Football Operations Administration Apprentice - levelequals : Job Details

level= is excited to partner with The Football Association (The FA) to run a fair, anonymised recruitment process for this apprenticeship.

The FA is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game, and generates significant revenue to support investment into English football each year.

The FA believes football has the power to unite communities, promote wellbeing, and inspire positive change. With UEFA EURO 2028 on the horizon, the apprenticeship programme offers an entry into a rewarding career at The FA and an excellent opportunity to develop skills and gain experience within a supportive, inclusive and diverse organisation.

Football Operations (Administration) Apprentice Role Purpose:

• The FA are looking for an enthusiastic and organised individual to support primarily Referee Operations and also wider Football Operations teams in the administration and governance of football.
• You will be employed on a two year fixed term contract, and will study towards a Level 3 Business Administration qualification with CMS Vocational Training.
• You will be contractually based at Wembley Stadium.

Football Operations (Administration) Apprentice Key Accountabilities:

• Supporting the referee operations team with admin tasks including match official appointments, confirmations, and system updates.
• Managing and responding to real-time issues.
• Prioritising competing demands and juggling multiple deadlines.
• Handling communications with match officials, clubs and other departments via phone and email.
• Participating in wider football events - e.g. hosting visiting international referees, supporting matchday logistics.
• Using internal systems to update records and coordinate referee appointments across competitions.
• Gaining insight into how elite football operates at national and international levels.
• Executes additional tasks as required in order to meet FA Group changing priorities.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing can be maintained.

To be eligible you must meet the following criteria:

• Live within England and have lived within the UK for the last 3 consecutive years.
• Must not be in full time education at the start of your apprenticeship.
• Must be at least 16 years of age.
• If aged 16-18 you will need to have maths and English at grade 4/C and have the certification for this. If not, you will need to sit Functional Skills Level 2 as part of the programme.
• Must not hold a similar or higher qualification in the same area of study.

What The FA looking for?

This is a developmental role, so they do not require you to have lots of prior experience. Instead, they are looking for:

• A genuine interest in football (playing, volunteering, refereeing, or following the game; any kind of involvement).
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Comfortable using the phone and email to communicate clearly.
• A positive mindset, open to learning.
• Experience of using Microsoft Outlook.
• Experience of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• The ability to stay focused on repetitive tasks without losing quality.
• Ability to stay calm and prioritise when plans change.
• Willingness to take initiative and ask questions.
• Some experience of creating presentations and public speaking.

You may be surprised to know that being a football fan is not a prerequisite of working for the FA. What's more important is your passion, interest and commitment to the varied work that they do, and the goals that they are aiming to achieve.

Benefits:

• A 'Thank You Day' of additional leave on top of your 25-day annual leave allowance with extra leave for volunteering.
• Free lunches and parking at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
• A host of internal events to connect with your colleagues and learn.
• Employee Resource Groups, such as Ethnicity and Pride.
• Free private healthcare.
• Staff pitch days on the hallowed turf at Wembley Stadium, when the Grounds Team let us!
• Specialist mental health and wellbeing support all season round.
• A wide range of discounts on products and services through our benefits portal.
• An employee contributory pension scheme.
• Priority ticket access to exciting events at Wembley Stadium.
• London Living Wage
• Hybrid Working

ED&I Statement:

The FA are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work.

The FA welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please reach out to inform level=.

As part of The FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.

How to apply (run by level=)

We're partnering with The FA to run a fair, anonymised process. We (level=) manage the application portal; The FA makes the hiring decisions.

• Register your interest (CV only): Upload your CV by Friday 26 September 2025, 12:00 (BST).
• CVs are used for contact/eligibility only. Reviewers won't see your name or CV during scoring.
• Receive the Candidate Pack: Within 48 hours you'll get the Apprenticeship Candidate Pack (role details, timelines, and how to complete the next steps). Check junk/spam if needed.
• Complete the anonymised work sample tasks: Submit answers by Monday 29 September 2025, 12:00 (BST).
• All responses are reviewed anonymously against the same criteria.
• Interviews: Week commencing Monday 27 October 2025.
• Accessibility & reasonable adjustments: If you need support at any stage, reply to the pack email or reach out to level=