Location: Hybrid working. Based in Access Sport’s London or Manchester office. Minimum 2-3 days in the office/community.
Salary: c. £43,000 – £50,000 FTE
Hours:Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Closing Date: 14th April 2025
Role Purpose
Access Sport is seeking a Head of Programme to lead our growing team on an ambitious journey to transform the lives of 50,000 children and young people by 2027. You will drive the strategic vision of our Changing Places team, overseeing our place-based work in line with our Stand for Inclusion Growth Strategy. With a team of 15 passionate individuals, you will foster a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative culture that makes a real impact.
We are looking for a dynamic leader with a proven track record of building strategic partnerships across local, regional, and national organisations – from trusted community organisations to core cities. Your ability to unite people behind a shared vision and create an environment where teams thrive will be central to your success.
This is a pivotal moment to join Access Sport. As we celebrate 20 years, 2024/25 is set to be our most impactful year yet – having already reached over 30,000 young people and secured £3m+ in funding. If you are ambitious, driven, and passionate about making inclusion the norm in sport, we want to hear from you.
Responsibilities
* Lead and develop Access Sport’s Changing Places programme, driving its strategic direction to optimise our reach, impact and sustainability, working closely with the CEO and Delivery & Impact Director to align with Access Sport’s strategy.
* Manage and inspire a high-performing team, including 15 team members, with at least three direct reports, fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture.
* Provide strategic leadership as a key member of Access Sport’s Delivery Leadership Team, ensuring cross-programme alignment and contributing to organisational growth.
* Develop and maintain strong partnerships with national and local organisations, including Active Partnerships, national governing bodies, local authorities, leisure operators, health bodies, education providers, youth sector partners, and sport for development organisations.
* Ensure strong financial oversight of the Changing Places programme, working closely with the finance team to manage budgets effectively.
* Oversee monitoring, evaluation, and impact measurement, working closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation Lead to ensure data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
* Lead the development of funding proposals and applications, working closely with the Fundraising team to secure investment for existing and new place-based programmes.
* Act as a senior ambassador for Access Sport, representing the organisation at key meetings, events, forums, and conferences to influence and inspire stakeholders.
* Champion and embed inclusive practices across all place-based work, ensuring that underrepresented and disabled young people have equitable access to sport and physical activity.
* Drive innovation and continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance programme delivery, test new models of impact, and scale successful initiatives.
* Advocate for system-wide change, influencing policy and practice by working with key decision-makers to embed inclusive sport into local and national strategies.
* Contribute to Access Sport’s wider organisational culture, embracing and promoting our values while upholding the highest ethical and professional standards.
How to Apply
The closing date for applications is Monday 14 April 2025.
* A copy of your CV.
* A covering letter, maximum two sides, that includes:
o Why you are interested in joining Access Sport as the Head of Programme, Place.
o Evidence of your experience and knowledge that demonstrates how you meet the person specification.
o Ideas and/or examples of how you would contribute to the growth of Access Sport’s place-based work.
* A completed equal opportunities form, which can be found here: www.AccessSport.org.uk/join-the-team.
Candidates who have been shortlisted for an interview will be notified by 17 April 2025. The first interviews are currently due to take place w/c 22 April 2025.
If you have any questions or would like to have an informal discussion about the role, please email Sue.Wheeler@AccessSport.org.uk.
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