Job Description
ABOUT US
Founded in 1932, Wigan Athletic were elected to the Football League in 1978 and were promoted out of the Fourth Division in 1981/82. Latics won the Third Division title in 1996/97, the Football League Trophy in 1999, and the Second Division in 2002/03, before securing promotion to the Premier League in 2004/05.
Latics famously won the FA Cup in 2013, beating Premier League giants Manchester City in the Final. However, Latics were relegated later that year, bringing their memorable eight-season stay in the top flight to an end. The FA Cup success did, though, mean Latics gained their place in the UEFA Europa League the following season. Relegated from the Championship in 2014/2015, the Club won the League One title in 2015/16 and repeated this feat in 2017/18 and 2021/22 respectively.
*Whilst we endeavour to respond to every applicant, please note that due to the number of applications we receive, only those selected for an interview may be contacted.
ABOUT THE OFF-PITCH PATHWAY SCHEME
The Off-Pitch Pathway Scheme (OPPS) is a joint initiative from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and English Football League (EFL), designed to help former players and scholars move into meaningful, long-term careers away from the pitch.
Administered by League Football Education (LFE), the scheme creates funded, year-long placements for former players and scholars to gain experience in non-coaching roles at
EFL clubs that are in view of keeping football experience in the game and supporting members as they transition into new careers.
The programme has been backed by a joint investment of £225,000 from the PFA and EFL. This investment funds nine OPPS roles for EFL clubs across a number of clubs
functions, including finance, administration, commercial, communications and operations.
OPPS roles are open to all PFA members, and successful candidates receive structured support, training and development over the year.
Wigan Athletic is recruiting for a Player Transition & Development Intern, created through the PFA's Off-Pitch Pathway Scheme (OPPS), to provide a meaningful and professionally supported transition from full-time playing into a long-term off-pitch career within football.
Job Overview & Purpose:
Wigan Athletic is pleased to support this application to the PFA Off-Pitch Pathway Scheme (OPPS) through the creation of a structured 12-month placement as Player Transition & Player Development Intern. This role has been designed to provide a meaningful and professionally supported transition from full-time playing into a long-term off-pitch career within football.
The placement will offer practical experience across key business and operational functions of the club, enabling the individual to apply their first-hand knowledge of the professional football environment in a valuable and relevant way. As a current or recently active professional, the individual brings a unique perspective that cannot be replicated through traditional entry-level recruitment. Their understanding of player needs, matchday demands, club culture and the wider football environment will add value across departments, while the club provides the structure, mentoring and practical experience required to support a sustainable second career in the game.
This is not simply a work placement; it is a deliberate investment in long-term professional development and an opportunity to retain football knowledge within the club.
Role Structure & Departmental Rotations
The placement will run across 12 months, with the individual completing three four-month rotations in the following departments:
Commercial
The individual will support the club’s commercial department in areas linked to revenue generation, stakeholder engagement, and matchday delivery. Responsibilities may include:
- Supporting the promotion and sale of hospitality packages
- Assisting with sponsor servicing and partnership activations
- Research membership schemes from other clubs.
- Supporting the coordination of Club events and matchday hospitality operations
- Retention of current Future Fund members through proactive outreach engagement
- Grow current membership schemes through outbound efforts
Fan Engagement
- Supporting the Classroom to Kick Off project – delivering a workshop/ presentation on the grassroots to professional football pathway. Including a Q&A session with Y4 pupils
- Deliver fun and engaging football-based activities within the family zone on the stadium experience days for schools
- Deliver football-based workshops within schools to ensure that there is a continuation of engagement with schools
Hours 8 x per week.
Data Analytics
The individual will work alongside football and business operations staff to understand how data supports recruitment, performance, commercial reporting and strategic decision-making.
Responsibilities may include:
- Assisting in the interpretation and presentation of player and team performance data
- Supporting scouting and recruitment reports where appropriate
- Learning software platforms used for performance, operational and reporting purposes
- Assisting with commercial and marketing data reporting, including fan engagement and campaign analysis
- Developing an understanding of how analytical insight can improve efficiency and outcomes across departments
Matchday Support
- Help coordinate media, guests and VIP arrivals on matchdays.
