Department: Aston Villa Foundation and Community Partnerships - Community Relations Team
Hours of Work: 35 hours per week
Contract Type: Specific Purpose Contract (2 years)
Salary: Up to £30,000 per annum depending on experience
Location: Villa Park and various community locations within the surrounding areas
Closing Date: 27 April 2025
1. The Department
The Aston Villa Foundation is the official Charity of Aston Villa Football Club and prides itself in being innovative in its approach to the club being used as a ‘Force for Good’.
The PlayZones Coordinator will operate within the Community Relations department at the Foundation, which has a number of functions to empower and support targeted communities local to the football club. This role will support the Senior Programmes Manager in engaging local residents and supporting community organisations within inner-city areas, by overseeing the delivery of a range of sporting and non-sporting interventions.
2. The Role
The successful post-holder will have key responsibilities on the planning and implementation of the PlayZones programme. The role is funded by the Premier League, Professional Footballers Assosiation and Birmingham City Council with the PlayZones sites funded by the Football Foundation.
The PlayZones Coordinator will be required to build and develop working relationships with the custodian organisations to support essential capacity building activities such as compliance and governance advice, financial sustainability and project development and management. They will also help identify local third-sector organisations to co-deliver weekly activities, to engage local residents within a fun, safe and welcoming environment.
This role will include evening work and weekend work if required.
For further information about the Role, please see the Role Profile.
3. The Person
The ideal candidate will understand the barriers and challenges faced by communities in Birmingham and be able to successfully coordinate sports-based projects within the seven newly built PlayZones in the city.
We are seeking a driven individual who is passionate about community engagement and using sport as a vehicle for good. You will be able to work in varied environments to conduct sessions and be able to work independently representing the Foundation to a high level with other partners.
We are seeking an individual who can building trusting relationships, as you will be working closely with third-sector organisations to identify and encourage local residents to participate in weekly sport and physical activity sessions. The communities that the coordinator will work with will predominantly be from ethnic diverse backgrounds, with a key focus on Women and Girls.
Key experiences and qualifications, such as an NGB level 2 in a sport, with a previous coaching portfolio within a community setting is essential for the role.
You must be willing to work evenings and weekends.
4. Why join us?
There has never been a better time to join us, we are celebrating our 150th anniversary, showcasing Aston Villa Football Club in all its glory to a global audience, and are determined to continue our growing success, both on and off the pitch. We currently offer a range of fantastic benefits* including:
Formed in 1874, Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional football club based in Birmingham. Known as the Villans, they play in the Premier League, and are known to be one of the founding members of the Football League, established in 1888.
With a storied and successful history, Aston Villa have won significant honours both domestically and in Europe, including the European Cup & European Super Cup 1982.
Located near Witton in Birmingham, Aston Villa have played at Villa Park since 1897. With a capacity of 42,788 and four stands - The North Stand, the Holte End, Trinity Road Stand and The Doug Ellis Stand - it is England’s 10th largest football stadium by capacity.
Aston Villa Train at Bodymoor Heath Training Ground based in Bodymoor Heath, Warwickshire. Opened in 2021 after a £6 million investment, it is recognised as one of the top training centres in the country with heavy influence in it's design taken from leading NFL teams in the United States, such as the Minnesota Vikings TCO Performance Center.