DFY Academy Growth & Operations Manager

The role

The DFY Academy Growth & Operations Manager will take ownership of the reliable delivery, ambitious growth and commercial development of the DFY Academy. The role will directly oversee football and basketball operations, coordinate Academy-wide systems and work in close partnership with Sara, who retains ownership of dance. The aim is to ensure every programme is well organised, appropriately staffed, financially sustainable and able to provide a consistent, high-quality experience for children and families.

This is not a maintenance-only operations role. The manager will be expected to think commercially and creatively about how DFY can grow: increasing participation, strengthening school and community routes into the Academy, developing sponsorship and partnership opportunities, establishing new delivery locations and helping shape DFY’s long-term expansion across London.

DFY will appoint freelance head coaches for boys’ football, girls’ football and basketball. Each head coach will have a limited number of paid administrative hours to provide sport-specific support. Sara will retain ownership of dance. The Academy Growth & Operations Manager will work closely with all of them and will remain accountable for overall Academy coordination, football and basketball delivery, participant growth, commercial development and results, without removing Sara’s ownership of dance.

Initial order of priorities:

1. stabilise Academy operations;

2. grow existing football, basketball and dance programmes;

3. expand into new schools and London areas; and

4. assess opportunities for additional sports once the core Academy is operating strongly.

Why work with DFY

DFY is a growing London charity using sport to create confidence, belonging and opportunity for children and young people. The Academy is not only about running sessions or winning matches. It creates accessible pathways for children who may otherwise be excluded from organised sport, while helping families and communities connect through consistent, high-quality provision.

The role offers direct responsibility for shaping what DFY Academy becomes next. Success will be visible in stronger programmes, new locations, sustainable income and, most importantly, more children gaining access to positive sporting experiences.

Ownership, autonomy and development

The responsibilities in this specification describe the essential foundation of the role, not its limit. DFY is looking for someone who can work without close micromanagement, take responsibility for outcomes and continually identify better ways to increase impact.

The successful candidate will be encouraged to test ideas, challenge existing approaches and develop new opportunities where they support DFY’s mission and are operationally and financially realistic. Growth, partnerships and sponsorship will form a meaningful and protected part of the role, alongside Academy operations. The manager will be expected to build opportunities proactively rather than waiting for them to arise.

Key responsibilities

Academy operations

• Take ownership of the day-to-day operational running of football and basketball, while coordinating Academy-wide systems and working collaboratively with Sara on areas connected with dance.

• Ensure sessions, teams, venues, coaches, registrations, fixtures, equipment and communications are organised accurately and on time.

• Oversee coach rotas and resolve staffing gaps, cancellations and delivery issues quickly.

• Manage pitches, venues, league affiliations, player registrations, trials, waiting lists, participant onboarding and organise equipment.

• Ensure parents and coaches receive clear and timely information through WhatsApp groups, booking systems and other communication channels.

• Maintain accurate attendance, registration, capacity and participant records.

• Support the operational setup and delivery of DFY holiday camps where required.

Academy sport development

• Oversee the growth and operational delivery of football, basketball and dance.

• Manage the football and basketball head coaches, retaining accountability for participation, standards and results.

• Grow basketball across Wembley and Newman College, including recruitment, staffing, venues and parent communication.

• Strengthen pathways from schools, camps, community sessions and trials into Academy teams.

• Ensure teams have appropriate league, competition and friendly-fixture opportunities.

• Work alongside Sara, who retains ownership of dance, supporting recruitment, partnerships, systems and expansion where helpful.

Growth, schools, partnerships and expansion

• Develop and deliver a clear growth plan for each Academy sport and location.

• Increase regular participation and improve conversion from enquiries and free trials into retained participants.

• Prioritise outreach to new schools to grow DFY’s delivery across London and create stronger routes into the Academy.

• Identify and secure suitable schools, community venues and delivery locations.

• Build relationships with families, schools, community organisations and local networks in the areas where DFY operates.

• Maintain a structured pipeline of potential schools, venues, delivery partners, sponsors and new London locations.

• Identify relevant companies whose CSR or community-impact priorities align with DFY and progress suitable opportunities with Marén, Nick and the wider senior team.

• Ensure growth is operationally and financially sustainable and does not create disproportionate staffing, venue or delivery costs.

• Once existing programmes and planned expansion are operating strongly, assess opportunities to introduce additional sports such as gymnastics, rugby or other locally relevant activities.

Head coach and freelance coach management

• Lead and coordinate the football and basketball head coaches and wider freelance coaching team, while working collaboratively with Sara as the lead for dance.

• Set clear expectations around communication, planning, safeguarding, attendance, administration and delivery quality.

• Agree practical growth and development actions with head coaches and monitor completion within their allocated administrative hours.

• Observe sessions, provide feedback and address reliability, behaviour or performance concerns promptly.

• Support the recruitment, onboarding and development of coaches and build a strong team culture across all sports.

• Remain accountable for Academy operations and results; head coaches provide specialist support but do not replace the manager’s ownership.

Quality, inclusion and safeguarding

• Ensure all Academy activity reflects DFY’s safeguarding, inclusion and behaviour standards.

• Work with DFY’s safeguarding lead to address concerns and maintain appropriate procedures.

• Ensure girls’ and boys’ pathways receive equal care, ambition and attention.

