Pathway · Step up
Grassroots League Secretary to Football Development Officer
How to move from Grassroots League Secretary to Football Development Officer: what to learn, what to prove and what formal steps, if any, are needed.
Qualification check for Football Development Officer
Strongly preferred
Most employers will expect a qualification for the new role, but evidence of experience also counts. Employers usually expect a degree or equivalent, and strong grassroots experience.
2 to 4 yearstypical timeline
2new skills to build
2qualifications to consider
+483%mid-point UK pay change, illustrative
The move at a glance
Grassroots League Secretary
Runs fixtures, discipline and admin for a local league.
Football Development Officer
Grows participation and club quality for an association or county body.
Skills and knowledge to build
Experience and routes that help
Qualifications to consider
Tools to learn
What the new role asks of you
- Support clubs, leagues and volunteers
- Run participation programmes, including women's and girls' football
- Work with councils and sport agencies
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: Event Management.
- 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.