Digital Programme Officer

Football Regulator; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A national sports regulation body is seeking a Digital Programme Officer in Manchester to enhance governance frameworks and support digital initiatives. The role requires strong organizational skills and experience in governance within a digital context. Successful candidates will engage in managing boards and preparing essential reports. Benefits include flexible working options and a comprehensive rewards program, including generous annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

Flexible and hybrid working

Pension contributions

Generous annual leave

Cycle-to-work scheme

Learning and development program

Qualifications

• Experience supporting governance or assurance processes within a digital context.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills.
• Ability to prepare high-quality board papers and reports.

Responsibilities

• Support on reviewing governance frameworks and managing boards.
• Produce high-quality updates for programme boards.
• Support drafting concise papers for decision-making.

Skills

Governance and assurance support

Organizational skills

Data interpretation

Stakeholder communication

Team collaboration

Tools

EUC service desk

Agile methods

Job description

Independent Football Regulator - Digital Programme Officer

Location Manchester

Business Unit(s) Digital, Data and Technology

Position Type Full Time

Job Description

The Independent Football Regulator

The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has been established to protect and promote the sustainability of English football, for the benefit of fans and the local communities football clubs serve.

The IFR will help improve financial sustainability of clubs, ensure resilience across the leagues, and safeguard the heritage of English football. It will operate a licensing regime; set corporate governance standards and monitor, protect, and promote financial resilience. It will also enforce compliance with requirements on financial regulation, club ownership and directors, fan engagement, and heritage protection.

The IFR will also have powers to prohibit clubs from joining competitions that are not fair or meritocratic, or that threaten the heritage or sustainability of English football.

Responsibilities Include:

Governance & Programme Management

• Support on reviewing, maintaining, and improving DDaT governance frameworks, ensuring alignment with organisational standards and Government Digital Service (GDS) expectations.
• Manage governance boards, including preparing agendas, commissioning papers, coordinating attendees, recording decisions, and ensuring actions are followed through.
• Produce high‑quality monthly updates for programme boards and senior stakeholders, ensuring accurate reporting of delivery status, risks, issues, dependencies, and outcomes.
• Support the commissioning of work for DDaT teams, ensuring clear requirements, prioritisation processes, and appropriate governance approval routes.
• Support drafting clear, concise papers for senior boards to support decision‑making and approvals.

Service & Product Support

• Support EUC service desk performance by reviewing operational data, identifying trends, and helping drive service improvements.
• Work closely with product teams to support planning, delivery, and assurance across the product lifecycle.
• Maintain strong relationships with internal teams, suppliers, and stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration and alignment with programme objectives.

General

• Contribute to continuous improvement of delivery processes and internal ways of working.
• Provide programme support as required, ensuring the effective coordination of project activities, milestones, documentation, and reporting.

Essential Requirements

• Experience supporting governance or assurance processes within a digital, technology, or programme delivery context.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, including managing multiple updates, boards, and reporting cycles.
• Ability to prepare high-quality board papers, briefings, and reports for senior stakeholders.
• Experience supporting delivery teams (programme, project, or product teams).
• Ability to interpret data, risks, and issues, and communicate them clearly.
• Experience working across teams, building relationships, and influencing stakeholders.
• Ability to identify areas for improvement within governance, reporting, or service processes and support implementation of better ways of working.

Desirable Skills

• Understanding of service management or EUC support environments.
• Understanding of Agile delivery methods.
• Relevant professional accreditation (e.g., ITIL Foundations, PRINCE2, APM PFQ, AgilePM).
• Experience in the Civil Service or Regulation Industry.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Todd Darley and will take place on:

- Monday 22nd December at 12:30pm

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this form and you will be sent an invitation. The invites will be sent the night before the session. The sessions are not recorded.

Please note that the session will not focus on the IFR recruitment process – please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to [e-mail]

If successful you will join a Non Departmental Public Body and will be employed as a Public Servant.

If you are an existing Civil Servant or a DCMS employee you will no longer have access to Civil Service benefits including the Civil Service pension.

The terms and conditions of employment include:

• Pension 12% A employee contribution of 5%, with an employer contribution of 7%.
• Flexible Benefit 8% Employees can choose to invest 8% of their base salary into their pension, or take as cash (post‑tax)
• Reward we will have a performance based reward programme.
• 31.5 days annual leave
• Flexible and hybrid working, 40% in office attendance
• Occupational sick pay
• 9 months paid Maternity Leave + generous paternity and adoption leave.
• A bespoke L&D programme to help you achieve your personal CPD, including paid membership fees
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme and much more!

The Interview

The interview process will assess experience through competency questions and a presentation. Full details of this, including the topic, length of time, and whether or not you will need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview.

Prior to the interview you will be sent the competency questions in advance. The questions will be based on the essential criteria listed on slide 7

Your interview will take place remotely via Teams.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

The IFR has a location neutral pay scale. For more information on this, please see the ‘Candidate Information Pack’ attached.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. To request an adjustment, please email [e-mail]

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check and complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

Diversity and Inclusion

The IFR is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found.

Contact point for applicants

Email: [e-mail]