Senior Women’s Team Manager

Job Title: Senior Women’s Team Manager

Department: International Football

Reporting to: Director of Women’s Football

Salary: Negotiable 

Location: The post holder must have the right to work in the UK and be resident in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland to ensure regular availability to perform all aspects of the role.

Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week. This is a full-time role which will require regular unsociable hours and extensive national and international travel. 

Duration: 2-year fixed-term contract with a possibility of extension based on business needs. Start and end dates to be established at the time of appointment.

BACKGROUND 

The senior women’s team manager has management responsibility for the players and technical staff of the team.  The manager will be tasked with inspiring and preparing elite players to compete on the international stage while shaping the future of women’s football. 

The Irish FA is seeking to appoint a manager who can lead the senior women’s team in the next phase of its development and build on recent progress. The post holder will be part of a bold strategy to elevate women’s football in Northern Ireland. This role is central to delivering our ambition under the Together We Thrive Strategic Plan for Women & Girls’ Football in Northern Ireland.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

Lead Northern Ireland’s senior women’s national team into its next era of success. Inspire, develop, and prepare elite players to compete on the international stage, striving to improve the national team ranking, while shaping the future of women’s football. 

The post holder will plan, organise, and deliver to international standards the training and competition programme of the senior women’s team. They will also play a key role in developing an aligned player development pathway and structure for the national team that will best prepare players for international success.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the senior women’s national team programme and champion excellence on and off the pitch.
• Build a high-performance culture, lead a multidisciplinary team, and create an environment where players thrive whilst on international duty.
• Set and agree with the Director of Women’s Football and the Technical Director key objectives and targets that help measure job performance and contribute to achieving the Irish FA’s Strategic Plan.
• Lead on the implementation of a best practice performance environment and support services within senior women’s team programmes, including, but not limited to, player development plans, welfare support, sport science, injury prevention, etc.
• Work with the senior women’s team operations manager to strategically plan the international FIFA windows and team schedule on a two-year cycle.
• Establish structures to monitor performances and oversee the development of national team players and technical staff.
• Develop an effective out-of-camp support programme for amateur/semi-professional status national team players.
• Work collaboratively with key personnel, including the Technical Director, International Women’s U17 and U19 Team Manager, and Girls’ Elite Youth Academy Manager, to develop a player pathway and technical programmes that support the identification and development of future international talent.
• Support the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of the youth national team coaches (U15s to U23s) through sharing senior women’s team best practices.
• Support the Technical Director in the delivery of coach education and CPD seminars and webinars to promote the elite female game in Northern Ireland.
• Attend national youth team matches and visit youth team camps where possible.
• Forge powerful partnerships across the football community – clubs, coaches, and stakeholders – to strengthen pathways and grow the women’s game.
• Support the promotion of Irish FA competitions, including key calendar events.
• To be a positive ambassador for women’s football in Northern Ireland and project a professional and positive image of Women’s football through media and press opportunities in relation to the national team and in support of the Irish FA’s ongoing football activities and events.
• Support Irish FA and Irish FA Foundation events and activities, which may include:
  • School, club, and national festival visits throughout Northern Ireland
  • Fan engagement events
  • Key stakeholder events
  • Commercial partner activity
• Represent Northern Ireland at FIFA and UEFA symposia and meetings as required.
• Complete other duties appropriate to the role as directed by the Director of Women’s Football and the Chief Executive.
• Extensive national and international travel is required, and antisocial working hours.
• Proactively participate in all in-service training courses, training and development opportunities, staff performance appraisals, and reviews as required.
• Adhere to and actively support at all times all company policies, procedures, processes, and working practices, including adhering to best practice and to service the Irish Football Association’s policies in line with its development plans.
• Any other reasonable duties relevant to the programme and/or the department.

Note: In the interests of the efficient management of the Department, the duties described in the above job description will be reviewed periodically and may be subject to modification or amendment after consultation with the post holder.  

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria

Education & qualifications:

• A valid UEFA Pro Licence or must have at least started the UEFA Pro diploma course (registration alone for the required diploma course is not sufficient to meet this criterion)

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of management experience in professional football/elite youth football, or senior football
• Proven experience leading elite teams at the highest level, with a track record of success and innovation in challenging environments
• Demonstrable experience in developing and implementing best practice components of a performance environment for talented and elite athletes
• Development-focused with experience in nurturing and promoting young players

Skills, knowledge & competencies:

• Demonstrable technical and tactical knowledge and understanding of the principles that underpin effective talent identification and development within a performance environment
• A natural leader and communicator who inspires confidence, builds trust, and brings people together behind a shared vision
• Highly skilled communicator with the ability to utilise technology effectively
• Understands the structure of Northern Irish Football
• Passionate about achieving success for Northern Ireland and inspiring positive change across the entire female game in NI
• Proficiency in all aspects of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook
• Highly organised, efficient, and able to prioritise workload to meet deadlines

Personal disposition:

• Proactive team player with the ability to work on own initiative and handle pressurised/stressful situations
• Flexible and adaptable approach with the ability to work unsociable hours and travel nationally and internationally

Other requirements:

• Proof of eligibility to work in the UK
• Have a valid passport allowing unrestricted international travel
• Have a full, clean driving licence and access to a car for business use to meet the full requirements of the post
• Following job offer: Completion of a medical questionnaire demonstrating the ability to fulfil the Occupational Health requirements for the post and flag any reasonable adjustments required
• Following job offer: Two satisfactory employment references, one of whom should ideally be the current/most recent employer
• Enhanced Access NI checks with satisfactory clearance

Desirable Criteria

• Minimum of three years coaching in the elite female game
• Experience in training and mentoring elite coaches
• Proven track record in delivering success within limited playing and financial resources
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the structure of girls’ and women’s football in Northern Ireland

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is a full-time, high-impact role requiring flexibility and commitment. You’ll represent Northern Ireland globally and be a visible ambassador for the women’s game.

Closing date: Friday 23rd January 2026 at 5pm.

Shortlisting: Only those applications that clearly demonstrate the requirements set out in the personnel specification will be shortlisted. Please note that the Association reserves the right to implement all or some of the desirable criteria in addition to the essential criteria for shortlisting purposes.

Offer of employment: Please note that any offer of employment is subject to the receipt of two satisfactory employment references, proof of eligibility to work in the UK, and proof of any required qualifications.

Reserve list: A reserve list of suitable candidates may be maintained for the purpose of any similar vacancies (temporary or permanent) that may arise within twelve months of the completion of the recruitment exercise.

Vetting: The Irish FA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and employees to share this commitment. This role involves work with young people and is subject to Enhanced Access NI checks. Clearance through this system is required.

The Irish Football Association is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. All appointments will be made on the basis of merit.

Please click below to apply or send your CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for this role to [email protected].