SCHOOLS MANAGER in Nottingham

Nottingham Forest Community Trust is seeking an experienced and strategic Schools Manager to lead and develop our schools provision across Nottinghamshire. This is a substantive mid-management role with genuine scope to shape the direction of our education offer, build high-value partnerships, and lead a talented team of coaches and delivery staff. Reporting to the Head of Programmes, you will take ownership of our flagship schools programmes — including PL Primary Stars, PL Inspires, Nottingham Schools FA, and Official Soccer Schools — and will be responsible for driving quality, managing strategic relationships, and building the capacity of your team to deliver exceptional outcomes for young people.

About Nottingham Forest Community Trust: NFCT is a registered charity connected to Nottingham Forest FC, working to improve health and wellbeing through ambitious, inclusive community programmes across Nottinghamshire. We reach over 53,000 people each year, operate the Forest Sports Zone (the UK's most-used community football facility) and generate £13.17 of social value for every £1 invested.

Key Responsibilities

• Partnership Management: Develop, manage and grow strategic relationships with schools, the Premier League Charitable Fund (PLCF), local authorities, and key education stakeholders across Nottinghamshire. Represent NFCT at relevant meetings, forums and external events, advocating for the Trust's schools provision and actively securing opportunities for growth. Lead on the development of new school partnerships, identifying opportunities to expand reach, increase participation, and deepen long-term engagement. Manage the ongoing relationship with West Nottinghamshire College in relation to the CIMSPA Level 3 Community Sports Coach programme, ensuring effective collaboration and clear outcomes. Provide regular reporting to senior leadership, funders, and external partners, using data and impact evidence to demonstrate programme value and build stakeholder confidence.
• Curriculum and Quality: Take strategic ownership of the delivery and quality assurance of all NFCT schools programmes, ensuring they meet the highest standards and align with programme frameworks, schemes of work, and PLCF requirements. Oversee monitoring, evaluation, and impact reporting across all schools activity, using Salesforce and other data tools to track outcomes and drive continuous improvement. Lead the development and review of curriculum materials, session plans, and resources, ensuring content is age-appropriate, inclusive, and educationally robust. Identify areas for programme development and innovation, keeping pace with changes in physical education, youth engagement, and Premier League community priorities. Maintain compliance with safeguarding, health and safety, and organisational policies — leading by example in upholding NFCT's standards at all times.
• People and Team Management: Line manage, develop, and support a team of sessional and permanent delivery staff, providing clear leadership, regular supervision, and meaningful performance feedback. Lead in-house training and workforce development activity, identifying skills gaps and creating structured development pathways for team members. Set and uphold clear expectations around delivery quality, professionalism, and conduct, managing performance effectively and consistently. Foster a positive, high-performing team culture built on shared values, accountability, and a collective commitment to excellence in community sport. Manage staffing across school programmes, including scheduling, deployment, and contingency planning to ensure consistent and high-quality delivery.

Person Specification

You are an experienced mid-level manager with a proven track record of leading teams and managing programmes in an education, community sport, or youth engagement setting. Strategic and solutions-focused, you are as comfortable building external relationships as you are developing the people around you. You will bring:

• Demonstrable experience managing and developing staff within a programme delivery environment.
• Strong knowledge of the school-age education landscape, the physical education curriculum, and/or Premier League community programmes.
• A confident, credible approach to stakeholder and partner relationship management.
• Experience of quality assurance, monitoring, and reporting against programme frameworks and funder requirements.
• A genuine commitment to inclusion, safeguarding, and the welfare of children and young people.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple programmes simultaneously.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, influence, and hold others to account at all levels.

Additional Information

Enhanced DBS check, right-to-work verification, and satisfactory references are required for this post. All NFCT mandatory safeguarding checks must be completed prior to commencement of employment. A willingness to work evenings, weekends, and public holidays is required. A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is preferred.

Employee Benefits & Perks

• Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive Healthcare Plan: Fully funded Simply Health subscription offering virtual GP access and cash-back on dental, optical, physiotherapy, scans, and prescriptions. Mental Health & Advice Support: 24/7 access to mental health support, in-person counselling, and free guidance on financial wellbeing, addiction, and health. Family & Lifestyle Discounts: Ability to add children to your health plan, plus exclusive discounts on gyms, women's health care, and home health testing.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Annual Leave: 30 days of annual leave (including UK bank holidays), pro-rata for part-time staff. Extra Time Off: Additional gifted days off over the Christmas period, plus additional leave to reward long service.
• Financial, Pension & Career Growth: Financial Security: Workplace pension scheme with employer contributions and a life assurance policy for peace of mind. Professional Development: Continuous professional development (CPD) aligned with industry bodies, alongside robust internal and external learning opportunities.
• Club Perks & Location: Match Tickets & Discounts: Access to complimentary match tickets when assisting with matchday duties, plus a 30% discount off full price items at the Nottingham Forest Megastore. Kit & Tech Provided: Free official Nottingham Forest training kit, along with role-essential work equipment like laptops and phones. Prime Location & Parking: Free on-site parking at the iconic City Ground stadium, situated in a scenic riverside setting close to local amenities and excellent transport links. Social Events: Regular team get-togethers, including fully catered Summer and Christmas staff events.
• Purpose-Driven Culture: Make a Real Impact: Pride in working for a Premier League football club charity that actively transforms lives — improving community physical/mental wellbeing and personal development.

Disability Confident Committed Employer: We are a Disability Confident Committed employer. We encourage applications from people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. If you need disability-related adjustments to the recruitment process, please indicate this in your application. If you are likely to meet the definition of a "disabled person" according to the Equality Act 2010, you may be eligible to apply for an interview via the Disability Confident Scheme — please indicate this in your application form below. The information you share with us about your health or disability will not be used in recruitment selections.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Nottingham Forest Community Trust is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital / civil partnership status, pregnancy / maternity leave, race, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic. Nottingham Forest Community Trust are committed to developing policies to promote equal opportunities and diversity within our workforce. To monitor our progress against these commitments, we require all applicants to provide accurate diversity data during the application process.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding: As part of the Community Trust's commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant may be required to undergo a Disclosure Barring Service (“DBS”) check or an enhanced DBS check. The results of a DBS check will be considered on an individual basis, and the Community Trust will act in a proportionate manner when deciding whether or not to proceed with the appointment. An FA Enhanced DBS disclosure is required for all relevant new appointments to the Community Trust. Individuals will be asked to declare any convictions, cautions or reprimands, warnings or bind-overs that may have been incurred. The Community Trust reserves the right to carry out risk assessments where content has been disclosed on a DBS disclosure if it feels that it is relevant to the job requirements. Failure to satisfy the Community Trust and the PL's safeguarding requirements may lead to the job offer being withdrawn or, if they have already started employment, summary termination of the employment.