Pathway · Step sideways
Professional Referee to Referee Development Officer
How to move from Professional Referee to Referee Development Officer: what to learn, what to prove and what formal steps, if any, are needed.
Qualification check for Referee Development Officer
Strongly preferred
Most employers will expect a qualification for the new role, but evidence of experience also counts. Associations prefer people with refereeing experience and project or education skills.
1 to 3 yearstypical timeline
3new skills to build
1qualifications to consider
-65%mid-point UK pay change, illustrative
The move at a glance
Professional Referee
Referees top-division matches as a full-time or highly paid official.
Referee Development Officer
Recruits, trains and retains referees for an association.
Skills and knowledge to build
Experience and routes that help
Qualifications to consider
Tools to learn
What the new role asks of you
- Run referee courses and recruitment drives
- Support new referees with mentors
- Work with leagues on abuse and retention
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: Communication.
- 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.