Head of Recruitment

What the role involves

• Own the recruitment process and shortlist
• Coordinate scouts, analysts and agents
• Advise on contract and transfer strategy

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.

• Network

  Mentors, conferences and online communities

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

• Self-built

  Build a scouting-report portfolio

  Watch live matches or video, write structured player reports and publish a sample. A clear portfolio is the main thing hiring managers ask scouts for.

Qualifications and licences

None of these is a barrier to entry, but each can help you learn, get noticed or move up later.

• Business & management

  Football Management Certificate (UEFA CFM)

  A management programme for football administrators with modules on strategy, finance, legal, marketing and organisation. Offered with partner universities.

• Degree

  Degree in Any Subject

  Many football employers ask for a degree in any subject as a screening requirement for graduate-level jobs. The subject matters less than evidence of skills and football involvement.

• Legal & regulatory

  Football Law Programme

  A specialist programme on the regulation of football, including transfers, disputes, agent rules and financial regulation. Useful for lawyers, agents and club administrators.

Skills and knowledge

• Leadership
• Transfer Market Knowledge
• Negotiation
• Football Regulations

Tools you may use

• Scouting video platforms
• Event-data providers
• Dashboard tools

Where this role is found

• Top-flight clubs
• Women's professional football

Where this role leads

• Sporting Director / Director of Football

  Strongly preferred

  Leads the football strategy across recruitment, coaching appointments and contracts.

Common stepping stones into this role

• Recruitment Analyst
• International Scout
• Loan & Player Pathway Manager
• Chief Scout
• Football Data Account Manager

Pay and context by region

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