Women's Recruitment Lead

Salary: Please state your expectations within your application

Contract: Full Time, 42 hours a week

Location: The Nigel Doughty Academy, Nottingham, NG2 7SR

Working Arrangements: On site

Closing Date For Applications: 20th March 2026

The Perks of the Job:

• Opportunity to access tickets for events at The City Ground.

• Employee Assistance Programme.

• Access to high street and gym discounts.

• Discount within our Club shop.

• Free on-site parking.

Role Overview:

This dynamic and multifaceted role aims to position Nottingham Forest as one of England’s most active recruiters of diverse female talent, maximizing returns in the new and evolving transfer market. Underpinned by market connectivity, strong data, an agile proactive approach, and an exciting offering on and off the pitch. The Women's Recruitment Lead will collaborate across departments to enhance talent acquisition processes, optimise player transitions, and align recruitment strategies with Nottingham Forest Football Club’s broader objectives.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Talent Acquisition Strategy & Operations

• Design and implement innovative Talent Acquisition process providing leadership and ensuring high-quality work to target players for the Women’s First Team, covering regional, national, and international scouting efforts.

• Lead scouting operations and ensure alignment with team depth charts and club-defined player profiles.

• Oversee talent acquisition processes for players, including onboarding, evaluation, and integration into the club.

• Collaborate with wider club recruitment staff for overlapping talent evaluations.

• Scout potential Women’s First Team players through live and video analysis, providing detailed evaluations and recommendations.

• Create and utilize real-time dashboards to track player progress against objectives.

• Research emerging trends in talent acquisition and implement strategies to stay ahead of the ‘future game.’

Player Development, Transition, and Loan Oversight

• Maintain detailed depth charts and transition plans for first-team prospects, ensuring alignment with club strategies.

• Support players transitioning to professional opportunities, either within Nottingham Forest or through external pathways, with tailored Individual Development Plans (IDPs).

• Monitor and support players on loan, both within Nottingham Forest and at external clubs, through regular game and training observations.

• Establish strong relationships with loan clubs to ensure environments align with player development objectives and club strategies.

• Work with technical staff to provide feedback and mentoring to all loaned players, ensuring continuity in their IDPs.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration with External Partnerships and Market Engagement

• Develop and maintain a network of contacts, leveraging relationships with agents, scouts, and partner clubs.

• Lead the creation of a portfolio of clubs categorised by development, sale potential, or exit opportunities.

• Work closely with the Head of Women’s and Girls’ Football, Women's Head Coach, Girls Academy Manager, and other key stakeholders to align strategies.

• Drive recruitment meetings, contributing to a unified approach to talent acquisition and development.

• Provide detailed board reports and participate in strategic planning sessions.

People and Continued Professional Development

• Utilise resources from professional bodies (e.g., The FA, Pro Leagues) to maximize personal and team development.

• Encourage networking, conference attendance, and continuous development for recruitment staff to stay updated on best practices within and outside of football.

• Assist in delivering and organising in-service training sessions and create a CPD pathway to enhance understanding of the club’s talent acquisition pillar.

• Support the personal and professional growth of recruitment team members through structured development plans.

Skills, Experience and Knowledge:

Qualifications:

• FA Advanced Principles of Talent Identification & Development in Football.

• Educated to degree level in a sports or business discipline (preferred).

Skills & Experience:

• Extensive experience in women’s professional football, including scouting and coaching.

• Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders and processes effectively.

• Strong knowledge of player development pathways within the women’s game.

• Expertise in data analysis and performance tracking.

• Exceptional communication, networking, and relationship-building skills.

Personal Attributes:

• Ambitious and proactive in approach to work and goals.

• Adaptable and creative in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

• Strong problem-solving skills and a detail-oriented approach.

Forest For Everyone

At Nottingham Forest Football Club we are committed to creating an environment where differences are respected, individuality is celebrated, everyone feels valued, supported, and included. Our goal is to ensure every member of our team can be themselves, contribute fully, and reach their potential without barriers.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Mental Wellbeing

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from talented people of all backgrounds regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We continue to develop policies and practices that promote equality, diversity, inclusion and mental wellbeing across our workforce. To help us measure progress and hold ourselves accountable, we ask all applicants to provide accurate diversity information during the recruitment process.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, taking positive steps to attract, recruit, and support disabled people. As part of this commitment, we work hard to ensure our recruitment processes are fair, inclusive, and accessible to everyone. We are committed to offering interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a role and provide reasonable adjustments at every stage from the application process through to ongoing support in the workplace.

If you are likely to meet the definition of being a "disabled person" according to the Equality Act 2010, you may be eligible to apply for an interview via the Disability Confident Scheme. Please indicate this in your application form. The information you share with us about your health or disability will not be used in recruitment selections.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

As part of the Club’s commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant may be required to undergo a Disclosure Barring Service (“DBS”) check or an enhanced DBS check. The results of a DBS check will be considered on an individual basis, and the Club will act in a proportionate manner when deciding whether or not to proceed with the appointment.

An FA Enhanced DBS disclosure is required for all relevant new appointments to the Club. Individuals will be asked to declare any convictions, cautions or reprimands, warnings or bind-overs that may have been incurred. The Club reserves the right to carry out risk assessments where content has been disclosed on a DBS disclosure if it feels that it is relevant to the job requirements. Failure to satisfy the Club and the PL's safeguarding requirements may lead to the job offer being withdrawn or, if they have already started employment, summary termination of the employment.

Health and Safety

At Nottingham Forest Football Club, we are committed to ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for all employees. In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, you are required to take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions or omissions at work. You must also cooperate with the Club's health and safety policies and procedures. Should you identify any health and safety concerns, please report them promptly to your manager or a member of the Health and Safety/Facilities team.