Deputy Director (Communications and External Affairs)

Independent Football Regulator

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Requirements of the role

The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has been established to protect and promote the sustainability of English football, for the benefit of fans and the local communities football clubs serve.

The IFR will help improve financial sustainability of clubs, ensure resilience across the leagues, and safeguard the heritage of English football. It will operate a licensing regime; set corporate governance standards and monitor, protect, and promote financial resilience. It will also enforce compliance with requirements on financial regulation, club ownership and directors, fan engagement, and heritage protection.

The IFR will also have powers to prohibit clubs from joining competitions that are not fair or meritocratic, or that threaten the heritage or sustainability of English football.

About The Role

This role is core to the IFR’s regulatory strategy. In collaboration with the Director of Strategic Communications, you will be responsible for all communications activity, including media management, across the IFR.

It will give you exposure to the central workings of the football industry, significant influence over the IFR’s regulatory strategy, and shared responsibility for designing and delivering comprehensive communications and media strategies that support the IFR in achieving its objectives.

This role requires a deep understanding of football governance, financial regulation and effective communication to ensure the IFR successfully meets its statutory duties and clearly articulates its mission and actions to all stakeholders.

You will also have the ability to combine deep strategic instinct with sharp industry/political awareness. You will need to read situations quickly and accurately while maintaining a coherent long-term strategy with a team that spans across Press, Stakeholder Engagement, Internal and Digital Communications.

While the IFR is a Non-Departmental Public Body there will be regular interaction with Ministers, Special Advisers, senior officials, and cross-Government partners. You will have experience of operating at pace and under pressure, and you will bring the credibility and judgement to be a trusted adviser at the most senior levels

You will also sit as a key member of the Executive Committee alongside the Director of Strategic Communications, sharing collective responsibility for the delivery of the communications strategy.

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Location

Manchester

Contract type

Full time, Permanent

Profession

Communications, External Affairs

Working pattern

Flexible working, Hybrid

Closing Date

16/04/2026