Club Foundation Director

What the role involves

• Set strategy and funding targets
• Lead programme teams
• Manage partners, trustees and reports

Ways in, with or without formal qualifications

Experience, knowledge and interests count in football. These routes are what people in this role commonly point to.

• Experience

  Community and foundation programmes

  Part-time delivery roles with club foundations and charities, running sessions in schools and communities.

• Network

  Mentors, conferences and online communities

  Football runs on relationships. Meeting people at conferences, courses and online communities opens more opportunities than cold applications.

Qualifications and licences

These can strengthen an application but are not a gate.

• Degree

  Sport or Football Business Degree

  A degree in sport management, football business or sports business. It builds finance, marketing, law and management knowledge, plus placement opportunities. Helpful, rarely essential.

• Safety & welfare

  Safeguarding Children Training & Background Check

  A basic requirement for most people who work with children in football. It covers recognising and reporting concerns and keeping a safe environment.

Skills and knowledge

• Leadership
• Project Management
• Finance & Budgeting
• Communication

Tools you may use

• Spreadsheets

Where this role is found

• Club foundations & charities
• Top-flight clubs

Where this role leads

• Club Chief Executive

  Not needed

  Leads the club's business and works with the board and owners.

Common stepping stones into this role

• Community Foundation Officer
• Football Development Officer

Pay and context by region

Illustrative estimates scaled from a UK baseline. Check local job adverts and union or association data.