Pathway · Lateral move
Club Secretary / Administrator to Football Operations Manager
How to move from Club Secretary / Administrator to Football Operations Manager: what to learn, what to prove and what formal steps, if any, are needed.
Qualification check for Football Operations Manager
Helpful
A qualification can help, but experience and results decide this move. No fixed requirement. Degrees in sport management help, but years of practical club experience matter more.
1 to 3 yearstypical timeline
1new skills to build
2qualifications to consider
+225%mid-point UK pay change, illustrative
The move at a glance
Club Secretary / Administrator
Runs the administration and legal compliance of a club.
Football Operations Manager
Runs the day-to-day football operations of a squad.
Skills and knowledge to build
Experience and routes that help
Qualifications to consider
What the new role asks of you
- Plan training, travel and match logistics
- Liaise with league and registration bodies
- Support players and staff with practical needs
Practical steps
- Ask for a small piece of the new role's work before you apply, for example one of the tasks above.
- Close the top gap first: Logistics & Travel Planning.
- Keep a record of two results that show you working at the next level.
- Talk to three people who do the job. Ask how they got in, and who they would recommend you speak to.