• Support coaches to adapt sessions for different abilities, SEND needs and levels of experience.

• Maintain a welcoming environment in which every child can belong, participate and progress.

• Ensure growth does not come at the expense of safeguarding, participant experience or delivery quality.

Reporting and financial sustainability

• Provide clear weekly and monthly updates on Academy operations, growth and emerging risks.

• Track attendance, capacity, retention, trials, conversion, income and programme costs.

• Identify programmes that are under capacity or financially unsustainable and recommend practical solutions.

• Support budgeting and forecasting for new teams, venues, sports and locations.

• Use evidence and realistic cost assumptions when recommending expansion.

• Contribute to sustainable income growth through participant recruitment, school relationships, partnerships and viable programme development.

Essential experience and capabilities

Operations and delivery

• Experience managing sports, education, youth or community programme operations.

• Strong organisational ability across staffing, scheduling, venues, logistics and communication.

• Ability to manage multiple programmes and priorities without important details being lost.

• Experience resolving operational problems quickly and independently.

• Strong administrative and systems capability, with high attention to detail.

• Willingness to work on site and attend evening or weekend delivery where required.

Growth and business development

• Experience in programme growth, participant recruitment, memberships, sales, business development or partnerships.

• Ability to turn outreach and relationships into measurable participation, delivery or income results.

• Understanding of how schools, families and community organisations can support programme growth.

• Commercial awareness and confidence working towards participation, partnership and sustainable-income targets.

• Ability to assess whether a new programme, venue or location is operationally and financially viable.

• Sponsorship experience is helpful but is not essential.

Leadership and coach management

• Experience managing, coordinating or supporting coaches, staff or freelancers.

• Ability to set clear expectations and hold people accountable.

• Confidence giving feedback and addressing reliability or performance concerns.

• Ability to build trust while maintaining professional authority.

• Understanding of coaching quality, session structure, participant engagement and behaviour management.

• Ability to lead through specialist head coaches without trying to personally deliver every area.

Community, inclusion and communication

• Experience working with children, young people and families from diverse backgrounds.

• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and equal access to sport.

• Understanding that DFY Academy combines sporting development with confidence, belonging and positive experiences.

• Ability to communicate appropriately with parents, schools, coaches, community partners and external organisations.

Mindset and behaviour

• Takes ownership of outcomes and follows responsibilities through to completion.

• Proactive, practical and solutions-focused.

• Comfortable operating in a growing organisation where systems and opportunities are still developing.

• Able to work independently without requiring micromanagement.

• Willing to think beyond the immediate job description and identify new ways to increase DFY’s reach and impact.

• Communicates clearly, completely and on time.

• Open to feedback and motivated to build a broad leadership career across operations, growth and programme development.

• Comfortable being measured against operational, participation, growth and sustainability expectations.

First six months and probation

The role will begin with a six-month probationary period. During this period, the manager will be expected to demonstrate reliable ownership of Academy operations and establish the foundations for sustainable growth.

• Complete a structured handover of Academy operations.

• Build effective working relationships with head coaches, freelancers, parents, schools and venues.

• Ensure core Academy systems, registrations, fixtures and communications operate reliably.

• Stabilise football, basketball and dance delivery.

• Develop clear growth plans for each programme.

• Progress the launch and growth of the second basketball location.

• Establish accurate tracking of participants, trials, attendance, retention, capacity and income.

• Develop a pipeline of relevant schools, venues, community partners and sponsorship prospects.

• Establish a consistent weekly rhythm for outreach, follow-up and reporting across growth, partnerships and sponsorship.

• Demonstrate consistent ownership, sound judgement, communication and follow-through.

Successful completion of probation will be assessed against agreed expectations covering operational reliability, leadership, participant growth, communication, systems, quality and sustainable programme development. Following successful completion, the salary will increase from £30,000 to £35,000.

Bonus

The role includes an annual performance bonus of up to £5,000. The bonus will be linked broadly to growth in the number of children participating in DFY programmes and the generation of sustainable income through Academy growth, schools, partnerships and sponsorship. Detailed targets and calculation arrangements will be agreed separately.

Career development

The intention is for this role to develop into a senior management position as DFY grows. It offers the opportunity to build a broad leadership profile across operations, programme development, business development, people management and expansion. Progression will depend on demonstrated ownership across Academy delivery, coach leadership, sustainable participant growth, school and community development, London expansion and contribution to wider DFY strategy.

Benefits

• 20 days of annual leave.

• Eight bank holidays.

• Christmas shutdown, normally providing an additional three to four days depending on the calendar.

• Pension contribution in line with DFY policies.

• Free places at DFY holiday camps for the employee’s children.

• Invitations to selected ISC events, socials and sporting fixtures, with family tickets where available.

• Regular mentoring and professional development.

• Opportunities to collaborate with professional athletes and members of the ISC and DFY ambassador network.

Screening questions

• This role combines operations, sales and delivery. Are you confident in managing multiple responsibilities within a full-time role?

• Are you available to work a full-time role (40 hours), including some evenings and occasional weekends?

• Do you have experience working with children, young people or in a community/sport setting?

• Do you agree that youth sport should prioritise inclusion and development over winning?

• Are you able to work from our W10 London base and travel across DFY sites as required?

• Do you require a visa to work in the UK?