight, to design and develop local solutions that meet local stakeholder needs across all football pathways (women and girls, male and disability) and club and volunteer support programmes.
• Connect into the national network, identifying, sharing and implementing good practice to develop and strengthen delivery.
• Collate information and reports on the delivery of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and provide progress reports, both quantitative and qualitative to the CEO, Board, The FA and other partners when directed.
• Ensure local delivery programmes demonstrate measurable impact.
• Track and report progress against key strategic goals and performance measures.
• Be the strategic lead for the Association’s inclusion work.
• Manage the Football Delivery team in line with personal and performance reviews; setting targets, monitoring performance and identifying training requirements.
• Support the development and strategic capability of colleagues in the Association, strengthening insight, planning, partnership and collaboration with wider partners.
• Oversee the creation of annual operational delivery plans to deliver growth and high-quality football opportunities across all football pathways (women and girls, male and disability) and club volunteer support programmes.
• Manage Football Delivery budgets and provide quarterly reports.
• Contribute to ensuring that safeguarding and equality are embedded throughout the Association and grassroots football.
• Collaborate with the Designated Safeguarding Officer in all matters involving under 18s and adults at risk.

Attributes: 

• Experience in a Head of role such as Head of Strategy & Execution, Head of Strategy & Alignment, Head of Strategic Deliver, Head of Strategy & Transformation, Head of Program Management / Head of PMO, Head of Project Delivery, Strategy & Delivery Manager, Operations & Delivery Manager, Strategic Project Manager (PMO) or similar roles.
• A real passion for all things football, sport & community development. 
• A strategic lead who can deliver operationally. 
• Complex project management experience ideally within a sports organisation. 
• A degree level qualification and two years’ sports development experience within a senior role inside or outside of football. 
• Strong commercial acumen, strong in budget management & financials. 
• Able to mentor, coach & line manage a team to success. 

This role would be commutable from Lincoln, Sleaford, Spalding, Boston, Grimsby, Hull, Doncaster, Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough, Scunthorpe, Brigg, Bourne, Stamford, Louth, Newark, Grantham & surrounding areas within c.1 hours commute of Lincoln City. Relocaters also consider. 

This role offers a 35 hour working week, with flexible start & finish times, plus hybrid working (x1 day in the Lincoln HQ per week approx.) & more. 

The deadline for applications is 30/11/2026.