Head of Football Operations

HEAD OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS

Hartlepool United Football Club

Title: Head of Football Operations

Post: Full-time post

Reporting to: Board and Owner

Salary: Competitive + Performance Bonus Structure

Location: Victoria Park, TS24 8BZ, with travel required.

Closing date: 6th November 2026 (early applications preferred).

To apply, please send your CV and covering letter to: secretary@hartlepoolunited.co.uk

Role Summary

The Head of Football Operations will be the senior football staff member in the Club reporting to the Owner and Board, and responsible for how the football department runs. It is hands-on, visible and varied. In summary, the position will be responsible for leading:

1. Club-wide football strategy and identity.
2. First Team squad planning, recruitment and contracting.
3. Football operations, facilities and environment.
4. Football financial budgets.
5. Joining First Team with Academy and wider club.

Key Responsibilities & Specification:

Club Wide Strategy and Football Identity:

• In consultation with key internal staff and the Board/Owner, to roll out and manage the Club’s football philosophy and to cohesively guide all work on the sporting side of HUFC, including First Team and Academy.
• Representing the Club in football matters where appropriate, including with governing bodies and media.

 First Team Squad Planning, Recruitment and Contracting

• Formulating both short- and longer-term strategy for the evolution of the First Team squad (ages, assets, contract expiry dates, etc) alongside the football staff.
• Leading scouting efforts in a robust, well-documented, hands-on manner, including attending games, speaking to agents and clubs, harnessing data and working with football staff to identify and monitor player targets in a well-documented process.
• Chairing and driving club player recruitment decision-making processes, working with staff, coaches, scouting, analysis, etc.
• Leading player recruitment by professionally engaging with and presenting to players, clubs and agents.
• Leading player contract negotiations and renegotiations in line with the football philosophy and well-planned wage structures.
• Working with the Football Secretary to implement and monitor player contracts in a robust manner.
• Alongside the football staff and commercial staff to oversee smooth onboarding and leaving processes for players.

 Football Operations, Facilities and Environment

• Providing support and line management to football department staff on a weekly basis.
• Supporting robust professional succession planning and recruitment of key football staff alongside the First Team Head, Academy Manager and/or Board where relevant.
• Ensuring football facilities and physical environments are delivered and fit for purpose, including liaising with matchday and training facility leads.
• Working with Football Secretary and operational staff to plan and deliver professional First Team away game logistics.

 Football Financial Budgets:

• Working with the owner and Board to set, regularly monitor and deliver football budgets to target across players, staff and football operations.
• To attend and prepare information for monthly Board/SMT meetings to report on all football operations and budgets.

 Joining First Team with Academy and wider Club

• Providing line management and support to the Academy Manager, alongside the First Team Head Coach.
• Working with the First Team Head Coach to ensure and support the integration of Academy in a One Club model.
• Working with and supporting the Academy Manager to define and deliver Academy growth plans short, medium and long term.
• Supporting the Academy Manager with key stakeholder and football partner relations. 
• Representing on the Academy Technical Board as needed.
• Representing the football department and linking it with other internal departments, including commercial and community, to ensure club-wide objectives are met.

 Experience and Person Specification

 Essential

•             Knowledge and experience of National League, League Two and League One.

•             Extensive recruitment knowledge, including identifying, targeting and signing players.

•             Financial and contract negotiation experience with players, agents and clubs.

•             An ability to devote full attention to fulfilment of the duties required by the role, undertaking no other conflicting or detracting roles within football.

 Beneficial

•             Experience in a similar Head of Football, Sporting Director or Head of Recruitment Role.

•             Management of a wider sporting department environment and people.

•             Experience of taking a team through a play-off or promotion cycle.

•             An understanding of North East football and what the club means to its community.

 The Person

•             Hardworking, driven and resilient.

•             The energy to build a department and the credibility to lead it.

•             A strong communicator who can work closely with a Head Coach/Manager, present clearly to a Board and bring staff with them.

•             Comfortable being hands-on as well as strategic.

•             Somebody who wants to go on a journey with the Club and sees this as a long-term project.