- Support hospitality, ticketing and accreditation teams during home fixtures.
Locations, Working Pattern & Club Support
To maximise integration across both the football and business sides of the club, the individual will be based across Wigan Athletic’s key operational sites:
- The Brick Community Stadium – commercial delivery, marketing activity and matchday operations
- Robin Park Arena – club offices, administration, finance and wider business operations
- Christopher Park – football operations and data analytics support
Working Hours
- 35 hours per week, across 5 working days
- Flexible working pattern aligned to the football calendar and matchday requirements
- Some evening and weekend work may be required to ensure meaningful exposure to matchday and event operations
This flexible model reflects the realities of football operations and ensures the placement provides authentic, hands-on learning.
Wigan Athletic is fully committed to ensuring the placement is structured, supported and professionally meaningful. The individual will receive regular oversight, mentoring and review from senior staff across the club.
Senior Oversight & Departmental Support
- Managing Director: Sarah Guilfoyle
- Heads of Department: Greg Coar and Richard Bramwell
- Academy Manager: Jake Campbell
- Player Care Manager: Lee Wood
- Head of Safeguarding: Genna Banks
- First Team: Lauren Jones
To support the success of the placement, the club will provide:
- A clear induction into club operations and departmental expectations
- Department-specific line management during each rotation
- Regular review meetings to monitor progress and development
- A safe, supportive and professionally accountable working environment
This structure ensures the individual’s transition is purposeful, developmental and fully integrated into the day-to-day operation of the club.
Alignment with Club Values, Timeline & Development Objectives
This placement strongly reflects Wigan Athletic’s culture and values. The Club places significant importance on supporting people beyond their playing careers, and this role demonstrates a progressive approach to player care, transition planning and long-term welfare.
By supporting a player into a new professional chapter, Wigan Athletic reinforces its belief that the end of a playing career should not mean the end of a meaningful career in football.
Retaining an individual within the club environment helps preserve valuable football knowledge, strengthens the connection between on-pitch and off-pitch departments, and creates a more integrated culture across the organisation.
Placement Timeline
- Start Date: July 2026
- End Date: June 2027
- Duration: 12 months
- Structure: 3 x 4-month rotations across the identified departments
Key Development Objectives
The placement has been designed around three core objectives:
1. Professional Development
To provide a structured and supported pathway from professional playing into an off-pitch football career.
2. Skill Development
To equip the individual with transferable skills in:
- Commercial awareness
- Fan Engagement
- Data interpretation and presentation
- Cross-department collaboration
3. Club Contribution
To utilise the individual player’s insight to add value to the Club’s commercial, fan engagement, and first team analysis team.
Statement of Club Support
Wigan Athletic fully endorses this application to the PFA Off-Pitch Pathway Scheme and believes this placement offers a strong, credible and well-supported opportunity for long-term professional development.
This role has been intentionally designed to provide meaningful exposure to the club’s core business and operational functions, while allowing the individual to contribute through their knowledge and understanding of the professional football environment.
We believe this placement represents a positive and progressive model of player transition—one that supports the individual, strengthens the club, and reflects the wider values of the professional game.
Health and Safety
- Fully endorse, demonstrate and carry out the company’s health and safety policy.
- Comply with all company policies and statutory regulations relating to health and safety, safe working practices, hygiene, cleanliness, fire and COSHH. This will include your awareness of any specific hazards in your workplace, and assist if required with the amending of risk assessments periodically.
- Have a full knowledge of procedures for evacuation with regard to fire.
- Identify and report maintenance requirements or hazards within the workplace and encourage the workforce to do the same to avoid injury.
Wigan Sports Group is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment, and its employment policies for recruitment are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Wigan Sports Group is committed to safeguarding children, young people, and adults at risk during events and activities. The Club recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of these vulnerable groups by a commitment to procedures to protect them. The Club expects all staff and volunteers to respect them.
